This is a sponsored guest post.
You may not think much about it – but each time you are trying to connect with someone on the Internet or trying to access a video, your connection will give the “address” of your computer to that particular someone. Why does this happen, you may ask? It happens so that the party on the other end can also send information right back to your computer. Therefore, that cute dog picture that you just sent might leave you exposed to receiving data that you might not like – or even to hacking.
Whenever information is exchanged over the Internet, your IP address is exposed without a proxy. You may even have the cheapest shared proxy – it will still be better than nothing at all. However, before diving into the strange world of IP addresses and proxy servers, you need to know exactly what a proxy is and how in the world it actually works.
What Is a Proxy?
Each proxy server will act as a gateway between the Internet and you. It is actually an intermediary server that will separate each end user from the website that they are browsing. Each proxy server will provide a variety of functionality levels, as well as privacy and security depending on your needs, case, and company policy.
If you are the user of a proxy server, then your Internet traffic will not go to the address that you requested on the first go. Instead, it will go through the proxy server – and then to the address. This request will further on come through that same proxy server (with a few special exceptions), with the proxy server giving you the data that was received from that website.
So, the question is: if that is everything that a proxy server does, why even bother to use one at all? Why shouldn’t you just go straight to the website and then come back? Do you even need to buy shared proxy for this?
Well, here’s the thing: most proxy servers today actually do more than forwarding Internet requests – all in the name of network performance and data security. A proxy server will act as a web filter and firewall, providing shared network connections, along with cache data necessary to speed up the common request.
A good proxy server will also keep the internal network and the users protected from any of the negative things lurking on the Internet. Last but not least, a proxy server is also a good way for you to get a certain level of privacy.
How Does a Proxy Server Actually Operate?
Every computer that has an Internet connection will have a unique IP (Internet Protocol) address. Think of the IP address as the home address of your computer. Just as the mailman needs your address to send all that mail that you are getting every year, the Internet needs your IP to send the data to your computer.
Simply put, a proxy server is a computer on the Internet that has its own address – one that only your computer will know. Your computer will be able to request that data, forward it through the proxy, and then send it right back – also through the proxy. This way, you will get the data that you want – all without revealing your location.
Final Thoughts
The proxy pretty much acts as a “substitute” for your real IP address, protecting your privacy and providing security while you are surfing on the Internet. By choosing a quality shared proxy service, you will know that your activity is not tracked and that you are safe from a hacking attack.
