Most Common Types of Proxies for Businesses

There are many reasons businesses will benefit from using a proxy server. It can protect their sensitive data, help them bypass restrictions, and even help them boost workplace productivity.

However, there are several types of proxies available, and not all of them are suitable for businesses. Because of this, it’s vital to know what the different proxy types are to ensure you’re using the right one.

From static residential proxies to HTTP proxies, this article will discuss the most common proxy types for businesses and how they can benefit their companies.

What are proxies?

Whenever you connect to the internet or access a webpage, you make a web request. These web requests allow websites to identify where to send the requested data, similar to how physical addresses work. 

However, like physical addresses, web requests contain information about your computer, particularly its IP address. This can pose a problem for some users, especially businesses because it can be a way to steal your sensitive data. This is where proxies come in handy.

Proxy servers, or proxies, act as intermediaries between your computer and the webpage it’s trying to access. They provide another layer of security by providing their own IP address, rather than your computer’s.

By doing so, it also allows them to bypass restrictions like geo-blocking. Proxies can also be valuable for businesses who engage in web scraping.

Common types of proxies for businesses

As mentioned, there are several types of proxies, but this article will be focusing on the ones commonly used for businesses.

Residential proxies

One of the most common types is residential proxies. This proxy type utilizes an IP address that’s associated with an actual physical device. 

These are often leased out by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Residential proxies can be ideal for businesses because it allows them to appear like legitimate users.

One subcategory of residential proxies is static residential proxies, which allows you to use one IP address for as long as needed. Static residential proxies combine the qualities of both residential and datacenter proxies, making them excellent options for businesses. Visit the Oxylabs website for more information about static residential proxies. 

Overall, residential proxies offer a high anonymity level and prevent websites’ security protocols from blocking businesses. 

However, they usually tend to be more expensive. 

Datacenter proxies

On the other hand, datacenter proxies are a proxy type often hosted on cloud servers rather than being tied to a physical address. A separate company provides these proxies, and, therefore, they aren’t affiliated with ISPs.

This proxy type can be great for businesses because they are often more affordable than residential proxies. Moreover, they are also faster and deliver excellent performance, perfect for businesses.

However, the downside to these proxies is that servers tend to block them more quickly because their traffic isn’t tied to real users. 

Shared proxies

As its name suggests, this proxy type is shared with other users. These can be perfect for startups and small businesses because they tend to be more affordable than dedicated proxies. 

However, using this proxy type can be risky for businesses because other users may abuse the connection, resulting in everyone being banned. 

Moreover, they tend to be slower than dedicated proxies because they handle multiple requests from multiple users simultaneously.

Dedicated proxies

In contrast, dedicated proxies deliver a more optimal performance because only one client can use the server. Dedicated proxies can be excellent options for businesses because they won’t have to worry about other users abusing the connection, preventing them from being blacklisted.

Moreover, businesses can experience faster connections, and these proxies often have additional protection against cybercrime.

However, dedicated proxies tend to be more expensive than shared proxies. 

SOCKS5 proxies

SOCKS5 proxies use an internet protocol that reroutes your internet traffic through a third-party server, giving you a new IP address. 

This proxy type can be beneficial for businesses because this allows them to bypass restrictions, particularly geo-blocks. SOCKS5 proxies work similarly to VPNs, but they tend to offer faster speeds than VPNs. 

However, the downside to this proxy server type is that they never change your data packets’ headers. This can be problematic for businesses because packet headers can contain personal data, risking your company’s privacy and security.

HTTP proxies

Lastly, HTTP proxies are proxy servers that analyze your computer’s web traffic, particularly the HTTP protocol, to look for harmful content. Simply put, HTTP proxies act as a high-quality content filter for your company’s computers. This proxy type allows for a higher level of control and security.

These can be beneficial for businesses that want to limit their employees’ access to distracting websites during work hours. They can also provide a higher security and privacy level to users, keeping vital information safe from cybercriminals.

However, the downside to this proxy type is that you might experience slower browsing because of the cache’s buildup. Because of this, you always need to check and clear your browser’s cache for faster browsing speeds.

Final thoughts

Proxy servers can be valuable for businesses, especially those conducting activities like web scraping. They provide a certain level of privacy and anonymity online that can help prevent cybercriminals from stealing your data.

However, not all proxy types are ideal for businesses, so it’s essential to understand the different types of proxy servers and how they can benefit your company.