In the actual world, a proxy is defined as an individual who legally represents another individual and performs certain actions on their behalf. It closely resembles the definition of proxy in the tech world. In the tech world, a proxy is a server that works as a mediator by accessing data from an Internet source on behalf of a user.
Proxies, depending on their configuration, can be used for a variety of purposes. When a user enters a website’s URL into their browser, the proxy receives the request instantaneously. It immediately responds and sends the request to the web server. The web server then reacts by sending a response in the form of a real website back to the proxy. Finally, the proxy will deliver the web server’s response (the actual webpage) to the end user.
Now that we’ve explained how the proxy works, we’ll answer the specific question: what are residential proxies and how are they used?
Introduction
Residential proxies are a type of proxy that, as the name implies, allows you to select a specific geo-location and surf the web as if you were a real user in that region. They will hide the actual IP address assigned to you by your ISP and allocate you a new one. This type of proxy is more reliable and genuine than other types of proxy.
In this manner, residential proxies operate as a mediator between the user and the web server, while maintaining the user’s privacy and security. They can be extremely useful and effective in situations where specific websites have strict security mechanisms (social media platforms, for instance), and when the content of the website or social media platform is not available to specific locations – using residential proxies, these obstacles can be overcome by accessing multiple locations.
Where are these proxies used?
Residential proxies have a wide application – they can be used by individuals and businesses for conducting serious market research, and various network tests, managing your social networks without restrictions or creating business automation, SEO analytics, web scraping, digital advertising, market price monitoring, and more.
Many businesses use residential proxies for web scraping and examining the data of their competitors in order to improve their marketing strategy and gain a competitive advantage. Furthermore, these proxies can be used to filter ads displayed on your website, which could harm your reputation. You may also monitor, collect all data, and compare pricing on different markets for your products to choose the ideal prices that will attract potential customers.
Web scraping with TypeScript allows businesses to automate the data collection process, making it faster and more accurate. This technique is particularly useful for businesses that use residential proxies for web scraping. With these proxies, companies can anonymously examine their competitors’ data, which is vital for refining marketing strategies and gaining a competitive edge.
Social media management is also a niche where residential proxies find their application. Using advanced rotation (also known as backconnect proxies, which switch between themselves at regular intervals and hence modify your IP address frequently) in residential proxy implementation can enable you to manage multiple accounts on social media without any restrictions, whatsoever.
A lot of internet users nowadays are bothered by geo-location-restricted content. However, using residential proxies is no longer an issue because you can select IP addresses that are not blocked by the content provider.
These proxies work seamlessly with any popular browser nowadays, including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and others, operating systems (Windows, Linux, and MacOS), as well as with smartphone operating systems (Android and iOS).
How to set up a residential proxy?
As previously said, residential proxies disguise your real IP address and assign you a different one. In addition to that, they route your whole internet traffic through a server that acts like a middleman, where all of your server requests are processed.
Setting up residential proxies will not cause you any problems and will not take much time. The entire process is mostly determined by the device used and the provider you choose.
You need to explore the options and plans and decide which service provider that offers residential proxies fits your needs the most. They usually offer dozens of millions of IPs from hundreds of locations all around the world, the highest security and anonymity, unlimited connections, and so on! Every residential proxy service provider works the same, and whichever you choose, the process is the same.
The cost of setting up a residential proxy differs based on data usage; a 400 GB proxy plan will cost you around $200 per month.
Final Thoughts
The possibilities for utilizing residential proxies are tremendous, and in this article, we just scratched the surface and illustrated to you what you can do to integrate them and how beneficial they can be. If you’re having trouble accessing the content or want to get rid of hackers, we recommend exploring it a little further.
