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? 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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the best proxy i kno rite now is Kproxy Posted by: Jarrett at October 24, 2006 12:45 PMDoes Windows Server 2003 have a built-in Proxy Server? If so,how do I access it? Thanks. Posted by: Steve at November 2, 2006 06:03 AMIt says my proxy server is offline when i try to log in. hi leo how can I learn whats the my proxy server ip.? and You can see what proxies you have by typing 'tracert 154.178.143.145' in DOS. Or you can use 'tracert http://www.address.com' A handy wee tip I read about in a PC magazine once along with 'ping'. Good stuff to know. Posted by: bamboo at June 2, 2007 03:14 AMMy 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 01:37 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: 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 05:59 AMhi leo where is my proxy server, as i need it to allow my internet protection to work? Posted by: james at December 27, 2007 04:19 AMPost a comment on "What's a Proxy Server?":
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