Proxy Resource Center
What are Proxies?
A proxy server sits between your app and the internet. It can mask your IP address for a browser, app, crawler, or testing workflow while giving you more control over location, routing, and request identity.
IP Exposure Check
What websites can see right now
216.73.217.40
Risk status
Exposed
Your real IP may be visible.
- Location
- Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Network
- Earthlink
- Proxy
- Not detected
- VPN
- Not detected
- Tor
- Not detected
- Fraud Score
- Not available
Connect to a VPN, proxy, Tor, or another network, then refresh this page to verify the change.
How proxies work
A proxy changes the route for configured traffic. Instead of a website receiving a request directly from your network, it receives the request from the proxy server.
Your app connects to a proxy
A browser, app, crawler, or device sends traffic to the proxy server instead of connecting directly to the destination website.
The proxy forwards the request
The destination receives the request from the proxy IP address, so your original IP address is not the first address it sees.
The proxy returns the response
The website response flows back through the proxy to your app, creating an intermediary layer for IP masking and traffic control.
Common proxy types
Residential proxies
Use IP addresses associated with consumer ISP networks. They are useful for location-sensitive testing and workflows where datacenter IPs are blocked more often.
Datacenter proxies
Use IP addresses from hosting and cloud networks. They are usually fast and cost-efficient, but easier for sites to classify as proxy traffic.
Mobile proxies
Use carrier network addresses. They can be helpful for mobile app testing, ad verification, and mobile-specific regional research.
Rotating proxies
Change IPs automatically from a pool, which helps distribute repeated requests for crawling, monitoring, and large-scale research.
Dedicated proxies
Assign one IP to one customer or workflow. They offer consistency for account access, testing, and predictable behavior.
HTTP, HTTPS, and SOCKS proxies
Different proxy protocols support different apps and traffic types. HTTPS and SOCKS are common choices for modern workflows.
What can you use proxies for?
Protect browser privacy
Mask your IP address for one browser, extension, or app session without routing every device connection through a VPN.
Check proxy status
Use proxy detection to verify whether an IP is classified as a proxy, VPN, Tor exit, hosting network, or residential address.
Location testing
See how websites, ads, prices, search results, and content availability appear from different regions.
Web scraping and monitoring
Distribute automated requests across IPs to reduce bans, throttling, and inaccurate location-based responses.
SEO research
Check regional rankings and search results without repeatedly querying from one network identity.
Compare privacy tools
Understand when proxies are better than VPNs or Tor, and when another privacy method is safer.
How to choose a proxy provider
Proxy quality depends on the IP source, location accuracy, network reputation, uptime, authentication controls, and how well the provider fits your workload.
Proxy type
Match residential, datacenter, mobile, rotating, or dedicated proxies to the workflow rather than buying the largest pool by default.
Locations
Choose providers with reliable country, region, city, or ASN coverage where your tests or browsing sessions need to appear.
Authentication
Check support for username/password, IP allowlists, API tokens, session controls, and rotation settings.
Performance
Measure latency, success rate, bandwidth, concurrency, and stability under your actual app workload.
Privacy policy
Understand logging, abuse handling, data retention, and how the provider sources its proxy network.
Support and compliance
Look for clear acceptable-use rules, responsive support, and transparent handling of blocked targets or failed regions.
Proxy vs VPN vs Tor
| Tool | Best for | Coverage | Main tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proxy | Browser/app IP masking, automation, scraping, SEO checks, and location testing | Usually one app, browser, or configured workflow | Limited encryption and uneven traffic coverage |
| VPN | Everyday privacy, public Wi-Fi, travel, streaming, and full-device protection | Most or all device traffic | Requires trusting the VPN provider |
| Tor | Anonymous browsing and censorship resistance | Tor Browser traffic | Slower and often blocked by some websites |
How to set up and verify a proxy
- Choose the proxy type that matches your goal: browser privacy, automation, location testing, SEO, security testing, or account separation.
- Get the proxy hostname, port, authentication details, and rotation/session settings from your provider.
- Configure the proxy in your browser, operating system, app, crawler, or HTTP client.
- Refresh the IP Exposure Check on this page and confirm the visible IP address, location, network, and proxy status changed.
- Monitor success rates, blocks, speed, and location accuracy before relying on the proxy for production workflows.
What proxies do not solve
- A proxy usually protects only the app or browser configured to use it.
- Many proxies do not encrypt all traffic the way a full VPN app does.
- Free public proxies can be slow, unstable, malicious, or heavily blocked.
- Websites can still identify users through accounts, cookies, browser fingerprints, payment records, and behavior.
- Some sites block known proxy networks or require extra verification.
Proxy FAQs
What is a proxy server?
A proxy server is an intermediary that forwards requests between your app and a destination website. The destination sees the proxy IP address instead of your original IP address.
Do proxies hide my IP address?
Yes, for traffic routed through the proxy. Apps or browsers that are not configured to use the proxy may still reveal your normal IP address.
Are proxies the same as VPNs?
No. A VPN usually routes and encrypts most device traffic. A proxy usually works at the browser, app, or protocol level and may not encrypt every connection.
Are free proxies safe?
Free proxies can be risky because they may log traffic, inject ads, modify content, disappear without notice, or be blocked by many websites.
What proxy type should I choose?
Use residential proxies for consumer-network realism, datacenter proxies for speed and cost, mobile proxies for carrier-specific testing, rotating proxies for high-volume workflows, and dedicated proxies for consistent sessions.
How do I know a proxy is working?
Configure the proxy, refresh this page, and confirm the public IP address, network, location, or proxy status changed.