Proxy servers have varying levels of anonymity. Some offer you full anonymity, and some don’t hide the fact that you’re using a proxy. In this article, we’ll be discussing three proxy types that are categorized based on the level of anonymity they provide.
by Carl Gamutan
Publishing Date: July 21, 2022
Proxy servers have varying levels of anonymity. Some offer you full anonymity, and some don’t hide the fact that you’re using a proxy. In this article, we’ll be discussing three proxy types that are categorized based on the level of anonymity they provide.
Every time you make a network request, you would also send a header that gives websites the information about your device. Proxy servers can change this information depending on the level of anonymity that the proxies provide. The three anonymity-based proxy classifications are Transparent proxies, Anonymous proxies, and Elite proxies.
Transparent proxies offer the least amount of anonymity of any proxy type. They don’t hide the fact that you’re using a proxy server. All websites you visit and web applications you use will know that you’re using a proxy IP address and will also be able to see your real IP address.
Transparent proxies are only useful when you want to monitor the activity of people that are using your network. You would know which websites they’re visiting and the time they spent on those websites. You can also use transparent proxies to filter out specific websites that you don’t want people accessing. If you're a company owner, you could prevent your employees from wasting their time on non-work-related websites.
Anonymous proxies offer a moderate amount of anonymity. They are also known as semi-transparent proxies, and they hide your IP address and location, but they don’t hide the fact that you’re using a proxy. So, any website you visit and web application you use will not be able to see your real IP address, but they will know that you’re using a proxy IP address.
The best use for anonymous proxies is when you want to protect your private information and browse the internet anonymously. Hackers and people with malicious intent will not be able to steal any of your data.
Elite proxies offer you the largest amount of anonymity of any proxy type. Not only do they hide your IP address and location, but they will also conceal the fact that you’re using a proxy IP. Elite proxies will trick any website into thinking that you’re a genuine user and not just someone that’s using a proxy.
Excellent proxy providers will almost always provide you with Elite proxies as they are suitable for any type of task that you want to do, whether it be web scraping or managing multiple social media accounts.
Each anonymity-based proxy has its specific use case, so only utilize the proxy that will fit your needs. Transparent proxies are good for filtering websites and monitoring activities, anonymous proxies are great for staying anonymous online, and elite proxies are the best for any type of activity you want to do. Also, keep in mind that proxy services might call elite proxies “anonymous proxies” so make sure to utilize the correct type of proxies you want.
