When I configure various internet applications, they often ask for something called a "Proxy Server". I've apparently never needed it, since everything seems to work without configuring a proxy server. But does have me wondering - just what is a proxy server?
A proxy is a stand-in for you - someone who does something on your behalf. A proxy server is a kind of stand in for your computer.
The questions that raises of course would be how, and ... why?
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A good example, and the one you probably see the most, is a web proxy. When configured to use a proxy, your web browser contacts the proxy server for each web access instead of going directly to the target server on the internet. The proxy server then turns around and makes the "real" request of the web server. The proxy server gets the response, and then passes it back to you.
So why go through that extra layer?
A proxy server is designed to understand, and act on the data that's going across it. For example a company's web proxy server might be where access to certain sites is blocked. It might track the surfing activities of employees or scan the returned web pages for viruses.
A proxy also hides the computers behind it. For example a company's web proxy may look like only one or two machines to the outside world, but in fact there may be several hundred employees surfing the web through it.
Proxy servers can also cache data. If everyone behind a proxy is requesting the same data over and over again, a proxy might elect to keep a local copy, and not bother getting it from the internet for every request.
Since you might also be wondering, some of the functions of a proxy are similar to a NAT router or a firewall. The biggest of several differences is that a proxy server actually understands the data that it's acting on. NAT routers and firewalls typically only understand details of where the data is going to or coming from, but not what it contains.
As you've already noticed, in most cases proxy servers are not used by typical internet users. There are certain situations ... usually corporate, and certain ISPs that require their use. The good news is that it's uncommon enough that if you do require it, it should be part of the setup information provided by your company or ISP.
Related:
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Ask Leo! - What's a firewall, and how do I set one up?
Article C2407 - August 18, 2005
My friend said that I could enter blocked sites in my country if I change my proxy server to a foreign country's one? Is that true?
Posted by: Alvin Rajiv Camar at July 27, 2007 1:37 AMyou gata help me. each time i go to gaiaonline.com it says im goin tof ast and i think it thinks im a bot. i went on help rooms and some girl bipassed it by using a proxy server (the gaia problem is getting very common) but pleas tell me how to download the proxy server to bipass it or find out how i can play gaia without downloading the proxy server. whatever you do, you jsut gata help me man! please.
if you can help ill like psot it all over enternet and thousands of people will be very happy.
my email is:
Posted by: blade4198 at September 22, 2007 9:51 AM[Email Address Removed]
is it possible to turn off proxy server for a user not to be identified by the proxy server and search blocked sites.
Posted by: tes at November 5, 2007 5:59 AMhi leo
Posted by: charles tittle at November 19, 2007 10:56 AMi keep getting, applet encountered a programming error.
i clear the cache and relaunch firefox, then it tell me you may have a caching proxy between you and our web server how do i check the proxy setting for my browser?
where is my proxy server, as i need it to allow my internet protection to work?
Posted by: james at December 27, 2007 4:19 AMi disagree tony leo is very helpful thanks again beautiful leo muah
Posted by: tany at November 28, 2008 3:22 PMWhatever they report it is inconvinciebly one of the most outstanding up to date vpn tools. Can you provide more info on setup?
Posted by: Zoro at February 15, 2009 8:42 AMare there any free mac applications that unblock proxys, like the ones used to block msn on school wifi or something like that?
Posted by: sofie at May 20, 2009 9:39 PMHello Leo,
How can we install Porxy on Netware server?
Thanks and Regards,
Posted by: Abhi at May 25, 2009 10:24 PMAbhi
If you need a web proxy, you will find it on:
Posted by: http://dnscaching.info/ at September 24, 2009 6:30 AMhttp://dnscaching.info/