4 Reasons Why You Need a Proxy Server

A proxy server sits between the user and the Internet and acts as an intermediary. While it may seem like a simple technology, some businesses have come to rely on it as part of their business activities. As data becomes the most sought-after asset for digital marketers, proxies are more popular now than they have ever been.

If you are unsure how a proxy server works and how it enables greater access to the Internet, we’ve prepared this blog just for you. By the end, you’ll have a good understanding of why investing in a high-quality proxy proves useful for certain activities.

What is a Proxy?

As we explained earlier, a proxy server acts as an intermediary between the user and the Internet. What that means in more technical terms is that every internet request that the user makes will be handled by the proxy server.

Connecting to a proxy server also masks your IP address from the destination. This opens up the door to anonymous web browsing because your IP address can reveal information such as your physical location. Moreover, using a proxy server is also useful for accessing geo-restricted content.

You can either set up a proxy for your organization or use proxy services like NinjaProxy and Nodemaven with hundreds of proxy servers globally. The latter is only useful for addressing situations like IP bans and anonymous web browsing.

Reasons Why You Need a Proxy Server

Now that you have a basic overview of what a proxy server is, let's look at four ways it can benefit you.

Bypassing Geo-Restriction

Proxy services and VPNs have become increasingly popular because they allow the user to change their IP address with that of the server’s. So, if someone in the United States wants to access content available only in Japan, the easiest way is to connect to a proxy server in Japan.

For example, NinjaProxy has remote proxy servers in more than 60 geo-locations worldwide. All you need to do is pick your desired proxy location, connect to the proxy server, and start browsing the Internet with a new IP address.

Access Control

Some organizations may want to exercise control over the Internet access of their employees. A proxy server can therefore monitor network traffic and filter it accordingly.

It is also useful as a defense against cyber threats. For example, the proxy server can block requests made to websites with an unsecured connection or known malicious domains.

Caching

Caching is the process of storing frequently used data for faster access. A proxy server can cache frequently visited web pages to load them quicker, thereby improving performance and data consumption.

This may not sound too helpful but think of hundreds, and possibly thousands, of employees accessing the same web pages frequently. Over time, you can save substantial bandwidth by fetching the web pages from the cache instead.

Anonymous Web Browsing

As we discussed earlier, proxy servers mask the IP address of the user with its own IP address. It is helpful in accessing the Internet if you’re concerned about revealing your IP address online. This one alphanumeric string of letters can reveal information like your country and an approximate location.

What to Look for In a Proxy Service

Proxy services are popular because they grant access to global locations, allow IP rotation on the go, and save you the trouble of setting up and maintaining a proxy server.

The proxy service industry is huge and there are many options to choose from, but we’ll simplify the process by breaking down the key things you need to keep in mind.

Uptime

This is hugely important for any business that relies on proxy servers for day-to-day activities. Downtimes can happen but it’s the ability to quickly respond and ensure that business operations are not disrupted that ultimately secures long-term trust.

Clean IP Addresses

IP addresses with a history of malicious or suspicious activity can get blacklisted online. You may encounter more CAPTCHAs and some websites could outright ban those IP addresses.

A reliable proxy service provider does more than just set up proxy servers, it uses clean IP addresses so that users who are paying a premium don’t have to deal with hurdles like bot protection. You can even get Residential proxies for greater anonymity.

Technical Support

Not only do you need a service that has a proven track record of uptime, but also solid technical support. Most proxy service providers offer 24/7 customer support that can either be reached via live chat or email.

Corporate customers usually get a priority line to better-trained support staff. Make sure that’s the case otherwise, you’ll likely end up wasting precious minutes waiting to connect to the next available support agent.