With modern technologies, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain anonymity and get away from unwanted control on the Internet.
Fortunately, some solutions help users protect their data from scammers and surf the Internet without any restrictions.
In this article, you will learn how to choose and buy a proxy, what features these servers have, and how they can be useful in your business.
What Is a Proxy?
In simple terms and without going into complex technical details, a proxy server acts as an intermediary between your device and the destination endpoint. When this “agent” receives your request, it passes it down the chain so you can access resources that are blocked in your region. Even though an intermediary appears between you and the Internet, you will not lose the channel bandwidth quality with the right provider.
Proxy servers can be divided into several groups depending on the features of their work:
- Anonymity: transparent, anonymous, and high anonymity.
- Accommodation: server, resident, and mobile.
- Protocol type: HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS.
- IP addresses: static and dynamic.
- Usage type: public and private. The latter, in turn, are divided into general and dedicated.
- With support for IPv4 or IPv6.
All of these types allow users to hide their data and use Internet resources with almost no restrictions. Still, each has unique features that can be useful depending on your activity.
Why Might You Need It?
The main reason why Internet users resort to proxy servers is the opportunity to hide their real IP addresses. It may be necessary for a variety of reasons, for example:
- Getting access to resources blocked in your region. It is by and large the main reason why most people turn to proxy servers.
- Preservation of confidentiality. It is how you protect yourself from annoying targeted ads.
- Blocking access. With the help of a proxy, you can either get wider access or restrict it. It may be necessary for companies to control the sites visited by employees.
- Security and protection against scammers and hacker attacks (subject to choosing a reliable provider).
- Gaining access to all SMM and SEO tools. Using a proxy, you will not get banned for multiple accounts or a large number of requests.
- Save traffic if you constantly interact with the same resources.
As you can see, proxy servers are necessary both for corporations for professional activities and individuals for everyday issues.
How to Choose It?
Many companies offer proxy services. Due to the huge number of different offers, it can be challenging to pick the right one. In addition to choosing one of the types described above, you should also pay attention to the following criteria.
1. Price
Proxy servers can be free and paid. Trusting the former is quite risky, as providers may be dishonest. Moreover, free services may be unstable or too slow and pose a risk to you and your device. Finding a free product that works well and is customizable is next to impossible. You protect yourself from the listed troubles by turning to paid providers in exchange for a small compensation.
Compare different plans and features offered, and see what other providers offer for the same fee. The cost may vary depending on the speed, locations, type, GBs, and additional options. Correctly assess your needs not to buy an advanced proxy, most of which features you will not need.
2. Number of servers
The more servers a provider has, the less likely the connection will break at the wrong time. Suppose you not only want to remain anonymous on the Internet but also use a proxy for business.
In that case, a company should have servers in those regions where the resource you need works without restrictions. Paying attention to geography is also necessary to select a high-performance product.
The closer the server is to your real location, the faster the connection speed is. If the IP address is located in your country or neighboring region, the speed will be on maximum.
3. Trial period and support
A trial period gives you the opportunity to fully evaluate the available functionality and understand what exactly you need for work. The option to replace a proxy will not be extra if you are not satisfied with some parameters.
A quality provider should also offer clients professional support and advice regarding server selection and setup. Also, check the refund policy if you need to in the future.
4. Reputation
Since you trust a proxy with your sensitive data, the service provider should have a good reputation among users. In addition to the technical information that companies write about themselves, you should also study the reviews of clients who have already had the experience of contacting them.
Pay attention to how the representatives of these firms deal with feedback: whether they respond to comments, how they react to negative reviews, etc.
Pick several servers and compare their ratings. If a provider has already been compromised or suspected of participating in fraudulent activity, you should not trust it.
5. Additional features
Extra features may vary depending on the specific provider, and not all of them may be necessary for you. However, many experts recommend choosing services that provide convenient dashboards where you can view your statistics or change your tariff.
You can also utilize filters that remove banner ads or blockers of malicious scripts. Also, before buying a proxy, be sure to find out what information a provider collects about you.
It should be the minimum amount of data that a company uses exclusively for internal purposes, without transfer to third parties.
Be Cautious When Choosing a Proxy
Pay attention to the described criteria so as not to be disappointed in your choice of a proxy and, moreover, not to suffer because of scammers.
Now there are many providers on the market, and with a correct analysis of your needs, you can find a company with an ideal price-quality ratio.
Please share your experience of choosing a proxy server in the comments. What would you add to this list? What parameters do you consider essential?
