Have you ever heard of proxy servers? You have probably heard of it or already use it. Many users may not have complete information about what a proxy server is and its usage or they don’t know what benefits it provides to users? Or maybe some of them think a proxy server is a VPN; Your questions are answered in this article, and we decided to talk extensively about proxy servers, so stay tuned.
What is a Proxy server?
A proxy server is an interface server between the server and the source and destination clients; This server acts as a gateway between the Internet and the user. When a client sends a request, the proxy server examines the request and then sends it to the Internet environment and passes it through the firewall; After receiving a response from the destination client, it checks it again for sending, and finally, the response is sent back to the source server.
You might be wondering why we don’t use a proxy server to go directly to the requested address. In response, new proxy servers are not solely responsible for sending and receiving requests between source and destination servers; Rather, it acts as a firewall and web filter that caches common data requests to improve the speed of the packet receiving and sending process and provides the ability to share network connections.
Proxy servers provide different levels of security, performance, and privacy depending on user needs and types of usage; Proxy servers with the ability to hide the source and destination addresses while receiving and sending packets are also used to overcome some of the restrictions imposed on the Internet, and another feature of proxy servers is that by inspecting and viewing the contents of packets, the user can filter unauthorized content.
Proxy servers
A proxy server is used to identify users who access the Internet and impose certain restrictions on user activity because a proxy server such as NAT has authentication capabilities. You may be interested to know how you can have a proxy server and set it up to take advantage of its capabilities You can set up a proxy server with the help of a virtual server, but Linux VPS provides a more suitable platform to set up and create the desired proxy server and you can use it for your purpose without any worries or problems. Generally, the main purpose of a proxy server is to protect users from harm on the Internet and provide the highest level of privacy for your packets.
How does a proxy server work?
With any computer connected to the Internet, the system has a unique IP address, and the Internet uses the IP address to determine what data to send to which computer.
A proxy server, such as a computer with an Internet connection, has a specific IP address known to your system; When a request is sent from you to the web, it first goes through the proxy server filter and sends it to the web server, then the proxy server collects the response from the web server and sends the data from the web to your source system so that you can get the answer in your system browser.
Proxy servers can change your IP so that web servers cannot accurately locate your location; It encrypts information to protect your data from being readable during the submission process and may block access to certain web pages based on IP address.
5 main reasons to use a proxy server
Organizations and individuals use proxy servers for various purposes and functions; Here are some of the main reasons to use a proxy server:
Privacy
Some companies hide their IP so they can work anonymously and privately on the web; As we mentioned at the beginning of the article; Proxy servers can change IPs, and some of them can recognize information about web requests; Consequently, for the server, the IP of the system that sent the original data; will not clear; As a result, the personal information of individuals and the information displayed by the websites searched remain private.
Improved Security
A proxy server with the ability to encrypt data and web requests improves security to an advanced level so that no one can see this information, and another function of a proxy server to increase security is to block access to sites that contain known malware.
In addition to these capabilities, individuals and organizations can add proxy servers to a virtual private network and access the Internet directly through a remote proxy server. With a virtual private network, users outside the organization can remotely access the organization’s network, and the organization can monitor these users’ access to resources they need, such as email or internal information. In this case, they are able to protect their data by establishing a secure connection with the help of proxy servers.
Correct speed and bandwidth
Using a proxy server increases performance on a network; If thousands of people want to visit a site at once, the proxy server sends only one request to that IP address to prevent bandwidth loss. Also, by caching popular sites and information, by requesting the same information from the user, the response to the request is quickly provided to the user from the cached data, which will have a faster response and save bandwidth.
Restrict users and control internet usage
With a proxy server, organizations can monitor how employees use the Internet and all web requests, determine how much time employees spend in cyberspace and even set restrictions to prevent employees from accessing company-designated websites.
Access blocked resources
A proxy server can provide access to resources restricted or blocked by organizations or governments by changing IPs and using IPs from other countries.
Types of Proxy Servers
There are different types of proxy servers based on performance and efficiency; You should use them according to your purpose.
Transparent proxy
This type of proxy server provides the user’s real IP address to the site, introduces the user to the web server, and has its initial settings; Commonly used in schools and public libraries to filter content.
Anonymous representative
Such a proxy server specifies its identity to the website, but in order to protect the user’s identity and information related to the user’s browsing history, it prevents the transfer of the user’s real IP address to the website; One of the benefits is the display of websites relevant to your location.
Malformed proxy
This type also introduces itself as a proxy server but does not provide the correct IP address to your website and basically uses IPs from other areas, which can also be beneficial for users.
Highly anonymous proxy
A highly anonymous proxy is the most private and secure method. It does not introduce itself as a proxy server and regularly assigns different IP addresses to web servers; As a result, it is impossible to identify which traffic belongs to which system.
Protocol
HTTP Proxy
A simple proxy that is based on the HTTP protocol and supports the FTP protocol and is designed to consume the content of websites.
HTTPS Proxy
This type of proxy uses the HTTP protocol, which is more secure than HTTP and uses port 443; Generally, such proxies are used by hackers for infiltration and brute force attacks.
FTP proxy
FTP proxy with FTP protocol is designed to transfer files through the network, which can also limit access time and create access restrictions from external and internal networks; FTP proxy uses port 21.
SMTP Proxy
The SMTP protocol is used to send and receive an email, and you can use it to determine the size and number of messages, filter the executive content of emails, and access email addresses. Some hackers use this proxy to send spam messages to email.
Forward proxy
This type of proxy is used to receive data from a group of users on the internal network by sending a request to the proxy server to check whether it continues to establish a connection.
With the help of proxy forwarding, the possibility of administrative control is provided in the simplest way and the security of the IP addresses of the people on the network is provided. Yet, it may face limitations in meeting the needs of an organization’s end-users.
SSL Proxy
This type of proxy uses secure SSL protocol to decrypt between server and client and due to data encryption of both server and client, the proxy hides its identity. This proxy type is useful for organizations that need more protection against threats Also, if SSL proxies are used with a website, due to Google’s focus on SSL, it affects the site’s search engine ranking.
Accessibility
Public proxy server
This type of proxy server is known as a public proxy server, open proxy, or shared proxy because it is free and available to all users. Users can use it to work anonymously on the Internet. Free public proxy servers are ideal for those who don’t want to pay but have security and speed issues that are a major concern for many users as their sensitive data is compromised.
Private proxy server
This proxy is designed to provide exclusive access to the user’s IP address and has excellent security due to the unique IP address of each specific user. A private proxy server is a good option for those for whom security is paramount and for those who can afford to pay for these services.
IP Location / Source
Datacenter proxy server
This type of proxy is not affiliated with the ISP Internet Service Provider and hides the identity of users on the Internet by creating fake addresses. Although data center proxy servers are cheaper and faster than residential proxies, they face more problems such as blocking their access to some websites and making them easy to detect.
Residential proxy server
A residential proxy server provides users with a physical IP address from a physical location and is dependent on the ISP. Although they are more expensive than data center proxy servers, they are reliable because of the use of real IP addresses in the case of web servers.
Mobile Proxy Server
This type of proxy uses the IP address of devices that have mobile data, tablets, and smart devices. Mobile proxy servers are commonly used to test ads and applications, target product development, and UX.
Proxy server application
- Bypass limitations and blocked resources
- Monitoring and controlling users’ browsing history and activities of certain users in the Internet space
- Bypass the firewall
- Increase security by encrypting and hiding IP addresses
- Increase download speed
Proxy Server risks
It is better to be aware of the common dangers of proxy servers and be careful not to face any problems.
Risks of Free Proxy Servers: Beware of free proxy servers as they have many risks. Especially those who earn money through advertising do not use this kind of proxy server as much as possible.
History Dangers: As we explained, the proxy server stores information about the user’s web requests by accessing the user’s original IP address, so it is in your best interest to check whether the proxy server stores this information. And according to what rules and strategies do it implement these tasks?
Risks of non-encryption: The purpose of using proxy servers is to protect data; If not encrypted, you are not using a proxy server, and your requests will be sent as text without encryption, and anyone with access to your username and password can misuse your information. Consequently, ensure that the proxy server encrypts the data. Buy a dedicated server from Oudel Inc.
Proxy server security methods
- Filtering user requests
- Recording of all activities
- Checking contents of transit package.
- Ability to identify users
- Hiding the internal network structure from the view of external users in Internet space.
- Checking the contents of the package according to protocol standards.
Proxy servers settings in Internet Explorer
- Install the Internet Explorer software and then select Internet Options from the Settings menu.
- After a window opens, select the Connection option on the top bar of the window and click on the LAN Setting option.
- Then, you’ll see the Local Area Network (LAN) settings page:
- On condition that your network is connected to a specific website, select the Use automatic configuration script option and enter the desired address.
- If connecting to the network is through a specific port and IP address, select the Use a proxy server for your LAN option and enter the required information.
- On that condition, your company and organization have set up a private network, and you connect to the network through the bypass proxy server for the local address option.
Note: To disable the proxy server, use a proxy server for your LAN and click OK.
What are the differences between a VPN and a Proxy server?
VPNs and proxy servers are virtual private networks that act as interfaces between users and web servers. VPNs and proxy servers attempt to protect a user’s connection information and location by changing IP addresses.
Despite these similarities, there are fundamental differences in the support of the protocols and their security functions. Proxy servers need to be configured separately; Thus, the user needs to configure the proxy connection settings separately in the application, and then the traffic is controlled through the proxy until this configuration is done separately in the application; That program is immune to proxy server effects. But VPN is configured at the system level by default redirecting all traffic and does not need to be configured separately.
VPNs are more secure than proxy servers because VPNs create an encrypted tunnel between the user and the Internet network, allowing them to operate without the detection of IP access and other Internet connection data. But the proxy server, based on the protocol it uses, provides a different level of security.
How to set up a proxy server?
Proxy server setup and settings are different in operating systems and browsers, but all you need to do is set up a LAN in your web browser or operating system. After setting up the LAN in the operating system or browser, enter the proxy server address, port number, and related information.
You need to make the settings according to your operating system. For example, if you are using Mac operating on macOS and Apple iPhone operating on iOS, you need to go to WiFi settings to configure the proxy.
If you want to configure the proxy server in Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome browsers, then in Safari, you need to configure the proxy server in the Mozilla Firefox browser’s network settings section in the Safari application system settings section. , and find a proxy server setting in the Google Chrome browser via Device > Network.
