What is a proxy and why is it for an ordinary user

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You've probably come across the word "proxy", but you always thought it was for admins and other techies. Sounds too fancy. In fact, a proxy is a very useful thing for the average person, which is easy to start using. Now we will tell you about proxies in an understandable language.

What is a proxy server

Ever heard of the cool music service Spotify? Millions of tracks, a very clever recommendation system, and so on. Would you like to start using it? Then try going to the Spotify website. Oops! The service is not available in your country, and it is not alone. Many European and American services and online stores with quality goods at affordable prices do not work in Russia.

How do sites generally know which country you are in? It's simple. By accessing any resource, you inevitably send it a lot of information about yourself, including location data. If your country is not among the supported, then you are politely sent. This is what Spotify showed you.

Now imagine that in some other country where Spotify operates, there is a special intermediary server that you can connect to and access sites through it. In this case, Spotify will consider that it is not you who are trying to access it from Russia, but the server from the country in which it operates, and will open access. Such an intermediary server is called a proxy. Tens of thousands of proxy servers operate in almost every country in the world.

Why use a proxy

First reason

A proxy server allows you to spoof location and bypass restrictions on access to sites and services.

The second reason

By spoofing your location, the proxy server hides your true location along the way. Websites cannot find out where the proxy is sending information. Accordingly, your other data, including your IP address, remains only known to the proxy server.

To find out who used the proxy, you need to contact the server administrator. The administrator will transfer data only by a decision of the local court. If the server is in another country, then in order to obtain information, you will have to start a very complex interstate bureaucratic procedure. Now imagine that there were several proxy servers, all in different countries and the connection was made sequentially through each of them. To start looking for you seriously, you need to break the law. This should never be done, but it is the use of a proxy that allows cybercriminals to remain incognito.

We in no way call for the commission of illegal actions on the Internet, but simply explain the principle of the proxy. The expression "for seven proxies" appeared for a reason and implies the highest level of security, only in this case we are not talking about material values, but about you.

A proxy server allows you to surf the Internet anonymously.

Third reason

Many companies practice restricting employees' access to certain sites. Most often, these include social networks and entertainment resources. In such cases, a proxy also helps. Blocking occurs at the site's address, but using a proxy, you will not enter the site directly. Accordingly, for the access restriction tool used by the administrator, you will not be visiting the VKontakte website, but simply some resource, access to which, of course, is permitted.

The proxy server allows you to bypass the restrictions imposed by the network administrator.

We will not talk about more specific tasks that can be solved using a proxy. Experts already know everything about proxies, but an ordinary user is probably tormented by another question: "Where can I get a proxy server?"

Where to get a proxy server

This is where the debate begins. We could say that we need to look for public free proxies on the Internet, but we will not, because this is not the best idea.

A free proxy is, of course, free. You can collect your list of servers for all occasions without a ruble, including anonymous and fairly fast ones, but that's how lucky.

True, you will still spend time, and more than once, because free proxies do not last long. If the server is good and in demand, then it will become paid and you will have to look for a replacement for it. Long-term proxies are usually lousy in terms of quality and speed, but they will close sooner or later.

Why would anyone even pay for the server and keep a free proxy for others? We do not believe in karma and altruism. The idea of a proxy is based on the fact that you unconditionally trust the owner of the server. Do you trust a kind uncle whom you don't even know, but who for some reason gives you a proxy for free?

In general, if free proxies were really acceptable for everyone, then paid analogs would be unclaimed and closed. But they are not closing, but on the contrary, new and new service providers are opening up.

Paid proxies are very cheap even in comparison with cheap VPNs, but they offer the user all the advantages typical of the “I pay you, work as you should” model.

You pay the service provider money and you have the right to demand the proper quality, help and support, which is very important for a beginner. The provider, in turn, is interested in providing the best value for money service, otherwise you will stop paying him.

Now we will advertise a little proxy from the Fineproxy company, because we ourselves have been using their services for several years and there have been no problems. Choose a supplier to your liking, just do it carefully.

The plus of Fineproxy is three very important things, which, in fact, are worth paying for:

• Tariffs for any needs and budgets (including elite and cheap proxies), a bunch of supported countries, as well as a money-back guarantee - a money-back guarantee if the quality is not satisfied.
• Very nimble and intelligent support. You can go to their website right now and check for yourself. A chat will appear in the corner. Write something there, and you will be answered in about a minute. At least our test request was processed even faster. If something is not clear, they suggest. If there is something wrong with the service, they will resolve the issue. They will also help you choose a tariff.
• Consistent quality. Servers are always available, the speed does not drop. The Internet works in the same way as with a regular connection, the difference is not noticeable. For the average user, this is the most important thing.

How to start using a proxy

The advantage of using a proxy over the same VPN is that you do not have to install additional programs on your computer. Everything you need is already on your system. It is enough to follow the link corresponding to your browser or system, and do everything according to the instructions:

• IE,
• Chrome,
• Firefox,
• Opera,
• Safari (macOS),
• Android,
• iOS.

It's easier than you might think. Just a couple of minutes, and you no longer have to worry about bans, restrictions and surveillance.