The quest for online anonymity and privacy has seen people turn to different solutions, including the Tor browser, virtual private networks (VPNs), and proxy servers. But when analyzed critically, some of these solutions offer more benefits and can, therefore, be applied in a wider range of situations than others. For instance, proxy servers are generally faster than both VPNs and Tor. At the same time, they can be deployed in multiple areas where the other options would not thrive. Similarly, when you critically analyze the different types of proxies, some are more advantageous than others. This is why, in this article, we are focusing on mobile proxies and why you should consider using them. But first, let us explore what proxies are.
What is a Proxy?
A proxy is any hardware (computer or router) or software application that routes internet traffic through itself. When connected to the internet via a proxy, all outgoing requests are first intercepted by this intermediary before being directed to the target web server. At the same time, all incoming requests from the server first go through the proxy before being sent to the browser.
There are two main types of proxies, which differ based on the direction of traffic routing: reverse proxies and forward proxies. Reverse proxies sit in front of the web server. They receive the requests and send responses on the server’s behalf. Generally, reverse proxies are used for load balancing, caching frequently accessed files, and scanning incoming requests for malware and viruses.
Forward proxies sit in front of the web client (browser) and, as the name suggests, forward the requests to the target websites. In addition, this proxy type strips the requests of their real IP address and assigns a new IP address. It is worth pointing out that most popular proxies fall into this category. However, this article will focus on only one of these forward proxies: mobile proxies.
What is a Mobile Proxy?
What Makes Mobile Proxies Stand Out from Other Proxies
Generally, mobile proxies are different from other proxies because they assign dynamic IP addresses from the onset. In contrast, proxies such as residential proxies and datacenter proxies are primarily designed to assign static IPs. Therefore, for your service provider to assign your connection a rotating residential IP or rotating datacenter IP, you must specifically state so while purchasing the product.
This way, this proxy type reduces to a minimum the number of requests that can originate from the same IP address. In an online world where websites display CAPTCHA codes whenever they detect unusual traffic, the use of mobile proxies reduces the chances of this happening. As a result, they guarantee uninterrupted operations such as web scraping.
Additionally, mobile proxies, which primarily assign the same IP address to multiple users unless otherwise stated, are not as easily blacklisted as other shared proxies or datacenter proxies. As a result, they are more reliable. They are also hard to track online, given that the associated IP address is shared among multiple users. This, therefore, means that mobile proxies offer an unmatched level of online anonymity.
Uses of Mobile Proxies
IP address. In an online world where websites display CAPTCHA codes whenever they detect unusual traffic, the use of mobile proxies reduces the chances of this happening. As a result, they guarantee uninterrupted operations such as web scraping.
Additionally, mobile proxies, which primarily assign the same IP address to multiple users unless otherwise stated, are not as easily blacklisted as other shared proxies or datacenter proxies. As a result, they are more reliable. They are also hard to track online, given that the associated IP address is shared among multiple users. This, therefore, means that mobile proxies offer an unmatched level of online anonymity.
Mobile proxies can be used in the following ways:
- Anonymous browsing
- Accessing geo-blocked content
- Ad verification and brand protection
- Web scraping, including collecting data about competitors, products in the market, and their prices
- Social media management
Conclusion
There are a number of reasons why you should consider using mobile proxies – these range from speed and performance to unmatched privacy, security, and online anonymity. The characteristics of this proxy type make it perfect for web scraping, social media management, ad verification, and more.
