Have you heard of the Proxy server so far? You’ve probably heard of it or are already using it. many users may not have complete information about what a Proxy server is and its use or they do not know about What benefits does it offer to users? Or maybe some of them think the proxy server is a VPN; The answers to your questions are in this article, and we have decided to talk comprehensively about the proxy server, So stay tuned.
What is Proxy server?
A proxy server is an interface server between the servers and the source and destination client; This server acts as a gateway between the Internet and the user. When a client sends a request, The proxy server checks this request, 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 to send, and finally, the response Sends back to the source server.
You may be wondering why we do not go directly to the requested address and use the Proxy server? In response, the new Proxy servers are not solely responsible for sending and receiving requests between the source and destination servers; Rather, it acts as a firewall and web filter it Caches common data requests to improve the speed of the process of receiving and sending packets and provides the ability to share network connections.
Proxy Server offers different levels of security, performance, and privacy depending on the needs and types of user usage; Proxy server with the ability to hide the source and destination address when receiving and sending packets is also used to overcome some restrictions imposed on the Internet, and also another feature of the Proxy server is that by examining and viewing the contents of the packet, the user can Filter unauthorized content.
A proxy server is used to identify users who use the Internet and to impose certain restrictions on user activity because a Proxy server such as NAT has the ability to authenticate. You might 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 for setting up and creating the desired proxy server, and you can use it for your purposes without any worries or problems. generally, The main purpose of the Proxy server is to protect users from harm on the Internet and provide the highest level of privacy for your packets.
How does Proxy Server work?
By connecting any computer to the Internet, Systems have a unique IP address, and the Internet uses the IP address to determine which data to send to which computer.
A proxy server, like a computer with an Internet connection, has a specific IP address that your system is familiar with; 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 Proxy server collects the response from the web server and sends the data from the web to your source system so that you can reach the answer in your system browser.
The proxy server can change your IP so that the web server cannot detect your location correctly; It also encrypts information to protect your data in the submission process from being readable and can block access to some web pages based on IP address.
5 Mainly Reasons to use a Proxy Server
Organizations and individuals use Proxy Server for different purposes and functions; here are some of the main reasons for using Proxy server:
Privacy
Some organizations tend to hide their IPs so that they can operate anonymously and privately on the web; As we mentioned at the beginning of the article; the proxy servers can change IPs, and some of them recognize information related to web requests; As a result for server, the IP of the system that sent the original information; Will not be clear; As a result, personal information of individuals and information displayed by searched websites remains a secret.
Advanced security
A proxy server with the ability to encrypt data and web requests improves security to an advanced level so no one can see this information, and another action of the Proxy server to increase security is to access sites containing known malware Are blocking.
In addition to these capabilities, individuals and organizations can pair the proxy server with a virtual private network and access the Internet directly through a remote proxy server. With the help of a Virtual private network, users outside the organization will have access to the organization’s network remotely, and the organization can monitor the access of these users to the resources they need, such as email or internal information. In this case, they have been able to protect their data by establishing a secure connection with the help of the Proxy server.
Proper speed and bandwidth
Using a proxy server increases the level of performance on a network; If thousands of people want to visit a site simultaneously, the Proxy server sends only one request to that IP Address to prevent bandwidth reduction. Also, by caching popular sites and information, By requesting the same information from the user, the answer to the request is quickly provided to the user from the cached data, which will have a quick response and save bandwidth.
Restrict users and control Internet usage
With the help of a Proxy Server, organizations can monitor how employees use the Internet and all web requests, which determines how much time employees spend in cyberspace and can even set restrictions to prevent employees from accessing websites designated by the organization.
Access to blocked resources
A proxy server can provide access to resources that are restricted or blocked by the organization or government by changing the IP and using the IPs of other countries.
Types of proxy servers
Proxy servers have different types based on performance and efficiency; You should use them according to your purpose.
Transparent Proxy
This type of Proxy server introduces itself to the website as a Proxy server by providing the user’s original IP Address to the site, Introducing the user to the web server, and it has elementary settings; Commonly used in schools and public libraries to filter content.
Anonymous Proxy
This type of proxy server specifies its identity for the website, but to protect the identity of the user and information related to the user’s browsing history, it prevents the transfer of the user’s original IP address to the website; One of the advantages is the display of websites that are relevant to your location.
Distorting proxy
This type also introduces itself as a Proxy server but does not provide the correct IP address to your website and basically uses the IP of other areas, which can also be beneficial for users.
High Anonymity proxy
High Anonymity proxy is the most private and secure method. It does not introduce itself as a proxy server and regularly provides different IP addresses to web servers; As a result, it is impossible to identify which traffic is related to which system.
Protocol
HTTP Proxy
A common proxy that is based on the HTTP protocol and also supports the FTP protocol and is designed to use the content of websites.
HTTPS Proxy
This type of proxy using the HTTP protocol is more secure than HTTP and uses port 443; Usually, this type of proxy is used by hackers for intrusion and attacks such as Brute Force.
FTP Proxy
FTP Proxy with FTP protocol is designed to transfer files over the network, which can also limit the time of access, and access restrictions from external and internal networks; FTP Proxy uses port 21.
SMTP Proxy
The SMTP protocol is used to send and receive emails, 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 emails.
Forward Proxy
This type of proxy is used to receive data from groups of users in the internal network by sending a request to the proxy server to check whether it continues to establish a connection or not?
With the help of forwarding Proxy, the possibility of administrative controls is provided in the simplest way, and the security of IP addresses of individuals in the network is provided. Still, it can face limitations in meeting the needs of the end-users of an organization.
SSL Proxy
This type of proxy uses the secure SSL protocol to decrypt between the server and the client, and because of the data encryption in both the server and the client, the proxy hides its identity. This proxy type is effective for organizations that need more protection against threats. Also, if SSL Proxy is used in connection with a website, because of Google’s attention to SSL, it impacts the site’s search engine rankings.
Accessibility
Public Proxy Server
This type of Proxy server is known as Public Proxy Server, open Proxy, or shared Proxy because it is free and available to all users. Users can use it to operate anonymously on the Internet. Free Public Proxy Server is ideal for those who do not want to pay but has security and speed issues that are a major concern for many users as their sensitive data is compromised.
Private Proxy Server
This Proxy has been created to provide users with exclusive access to the IP Address and has excellent security due to the unique IP Address belonging to each specific user. A private Proxy Server is a good option for those whose security is the most important factor and for those whose For those who can afford to pay for these services.
IP Location / Source
Data Center Proxy Server
This type of Proxy is not affiliated with the ISP Internet Service Provider and keeps users’ identities hidden 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 easier to identify.
Residential Proxy Server
Residential Proxy Server Provides real IP addresses from a physical location to users and is dependent on ISPs. Although they are more expensive than Data Center Proxy Servers, they are reliable because of the use of actual IP addresses in terms of web servers.
Mobile Proxy Server
This type of Proxy uses IP addresses of devices that have mobile data, tablets, and smart devices. Mobile Proxy Server is commonly used to test advertisements and applications, product development goals, and UX.
Proxy server applications
- Bypass restrictions and blocked resources
- Monitoring and controlling the browsing history of users and the activities of specific users in the Internet space
- Bypass firewalls
- Increase security by encrypting and hiding IP Address
- Increase download speed
Proxy Server risks
It is better to be aware of the common dangers of Proxy servers and be careful not to encounter any problems.
Risks of Free Proxy Servers: Beware free proxy servers because they have many risks. Especially those who earn money through advertising do not use this type of Proxy Server as much as possible.
History Danger: 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 or not? And according to what rules and strategies does it enforce these tasks?
Risk of non-encryption: The purpose of using a proxy server is to protect data; If encryption is not done, you are not using the Proxy server, and your requests will be sent as text without encryption, and anyone with access to your username and password can abuse your information. As a result, ensure the Proxy server encrypts the data.
Proxy server security methods
- Filtering user requests
- recording all activities
- Checking the content of transit packages.
- Ability to identify users
- hiding the internal network structure from the view of external users in the Internet space.
- Checking the content of the package in accordance with the standards of the protocols.
Proxy Server settings in Internet explorer
- Install Internet explorer software and then select Internet Options from the setting menu.
- After a window opens, select the Connections option in the top bar of the window and click on the LAN Setting option.
- Then, you will see the Local Area Network (LAN) settings page:
- If your network is connected to a specific website, choose the Use Automatic Configuration Script option and enter the desired address.
- If the connection to the network is made through a special port and IP Address, Select the Use a Proxy Server for Your LAN option and enter the required information.
- If your company and organization have set up a private network, You connect to the network through the Bypass proxy server for the local address option.
Then click Ok to save the changes.
Note: To disable the Proxy server, Uncheck Use a proxy server for your LAN and click Ok.
What are the differences between VPN and Proxy server?
VPN and proxy server are virtual private networks that act as interfaces between the user and the web servers. VPN and Proxy servers try to protect the user’s connection information and location by changing the IP Address.
Despite these similarities, there are fundamental differences in support for protocols and their Security function. Proxy servers need to be configured separately; In this way, the user has to configure the proxy connection settings separately on the application, and then the traffic is controlled through the proxy until this configuration is not done on the application separately; That program is deprived of Proxy server effects. But VPN redirects all traffic by default is configured at the system level 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 IP access and identification of other Internet connection data. But the proxy server, based on the protocol it uses, Offers a different level of security.
How to set up a Proxy server?
Proxy server setup and settings are different on operating systems and browsers, but the main thing you need to do is set up a LAN on your web browser or operating system. After setting up the LAN on the operating system or browser, enter the Proxy Server address, port number, and related information.
You have to make the settings according to your operating system. For example, if you use a 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 on Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome browsers, so in Safari, you have to configure the Proxy server in the settings section of the safari application system, in the Mozilla Firefox browser from its network settings section, and in Google Chrome browser Find the setting of a proxy server through Devices> Networks.