


Step 2: The proxy server passes your traffic to the website you want to visit, under a different IP address. Step 1: Your web requests are sent from your IP address to the proxy server. An online proxy also has an IP address, which is used on your behalf so that you don’t have to reveal your actual IP address. It’s incredibly easy to find your IP address, which may lead to security breaches and other identity-related issues. When you’re online without a proxy, your IP address is exposed for web servers and others to see. Just as mail is delivered to the physical address of your home, your internet requests are returned to your unique IP address, ensuring that data gets transmitted to the right location. An IP address functions like a home address for your computer or device. With a proxy server, the only point of contact between your device’s local network and the websites you’re visiting is the proxy server itself.Īll proxy servers work with your computer’s IP address. Shared network connections: you can connect multiple devices under one network.ĭata caching: you can increase browsing speeds by saving copies of websites.Ī proxy server relays your internet requests out to their respective destinations, then fields the responses and passes them back to you. Here are some other useful features of proxy servers.įirewall & web filter abilities: you can restrict access to certain websites and protect your network from hackers. The proxy then sends your request on to the relevant web server and forwards the response back to your device.Īcting as intermediaries, proxies help protect your privacy and strengthen the security of your local network. When you send a web request, the request first goes to the proxy server. What does a proxy server do?Ī proxy server relays traffic between your device and the web, ensuring that your browser is never in direct contact with the sites you visit. Although there are many types of proxy servers, each with varying functions, they all serve the fundamental task of representing you (acting as your proxy) as you navigate the internet. That’s the general definition of a proxy server, which is also known as a forward proxy server.
