Every activity carried out on the internet can be linked to the device used, and its location tracked. This is the reason you can’t watch American Netflix in Europe. Your IP address such as 192.168.1.1 login will reveal your location and block your IP address in what is known as geo-blocking.
An IP address is a numerical label given to each device connected to an internet connection. It identifies the device and makes it possible for web servers to respond to requests made from the device.
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However, it is possible to browse anonymously. What you need is a proxy.
What are Proxies?
A proxy is an intermediary between a device connected to the internet and the sites visited using the device. When a web request is made from the device, it will go to the proxy server first, which then forwards it to the requested web server. Response data from the web then go to the proxy server first, which then forwards it to the user.
The proxy masks the device’s IP address, making it hard for servers to identify it.
Shared Proxies
Shared proxies are where a number of users buy several proxies and rotate them amongst themselves. They are cheap because all users share the cost of the proxies. However, if one user misuses a proxy, everyone involved is affected. They also get slow in situations where everyone is using the proxy.
Dedicated Proxies
These are proxies that are private. Every user gets a unique proxy with an IP address that only they can use. It is excellent for proxy users who do not want the risk that comes with shared proxies or the downtime experienced during peak hours.
Anonymous Proxies
Anonymous proxies will provide the high anonymity you need to surf the web. However, they do not hide the fact that they are proxies from web servers.
Data Center Proxies
These are proxies created artificially in data centers. They are independent of the user’s internet service provider (ISP) and internet connection. Data center proxies have a high connection speed and anonymity. However, due to their similarity in appearance, data center proxies are easy to detect.
Residential Proxies
Residential Proxies are hard to detect. They use legitimate IP addresses of devices that are attached to a physical location. When using a residential proxy to visit a website, it gives the appearance of organic traffic, making them undetectable. Residential proxies are highly reliable.
Static Residential Proxies
Static residential proxies contain the best features of residential and data center proxies to create a proxy that is fast and hard to detect. A static residential proxy is very dependable.
Why do Businesses Need Proxies?
The use of proxies goes beyond helping individuals browse the web anonymously. Businesses use it when carrying out market intelligence research through web scraping.
What is Web Scraping
Web scraping is the process of collecting data from specific websites using the software. The process involves fetching the web page, parsing the content, collecting the data needed, and converting it to a specified format. The scraper then stores the data in a spreadsheet for further processing.
With insights from the data collected, the business can make more informed decisions and come up with effective business strategies. Companies can use web scraping to monitor their competitors, assess the technological changes in the market, keep up with the changing needs of consumers, and monitor market trends.
However, web scraping is not as straightforward as it sounds. In most cases, it goes against the rules of websites, and if the website records any suspicious activity from an IP address, it bans it from visiting the site.
Geoblocking is another problem facing most web scraping processes. Geoblocking is a process where websites block IP addresses from specific geographical areas.
By using rotating proxies, the business can mine lots of data without detection from website servers. Changing the location on the proxy IP address enables the scraper to access any geo-blocked sites. And if one proxy server is blocked, you can still access the website by using a different proxy.
Why Travel Aggregators Need Proxies?
A travel fare aggregator is a perfect example of a website that relies on proxies for smooth operation. Travel aggregators need to carry out extensive internet research to find travel offers and availability, prices of air tickets, and accommodation.
This information is then made available on their website, where customers can easily make comparisons and make the best choice.
Collecting this information requires collecting data from the websites of flight companies, hotels, and travel agencies. Due to the magnitude of the task involved, travel aggregators make use of web scraping tools, which automate the process.
For safety reasons, most websites block and ban IP addresses suspected of data collection. The suspicion arises when a single device makes too many requests. To prevent this, travel fare aggregators have to make use of more than one IP address to access the website.
Travel aggregators can achieve this by investing in a variety of proxies. And not just any proxy servers, they have to use reliable, fast, and undetectable proxies. Proxies with IP addresses that provide different locations make it possible to collect travel data from different geographical areas.
The most important part of choosing a proxy for travel aggregators is ensuring that the proxy is from a legitimate vendor. They will provide you with a quality proxy that will not compromise the quality of data you collect. Most travelers rely on the information on travel aggregator’s websites, and any misleading information could be fatal to the company’s reputation.
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Conclusion
Proxies are essential in providing browsing anonymity to everyday internet users. But it also enables business owners to automate their data collection processes during market research successfully. Proxies are also beneficial to travel fare aggregators. A good proxy allows the fast and undetected scraping of price data from travel-related websites and flights.
There are a variety of proxies available in the market, ensure that you choose the right vendor and buy a proxy that fits well with your system requirements.
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