The world’s internet is fraught with insecurity and digital monitoring activities. Hence, it’s essential to take extra measures to keep your browsing safe. One such effort is to install a proxy on your network. Proxies are intermediaries that interface between client browsers and destination servers, facilitating the sending and receiving of requests and responses.
By doing this, proxies provide your network with an extra layer of security while also aiding performance. Now, there are different types of proxy servers, each functioning uniquely. Owing to the diversity, it is crucial to identify your use cases and needs before deciding on one type.
To shed more light on your understanding of proxies, this article will explore everything to know about each type and what makes each the ideal proxy for you.
What is a Proxy?
While proxy types have functional distinctions, they all work towards a common goal. Proxies are designed to be intermediaries between a client computer and a server on the internet. When installed on a network, requests coming from the client browser first go through the proxy. The request is then evaluated and shrouded in a new IP address before being forwarded to the destination server.
Similarly, responses from the server also make their way to the proxy before heading to the client’s computer. Proxies enhance privacy, performance, and security by working as a sort of gateway on the internet. When also trying to access geographically restricted content, proxies are also functional.
Types of Proxies
Numerous proxy types exist, each of which can be based on functional direction, source, level of transparency, infrastructural characteristics, etc. However, below are the more general types of proxy servers:
HTTP Proxy
The HTTP proxy primarily works with HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) traffic. Users can access web pages and other internet resources thanks to its unique functioning. These proxy servers handle requests made through web browsers, making them suitable for activities like web scraping, restriction bypass, content filtering, etc.
HTTPS Proxy
These are similar to HTTP proxies. However, these traffic types’ ‘secure’ attribute makes them distinct. HTTPS stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, a safer upgrade to HTTP. Consequently, HTTPS proxies only work with HTTPS traffic. The modus operandi is the same; interfacing between client and server, providing end-to-end encryption, thereby ensuring confidentiality and data integrity. Owing to these, HTTPS proxies are more commonly used for secure online transactions and in cases where access to sensitive information is paramount.
SOCKS Proxy
Two major versions of the SOCKS (Socket Secure) proxies exist, SOCKS4 and SOCKS5. The proxies designated for these protocol infrastructures work at a lower level when compared to their HTTP or HTTPS counterparts. What makes SOCKS proxies unique is that they can handle more types of traffic, including UDP and TCP.
The primary use cases of SOCKS proxies include online gaming, streaming, and peer-to-peer sharing. Their broader scope of uses is based on their flexibility and compatibility with varying protocols.
Residential Proxies
According to the name, residential proxies are designed to provide IP addresses tied to an actual residence. So, when anyone monitors the traffic coming through residential proxies, they appear to be from real users with home addresses – which is the case. But if you use them, it won’t be your home IP address that gets seen; it could be that of another home in the Philippines or wherever your proxy provider is based.
Consequently, monitoring residential proxies is more complicated, making them more suitable for ad verification, web scraping, restriction bypass, etc. So, it’s not surprising that they come at a higher cost.
Datacenter Proxies
Datacenter proxies, on the other hand, work with IP addresses that lead to a datacenter. But because of the processing power behind them, they are generally faster and more efficient. They are also very reliable, surpassing residential proxies on the effectiveness scale. Hence, when you need to perform operations like web scraping, SEO monitoring, etc., at scale, data center proxies are your best bet.
The Benefits and Use Cases of Each Proxy Type
Thanks to a difference in infrastructural support, each proxy type fields unique benefits that make them value for money. Here are advantages and use cases to consider when looking to make a choice:
HTTP Proxies
Benefits: They provide anonymity and facilitate users’ access to restricted content. Since they are compatible with browsers, they are suitable for web scraping, website performance monitoring, and content filtration.
Use Cases:
- Marketers mainly use them during market research
- Used for competition analysis and SEO monitoring.
- Ad verification.
HTTPS Proxies
Benefits: These proxy types are focused on encryption and security when client browsers communicate with servers. Hence, they are best when handling sensitive information or protecting user credentials, personal info, and financial data.
Use Cases:
- They are vital to Internet banking, e-commerce, and other applications dealing with sensitive information.
- They are used when cyber attacks of a high order can be perpetrated.
SOCKS Proxies
Benefits: SOCKS is more versatile than most other proxy types, working seamlessly with TCP and UDP traffic. They are flexible and provide support authentication, security enhancement, proxy chaining, etc.
Use Cases:
- Commonly used by gamers
- Drastically reduce latency
- Provide a stable network connection.
Residential Proxies
Benefits: They provide a higher anonymity level thanks to the real home-based IP addresses they provide to users.
Use Cases:
- Web scraping
- Restriction bypass
- Market research
- Price monitoring
Datacenter Proxies
Benefits: They offer speed, scalability, and reliability. They are not associated with residential addresses, making them faster and more consistent at high operational levels.
Use Cases:
- Web scraping
- SEO Monitoring
- Keyword tracking
- Monitoring search engine rankings
Conclusion
To choose a suitable proxy, you must identify your network needs. Furthermore, you must be willing to invest in the paid versions of these tools, as the free ones can compromise the security you’re trying to achieve.
