Wondering what are these exotic animals called proxies? A proxy does a simple job – it hides your IP address without leaving you exposed. If you want to reach a website while using a proxy, the website administrator sees the proxy’s IP instead of yours.
Proxies give you a high level of anonymity when you connect to the internet. That allows you to do a lot without leaving your tracks open.
Proxies are of different types, some of them are residential proxies and data center proxies, just to mention but a few.
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Residential Proxies
These types of proxies are IP addresses used by actual people and they have an associated location. They come directly from Internet Service Providers (ISP) and this makes them look like the real thing from the perspective of the website. Residential proxies are real IP addresses and are legitimate in every sense of the word.
Datacenter Proxies
Datacenter proxies are common – yes, very common. They’re what you will most commonly see out there and are not connected to Internet Services Providers. When you compare them with residential proxies, they’re less reliable.
Proxies also come as shared, semi-dedicated, and private.
Shared proxies are self-explanatory. These are proxies shared among several people; they share bandwidth, and, due to this, the speed is negatively impacted.
Semi-dedicated proxies are between shared and private proxies and are used by two to three people.
Private proxies are proxies that are exclusively for one person and are characterized by high speed because of the large bandwidth at their disposal. They offer better performance than shared proxies.
You may have heard about SOCKS5 proxy, but do you truly understand their purpose? What about the security-privacy level that they offer?
What is a SOCKS5 proxy?
A SOCKS5 proxy is often mistaken to be an alternative to virtual private networks. It is an internet protocol offering the user a higher degree of anonymity than initially planned. By connecting to a SOCKS5 proxy, your Internet traffic is routed using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol).
In this process, you’re given a new IP address. With this change in IP, web hosts can have a filled day by pinpointing their exact location.
In a nutshell, SOCKS5 proxies act as a bridge between the internet and your device. To this end, all traffic generated using this proxy is associated with your real IP.
If you don’t require a high level of security, then the SOCKS5 proxy might be your best bet.
When to use a SOCKS5 Proxy?
If you’re seeking to change your IP quickly and with ease, then turn to SOCKS5 proxies. By changing your IP address, you can bypass restrictions.
Replacing your IP address may be for several reasons. However, it usually boils down to geo-blocks. It is a process that does not allow traffic from certain countries – and that restricts people who can see the content.
Streamlining platforms is synonymous with geo-blocks. Netflix offers different libraries that are dependent on your location in the world.
When you route your traffic using a SOCKS5 proxy, your IP becomes anonymous – but it guarantees no security. Mind you; your traffic is not encrypted.
- It offers anonymity which may not be secured
- Quick IP change
SOCKS5 Proxy Advantages
Here are some advantages that SOCKS5 proxies offer:
Bypass Internet Blocks
It can bypass internet blocks with ease. If you have a blacklisted IP address, you’ll have no problem when you route it through the SOCKS5 proxy.
However, you can’t bypass national firewalls as they mostly use deep packet inspection (DPI). It means your ISP blocks your traffic and before it arrives at the website.
No Limitations like Traffic or Protocol
It is very different from an HTTP proxy – it only interprets webpages of HTTP and HTTPS; SOCKS5 proxy is perfect with any traffic.
SOCKS5 proxy is secure and very flexible. It can handle any protocol or program – or even traffic.
Faster and more Reliable Connections
SOCKS5 proxy server can work on UDP protocol, which guarantees efficient performance and reliable connection.
A connection is created by the TCP internet protocol between a client and a server, ensuring all packets get to their destinations. Content will have to fix into a format for ease of transfer.
UDP on the flip side does not care whether a packet is from a client or server. It doesn’t even consider the order in which it was transferred. It wastes no time converting data packets into streams of fixed packets. Because of this, the SOCKS5 proxy can deliver reliable connection and faster speed.
Improved overall performance and fewer Errors
For so many other types of proxies, they rewrite data packet headers. For this reason, there’s a high chance of misrouting that data. However, the SOCKS5 proxy will not in any way rewrite data packet headers; that gives room for fewer errors to occur.
The performance will improve because of fewer errors – but privacy and security will have to suffer. Packet headers contain personal information, which can be easily identified.
Disadvantages of using Socks5
One of the most important disadvantages of the SOCKS5 proxy is its inability to encrypt your traffic, even though some people may not have an issue with it. For others, it is not an option because they value their online privacy and security. When it comes to privacy, it is not the best option. It offers a low level of security, too.
If you’re looking for a way to unblock the internet, the SOCKS5 proxy is the way to go. It is effortless to set up a SOCKS5 proxy connection – whether you need it for torrents download or to access restricted content.
