What Should I Look For In A Proxy?

By: Charles Salmon

Proxies are used to unblock internet access, simplifying access to any piece of information on the internet without revealing the identity. Proxy websites are available for free and many people use proxies to make money. Certain proxy websites allow you to surf the internet for free, while some need a login. Common proxy scripts used by proxies are PHP proxy and CGI proxy. Since these scripts are available for free, many proxies are flooding the market. This increases the threat of spyware and other malicious programs if you use malicious proxies.

You are looking for proxies to gain access to those websites blocked in your campus etc. The proxy you choose to surf should allow access to those websites you want. This is an essential feature you have to look, when you search for a proxy. If you are looking for access to messengers, you should search for proxies, which allow you access to messengers from their website. This is possible with the increasing number of proxies on the internet. Popular proxies allow access to most of the common file types, without any restriction.

The proxy you choose to surf the internet should hide your ip address. Whenever you type a URL, several information including your ip address, browser type etc. will be sent to the server. The proxy website should hide your ip address as well as server URL to fool the proxy server. Now when you surf the internet from a proxy, your proxy server will understand that you are browsing a single website. This way you can browse all blocked websites without a problem.

Network managers are also aware of proxies and all popular proxies are blocked. Usage statistics will reveal the use of a specific website and so, out of suspicion, your network manager may block the proxy website you are using. You don’t have to worry as there are hundreds of proxy websites across the internet. You can find a new proxy everyday and gain access to all websites you want to view eventhough they are blocked.

Those who give a free proxy website make money with advertisements. Whenever you open a proxy website, you can see many advertisements. If you want advertisement-free surfing, you should pay for subscription. Maximum anonymity and much more features are available for paid members, but you can still surf the internet from the proxy without paying anything.

Cookies are essential elements present in your computer, but they disclose all private information. A proxy should be capable of filtering these cookies. Even though complete filtration of private information is not possible, intelligent proxies encode cookies making them unreadable by the proxy server. Your privacy is protected when you use such proxies. Filtering and blocking scripts are important features to look for in a proxy, if you are going to use proxy for anonymous surfing. Harmful scripts, which attack your computer are blocked by the proxy ensuring safe and secure surfing.

Speed of surfing should not be compromised when you use proxy for surfing the internet. This is an important feature you should look for in any proxy you choose. When you search the proxy listings, you can find many such sites offering unblocked access. Choose wisely and enjoy the power of the internet without any limits.