You must have faced this issue of wanting to access a website and not being able to. One of the main reasons for this could be the geo-restriction in operations. It means that the website you want to access is not allowed to be used from your region. For example, grand websites like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and even porn sites. The reason behind this could be any. But what concerns you is being able to access these sites.
So how do you do it? How do you access a website that you are not ‘geographically’ allowed to? And how do you maintain your privacy at the same time? Well, the answer is simple; proxies or proxy 1service.
What is a proxy?
The word ‘proxy’ has its origin in a Middle English term called ‘procuracy.’ It means to act on behalf of others. Similarly, in your everyday life, you must have heard about proxy voting. Person X, sending person Y to vote on his behalf. It is how ‘proxy’ works. It is a term used to refer to any device or server that acts on behalf of another device or server. In another way, it acts as an intermediary between the client and the end-server. The reasons for using proxy services are many and are below-discussed.
Why do you need proxy services?
- Ensuring privacy-Well, this is one of the most stated reasons for using proxies. As discussed above, the proxy server acts as an intermediary. It also means that it provides the first line of defence against any possible infiltration. Be it your data or any sensitive data; proxies help you stay out of trouble. It becomes crucial if you work in a business handling sensitive information like a financial company or bank. If you are not in a company and casually browsing, then also you can use a proxy server to prevent access to your information through third parties. Therefore, using a proxy ensures both security and privacy.
- Building and bypassing restrictions-Through proxies, you can also build restrictions. For example, in your company, you do not want employees from outside to access your website. In this, proxies can help. It allows users to build restrictions and blockages. Similarly, they are also used to bypass various laid-out restrictions. For example, sites like Netflix are geo-restricted and can only be accessed from particular locations. Using proxy servers, you can access site X from region B, where its services are not allowed. Therefore, proxies enable you to stream videos and games worldwide, sharing with friends worldwide.
- Managing web traffic-Proxies are beneficial for both service providers and customers. Big brands and companies use proxies to balance out their web traffic. Too many users can ultimately lead to the crashing of the website. It is not only crucial for sustaining the business but also for a better user Companies providing proxy servers allow companies to use their servers and storage. It ensures balancing the web-traffic, along with managing efficient storage. For users also, proxies are better. For example, if you are using a website from region A and cannot access it because of huge traffic, using proxies can help. It allows one to access websites easily.
- Increased speed-As a result of using proxies, the working speed increases. By managing the traffic automatically, the speed of research gets enhanced. It is typically a feature of private paid proxies. Even public proxies offer a better speed. However, a decentralized control makes it less favourable compared to paid proxies. Either way, the speed increases. Moreover, since they work in the background, they also compress the background web traffics and clear the cache files.
- Keeping an eye on competitors-If, you are the head of a company, you cannot visit and check your contemporary businesses’ websites. So how do you know about their progress? How can you do it without letting them know about it? By using proxies. The very principle of a proxy is anonymity. Therefore, by using proxies, you can easily access your competitors’ websites and available data without letting them know about it. You can see, learn and restrategize your website accordingly. It, in turn, is crucial for the long-term growth of your business.
- Online security-Proxies also enable you to stay out of online troubles like a malware attack. Recent times have seen a surge in online threats. It is, therefore, crucial to use a line of defence like the proxies. These act as a filtration layer to your serving. Filtration is a typical feature of full-proxy as compared to half proxies.
What are the types of proxies?
If you plan to use proxies, it is equally crucial to understand the two types of proxies. These are;
- Half proxy
- Full proxy
In a proxy server or device, a client connects to an application through a proxy server. So in half proxy, the server and application, once connected, keep exchanging information back and forth in a simple manner. On the other hand, in full proxies, the proxy server connects to a client on the one hand and the application on the other. It keeps them as separate entities and not as one. This feature ensures better security. Some people also use VPN services in place of proxy. VPN is also a secure way to web online.
According to the experts, if you use an open proxy server, you may be negating the features that a proxy server may provide. It is because open proxy servers do not have an accountable system. So if you are planning to use a proxy server, make sure it aligns with your concerns. In a report published in 2018, around 26 per cent of online users use a proxy server to access global services online. Proxies are, thus, an important tool to ensure privacy and anonymity. It lets you surpass the geo-restrictions on the various websites. With the help of legitimate proxies, you can speed up your research by balancing the web traffic.
