A proxy server is a go-between for you and a website. Instead of sending your request straight to the site, you send it to the proxy, which forwards it in its own name and passes the answer back to you. The website sees the proxy's address, not yours. Here is a plain-English look at how it works, what kinds of proxies there are and what they are for.
How a proxy works
Without a proxy it is simple: your computer contacts the website, and the website sees your IP address — which tells it your country and your internet provider.
With a proxy, the route gets one step longer:
- Your browser or program sends the request to the proxy server.
- The proxy opens the website itself, from its own IP address.
- The website answers the proxy, and the proxy hands the answer to you.
Imagine asking a friend in another city to buy you a ticket at the local box office. The cashier sees your friend, not you. A proxy is that friend, for the internet.
What the website sees
The website sees the proxy's IP address: its country, provider and type — server, home or mobile. Your real IP stays hidden unless the browser gives it away some other way, through WebRTC for example. More on that, and on testing a proxy, in "How to Test a Proxy".
Keep in mind that a proxy changes only the address. Your browser still tells the website its settings — language, time zone, screen resolution. If you need the site to see "a different device" and not just a different IP, you will also need an anti-detect browser — see "What Is an Antidetect Browser".
What proxies are for
- Several accounts. Websites link accounts by IP. If each account has its own proxy, the website sees different people.
- Collecting data. Websites limit how many requests one address can make. Many proxies mean many addresses, and the work goes faster.
- Another country. See a website, its ads or search results the way users in another country see them.
- Privacy. Not showing websites your real IP.
Kinds of proxies
By protocol
The protocol is the "language" a program uses to talk to the proxy. The most common are SOCKS5 and HTTPS. SOCKS5 works with almost any program, and HTTPS also encrypts the connection to the proxy itself. More in "HTTP, HTTPS or SOCKS5".
By where the IP comes from
- Datacenter (server) — addresses from data centres. Affordable and fast, and you can buy lots of them.
- Residential — the home internet addresses of ordinary users.
- Mobile — mobile carrier addresses. Websites trust them the most.
How they differ and which to pick — see "Residential vs Mobile vs Datacenter Proxies".
By IP version
IPv4 is the familiar kind of address, like 203.0.113.25; every website understands it, but it is expensive. IPv6 is the new kind; there are vast numbers of them, so these proxies are cheaper, but they only open websites that support IPv6. More in "IPv4 vs IPv6 Proxies".
By access
A private (dedicated) proxy is issued to you alone. A shared one is used by several customers — it is cheaper, but what others do can ruin the address's reputation.
What a proxy doesn't do
- It doesn't encrypt all of your device's traffic. A proxy only works for the programs you set it up in. A VPN is what protects the whole device — compare them in "Proxy vs VPN vs Tor".
- It doesn't make you fully anonymous. The website still sees your browser, and an account you sign in to is still your account.
- It doesn't open everything. A website may restrict proxies itself, and IPv6 proxies won't open websites without IPv6.
How to start using a proxy
- Decide what it is for. Accounts need their own permanent IP; data collection needs many addresses.
- Choose the type and country. If you are buying IPv6 proxies, check the websites you need with the IPv6 test.
- Set the proxy up in your browser, anti-detect browser or program — how, and in which format, is covered in our guide to proxy formats.
- Check that the website sees the proxy's address, not yours.
FAQ
Are proxies legal?
A proxy is an ordinary networking tool used by companies and individuals alike. What matters is how you use it: breaking laws or a website's rules through a proxy is no more allowed than without one.
Will a proxy slow my internet down?
A little — the request travels an extra leg through the server. If you pick a proxy country close to the website you need, you will hardly notice.
Do I need to install anything?
Usually not: you enter the proxy in the settings of your browser, anti-detect browser or program. All you need is the host, port, login and password, which you get after buying.
You can pick IPv6 proxies by country and quantity in our configurator.