Advantages of Using a Proxy Server – Guide

Proxy servers are often compared to VPNs, among other tools used for online privacy. Thanks to the World Wide Web and the wealth of information available, you shouldn’t struggle to get information about proxy servers and their pros and cons. However, many people struggle when deciding between a proxy server and a VPN, due to the similarity in functionality. A proxy server can be described as a gateway (e.g. a software system, application or computer) that connects a device final (eg computer, smartphone) and a large network (eg the Internet). It can also be used as a connection point between a group of computers on a local network and the Internet. ..

A proxy server is a computer that receives requests from users and executes them on behalf of the user. This is different from a direct internet connection, where the computer initiates requests, revealing its unique IP address in the process.

incognito browsing

Using a proxy server can help protect your internal network from external networks. This prevents hackers, scammers, and unscrupulous spammers from accessing your network and attacking you. ..

Geolocation test

Today, many websites have implemented geolocation technology to personalize their web content and redirect their visitors to an appropriate page, recognizing where visitors come from. The recent trend shows that localized content is becoming more and more popular in web communities. Technically it was not that difficult to implement this technology as there are several free and paid APIs or services to choose from (eg IPInfoDB, IP2Location). However, the testing phase of your geolocation feature is the challenging part as not everyone would have access to IP addresses from different countries. In this context, proxy servers now come into play.

Using proxy servers in different locations around the world can help you test and successfully implement your geolocation feature. There are many open proxies that offer their free proxy service, but you need to be extremely careful when choosing the right proxy. Your important data will flow through this proxy server and therefore choosing a reliable and honest proxy provider is vital for your peace of mind. My advice is to look for a paid and reliable service like LocaProxy. After all, you don’t want to jeopardize your business solution, do you? ..

Access sites filtered by ISP or institution

Schools and institutions may only allow access to a certain website. When sites and content are filtered by the ISP, you can bypass an ISP proxy by configuring your browser to use another proxy server.

acting

Proxy servers can cache web pages and allow for more efficient delivery of web content. It can speed up access to documents and website content as it always searches its local cache for previously downloaded results from all requests, such as images and other static graphical content. Since the proxy server is usually on the same network as the user, the next request for the same page can be received much faster because it doesn’t forward the request to the external site every time. This greatly improves performance for end users.

filter requests

Proxy servers can be used to filter data or requests from external websites. For example, it is widely implemented by organizations or institutions to ensure that Internet usage complies with local usage policies. Authentication can be enabled to help the administrator effectively control the content delivered while distributing Internet access. Allowing only certain hosts to bypass the proxy is important to prevent malicious content and block sites that display distracting material. In addition, it can also prevent employees from accessing inappropriate websites during working hours. ..

Final note

The advantages of using a proxy server are many and varied. Here are a few of the most common reasons why people choose to use proxies:

  1. To reduce the amount of data that is sent through your computer’s internet connection. A proxy server can help you to send less data, which will free up your internet bandwidth and allow you to use more resources more efficiently.
  2. To protect your privacy. When you use a proxy server, your computer sends the information it receives from the website through a third party instead of directly to the website owner or provider. This means that your information is not available to anyone but you and the proxy server administrator.
  3. To improve security on websites. When you use a proxy server, your computer sends all of the traffic it encounters on its way to the website through a third party instead of directly to the website owner or provider. This means that if there is an attack on one of those websites, your traffic will not be affected because all of the traffic going to and from that site will be sent through a different intermediary instead.