Proxy is a word that gets thrown around often, but if someone asked you what a proxy is and the different types of proxies, what answer would you give? The world of proxies can be tricky to understand and too technical a concept for some.
What is an HTTP proxy, and how does it work? Here, you’ll know what makes HTTP proxies different from the rest and where and when you should use them to maximize them fully. Check out its five main advantages for a better business flow in general.
A better business flow in general can be defined as a gateway between a user and the internet. It serves as an intermediary between the two because it works between end-users and the user visits’ web pages.
When you use a computer to connect to the internet, your computer will use an IP address. An IP address is an address like a home street address that directs incoming data on where to go and marks outgoing data with an address to return to for authentication. A proxy is a server that has its IP address.
You can also read: 4 Essential Benefits of Digital Identity Verification
To understand best how proxy servers work, let us take an example. You use your computer to try to access a web page through the internet. The server of the web page you want to access will request data from you, and your IP address will be revealed to the target site.
Earlier, we said that a proxy acts as an intermediary. When using a proxy and trying to access a web page through the internet, and the target website requests data, the request will be sent to the proxy server.
The server will then send this request to you. On responding, your computer will send the data to the server, relaying the information to the target website. Therefore, your target server will see the proxy server address as the visitor and not your actual IP address when using a proxy.
Proxies help offer an additional layer of security for your computer. Therefore, you can set up a proxy as a web filter or firewall to protect your computer against technological threats like malware.
You can also use it for business purposes, such as hiding your location when visiting your competitor’s website or for personal reasons like visiting a site restricted in your geographical region.
There are different types of proxies, including HTTP proxy. An HTTP proxy (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) proxy is a high-performance proxy that filters content.
It thoroughly examines web content to identify any questionable content, which can take various forms, such as malformed content and spyware.
Unlike other proxies, HTTP assures you of maximum security. No unauthorized files or malicious spyware can get stored in your computers. Thus, with HTTP proxy, you will never be a victim of cybercrime.
When using an HTTP proxy, you get to restrict content from the internet to pass through your server to your LAN. Thus, as an employer, you can limit what your employees can view, thereby increasing work productivity.
You can use an HTTP proxy to bypass some set security controls, especially those made to curtail web crawling and scraping.
An HTTP proxy masks your IP address, and you can remain anonymous in your internet endeavors.
HTTP proxies have a fast caching feature, which increases connection speed. This means you won’t have to load from the start every time you access a resource.
SOCKS is a proxy that works similar to other proxy servers by masking the user’s IP address and replacing the IP address. However, it is a more sophisticated and complex proxy that offers better services than free proxies.
SOCKS5 is the recent SOCKS version, an internet protocol that channels web traffic using a remote server. It adds to the previous SOCKS version and offers additional security through its numerous authentication methods.
Hence, you can only access SOCKS5 if you are an authorized user. Both HTTP and SOCKS5 proxies are highly rated in the market, so how do they compare?
With SOCKS5 proxy, you need to have the ability to gain access to any website through protocols. Protocols are an online language through which information is sent from one side of the internet to another. On the other hand, HTTP can process requests like an application.
HTTP, however, has numerous benefits. HTTP connections can interpret web traffic and data in a manner that SOCKS5 proxy cannot. This is a useful feature, especially when it comes to web scraping. HTTP can interpret and scan through data before downloading it, saving you the time you would have spent to analyze it.
Proxy servers improve your browsing performance. There are different types of proxies, such as HTTP proxies, which offer an additional security layer.
Besides providing security for your business and personal needs, HTTP proxies can improve your business productivity by restricting your employee’s access to some sites.
Also, read about ‘KissCartoon Proxies, 1337x Proxy/Mirror Sites & ExtraTorrent Proxy List!’
