What is a proxy?
A quick visual of the direct request path versus a proxy hop so the exit IP and traffic separation model are easier to understand at a glance.
Jump to sectionProxy knowledge base
Glossary, classifications and articles on how proxy servers work.
Contents
Classification
Working with proxies
How to use this knowledge base
Topic table of contents first, then a sequential stream from basics through cascade behaviour, judge checks, IP ranges and blacklist logic. One reference page for all technical and product-side proxy questions.
Broad topic coverage: proxy types and classification, practical usage, network safety — with anchor navigation across all sections.
The knowledge base connects judge checks, IP info, FAQ and API into one reference hub.
Cascade, BackConnect, subnet limits and dangerous ranges are now covered in dedicated blocks instead of brief mentions.
Cascaded proxy
A focused diagram for the case where the connection IP and outgoing IP differ, which changes exit geography and traffic repeatability.
Jump to sectionBackConnect proxy
A visual example of one entry point distributing traffic over a rotating pool of IPs, useful when reasoning about deep rotation.
Jump to sectionProxy chain
Shows how several consecutive proxy hops change the route and why extra anonymity layers usually come with more latency and complexity.
Jump to section01
What is a proxy?
BasicsA proxy server is an intermediary between your device and the destination resource. The client sends a request to the proxy, the proxy forwards it, and the response comes back through that same hop. The destination sees the proxy IP instead of your own address, which is why proxies are useful for scraping, SEO checks, geo testing and traffic separation.
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Why are proxies useful?
BasicsProxies are helpful whenever requests should be spread across different IPs, content needs to be viewed from another region, ad placement must be verified, websites need to be scraped at scale, or work traffic must be separated from a personal IP. The extra benefit is that you can filter by country, city, anonymity and freshness for a specific task.
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Proxy types
ClassificationHTTP is suitable for standard web traffic.
HTTPS supports CONNECT and secure targets.
SOCKS4 is more universal than HTTP but has fewer features.
SOCKS5 supports UDP, authentication and is usually the best fit for complex client apps.
HTTPS supports CONNECT and secure targets.
SOCKS4 is more universal than HTTP but has fewer features.
SOCKS5 supports UDP, authentication and is usually the best fit for complex client apps.
04
Anonymity levels
ClassificationTransparent proxies leak proxy-related headers and may expose the real client IP.
Anonymous proxies hide the source IP but still reveal that a proxy is in use.
Elite proxies do not send proxy-identifying headers and are closest to ordinary user traffic.
Anonymous proxies hide the source IP but still reveal that a proxy is in use.
Elite proxies do not send proxy-identifying headers and are closest to ordinary user traffic.
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Classification by infrastructure
ClassificationProxies can be roughly divided into server-side and non-server-side infrastructure. Server proxies are usually more stable but often live in data centers and are easier to fingerprint. Non-server or residential-like infrastructure is closer to user traffic, but quality depends much more on the source and access policy.
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Classification by access limits
ClassificationYou can think in terms of private proxies reserved for one user, shared proxies reused by several clients, and public proxies with weak or no access control. Good Proxies aggregates public proxies but filters dangerous and unstable ranges so the output is not raw junk.
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How are proxies checked?
Working with proxiesA useful check sequence includes a timed connection test, a request to a judge server, verification of the visible input/output IP, and latency plus throughput measurement. Good Proxies repeats these checks continuously, which is why freshness, uptime and speed matter alongside protocol and country.
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How should proxies be rotated?
Working with proxiesWhen scraping larger sites, rotate proxies every few requests and distribute load across different subnets. The wider and smoother the rotation, the lower the blocking risk. If the API reports a subnet cap, your selection is broader than the current plan allows and should be narrowed with filters.
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What is a cascaded proxy?
Working with proxiesA cascaded proxy is a case where the connection IP and the visible outgoing IP do not match. Good Proxies marks that separately because cascade behaviour affects exit geography, anonymity and how repeatable the traffic looks to the target website.
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What is a BackConnect proxy?
Working with proxiesBackConnect is a pattern where one connection endpoint distributes traffic over a pool of changing outgoing IPs. It is useful for aggressive rotation, but it is also harder to control precisely. When stable country/city filters or a predictable exit IP matter, cascade behaviour and freshness become even more important.
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How should proxies be selected for effective work?
Working with proxiesEffective selection starts with filters rather than raw volume: choose the protocol, country, anonymity level, acceptable ping and service compatibility first. Then look at freshness, uptime and whether the pool is too broad across subnets. In real workflows, several narrower predictable pools usually work better than one oversized mixed list.
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Does using a proxy make you fully anonymous and safe?
Working with proxiesNo. A proxy hides the direct client IP from the target, but it does not remove cookies, browser fingerprinting, request rhythm, behavioural patterns or the reputation of the exit ASN. In practice, safety is built on several measures: a separate browser profile, careful rotation, judge-page checks and control over the ranges, chains and exit addresses you use.
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What is a proxy chain and how does it work?
Working with proxiesA proxy chain is a sequence of multiple proxy servers that one request travels through before reaching the target. That adds routing complexity, but it also usually increases latency, makes troubleshooting harder and reduces behavioural predictability. For most production scenarios, a single controlled exit IP or a deliberate BackConnect pool is more practical than a long manual chain.
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What is a proxy judge?
Working with proxiesA proxy judge is a script that reveals HTTP headers and connection data received from the client. Those values help determine anonymity level and whether traffic is really passing through a proxy. Our working judge list is available on the proxy judges page.
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What is an IP address?
Network and safetyAn IP address is the network identifier of a device or proxy host. It determines where return traffic goes. In practice, what matters is not only the IP string itself but also its ASN, country, city, range ownership and reputation in anti-spam lists.
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What are private IP ranges?
Network and safetyPrivate ranges such as
10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12 and 192.168.0.0/16 are intended for internal networks and are not routed directly on the public internet. If such addresses appear in a proxy list, they usually indicate bad source data or a broken configuration.17
What are dangerous IP ranges?
Network and safetyDangerous ranges are ranges commonly linked to spam, botnets, compromised hosts, public anonymisers or other toxic sources. They are blocked more quickly by target sites, so we try to filter them out before they reach the final user-facing database.
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What are RBL / DNSBL lists?
Network and safetyRBL and DNSBL systems are reputation lists that track IPs seen in spam, abuse or suspicious traffic. If you need to inspect your address, the easiest route is the IP info page together with blacklist checks.
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How do you check your IP against RBL / DNSBL lists?
Network and safetyThe fastest route is to open IP info and inspect the current address against blacklist zones. If the IP is already listed, avoid using it for sensitive flows such as account creation, email traffic, critical sign-ins or manual moderation tasks where reputation-based blocking hurts the most.
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What is a botnet and why do we avoid them?
Network and safetyA botnet is a network of infected devices acting without the owner’s consent. Botnet-based proxies are unethical, unstable and legally toxic. Good Proxies focuses on open public sources plus filtering, not on hidden compromised machines.