A private proxy server is a proxy server IP address that is wholly owned and utilized by one person at all times.
What is a personal proxy used for?
A private proxy server is a proxy server IP address that is wholly owned and utilized by one person at all times. You don’t share it with anyone; you have complete control over how, where, and when it’s used. As a result, past users utilizing the same proxy IP to access the same websites will no longer impact your projects. However, depending on the private proxy provider, the exclusivity of private proxy servers might range from absolute ownership to restricted sharing.
Private proxies have numerous advantages. Because private proxies eliminate the need to share network resources with multiple users, your projects can utilize all available bandwidth and speed rates. Private proxies are also appropriate for data collection because this task necessitates rapidly transmitting many requests.
Private proxies provide you with new IP addresses that have never been used before and are not shared with other users, or there are a limited number of users. As a result, each proxy IP has no previous record of website access, which reduces the risk of being blocked by websites owing to earlier interactions.
What’s the difference between a VPN and a proxy?
A VPN and a proxy are online services that conceal your IP address by redirecting your internet traffic through a remote server. Conversely, a proxy only works with a specific app or service, whereas a VPN protects and encrypts all of your internet traffic for added protection and anonymity.
A VPN, like a proxy, will mask your IP address when you initially connect to the server and replace it with the IP address of the VPN provider. Only a VPN, on the other hand, will route your internet traffic over an encrypted tunnel, keeping your online behavior hidden.
A proxy is suitable for internet browsing but does not provide the level of protection and advanced functionality that a VPN does. Read more about the difference between a proxy server and a VPN here.
How do I connect to a private proxy?
Only some companies implement the process automatically. Here’s how to manually configure a proxy server in Windows 8 or Windows 10:
- Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to open the Windows Settings menu.
- Click Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy on Windows 10. Click Settings > Network Proxy on Windows 8 computers.
- Scroll to “Manual proxy setup” and turn on the “Use a Proxy Server” switch.
- Enter the proxy server name or IP address in the address field. Enter the proxy port number in the Port field. You can obtain these from your IT support technician.
- Select the “Proxy server requires password” checkbox if the proxy server is password-protected. In the Username and Password areas, enter your account name and password.
- Hit save.
Follow the steps below to configure a proxy server on a Mac:
- Navigate to System Preferences. To get there, go to the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
- To change your connectivity options, click the Network icon.
- Choose your network type, which is commonly Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
- Navigate to Advanced > Proxies.
- Select Auto Proxy Discovery to configure your proxy server settings automatically. Select Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS). In the slots on the right, enter the proxy server IP and port number.
- Configure the macOS proxy server settings.
- Select Automatic Proxy Configuration and enter the proxy address into the URL field to utilize a proxy auto-configuration (PAC) file.
- Select the “Proxy server requires password” checkbox if the proxy server is password-protected. In the Username and Password areas, enter your account name and password.
- To save the proxy configuration, click OK.
