What are proxy lists and how do they work?
- Thread starter fhaupldsk
- Start date
- Aug 9, 2017
- 5,589
- 6,873
Proxies are used to hide your tracks, make it appear that you're in a different geographical location, or make it appear that you're a different user. Proxy lists are simply lists of such proxy servers.
You might purchase a list of 'public proxies' - this will be a list of usually scraped or bruteforced proxies that are usually either poorly configured servers or hacked ones. These are usually fickle and unreliable, and can be used for scraping en-mass.
Or you might purchase a list of 'private proxies' - this will usually be a smaller list, and will consist of servers specifically configured to act as proxy servers. These tend to be much more reliable and expensive.
You might purchase a list of 'public proxies' - this will be a list of usually scraped or bruteforced proxies that are usually either poorly configured servers or hacked ones. These are usually fickle and unreliable, and can be used for scraping en-mass.
Or you might purchase a list of 'private proxies' - this will usually be a smaller list, and will consist of servers specifically configured to act as proxy servers. These tend to be much more reliable and expensive.
- Oct 5, 2023
- 453
- 171
So, I drew you a picture 
Basically, a proxy is like using a middleman. You access websites not directly as yourself, but through this middleman. And the websites "think" they're interacting with the middleman, not you.
Basically, a proxy is like using a middleman. You access websites not directly as yourself, but through this middleman. And the websites "think" they're interacting with the middleman, not you.
- Nov 2, 2008
- 59,100
- 26,627
there was a time they where ok for scraper use between
2010-18 but that use and time is long gone