🌐IP Toolkit

What is a Proxy Server?

A proxy server acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet. When you send a request through a proxy, it forwards your request to the destination server, receives the response, and sends it back to you. This means the destination server sees the proxy's IP address instead of yours.

Types of Proxy Servers

Forward Proxy

The most common type. Sits between clients and the internet. Used for privacy, content filtering, and bypassing geo-restrictions. When people say "proxy," they usually mean a forward proxy.

Reverse Proxy

Sits in front of web servers. Used for load balancing, SSL termination, caching, and DDoS protection. Examples include Nginx, Cloudflare, and AWS ALB.

SOCKS Proxy

Operates at a lower level than HTTP proxies. SOCKS5 supports UDP traffic and authentication, making it suitable for torrenting, gaming, and applications beyond web browsing.

Transparent Proxy

Intercepts traffic without client configuration. Often used by ISPs and corporate networks for content filtering and caching. The client may not even know it's being proxied.

Proxy vs VPN

While both hide your IP, a VPN encrypts all traffic at the OS level, while a proxy typically only handles specific application traffic. VPNs offer stronger privacy but may be slower. Proxies are lighter and application-specific.

Common Use Cases