Today we’re going to be looking at two different ways you can mask your IP address and which application would be right for your business. You have probably heard of virtual private networks and residential proxies if you’re reading this.
The real question is, which is the best option for my use case?
What Are Virtual Private Networks ?
Virtual private networks otherwise known as VPNs use a system of servers and connected computers to add a machine between you and the request you’re making. The best part about virtual private networks is that most technologies will encrypt your traffic through what is called a tunnel.
The encryption itself is supposed to mask your traffic from your Internet service provider.
By doing so you’re blocking people’s access to the packets you were sending between yourself and the platform you’re making the request to.
Think of it in simple terms…
would you want people to be able to see what’s inside of an envelope through the mailing process? Most people would not. A VPN conceals that information almost like a secured envelope making sure but no one can see your traffic.
Positives of Using A VPN
Virtual private networks thrive at getting past firewalls within walled gardens. This simply means that if you’re using a business connection within an office, a VPN will help you access websites that may be blocked within the network.
Another applicable use is to use a VPN to bypass country restrictions.
In countries like China, Dubai, and Russia – VPNs are commonly used to access material or apps they are banned from the country. In this space, a virtual private network is an extremely valuable asset.
Negatives Of Using A VPN
The IP address that is used for the connection request with a VPN are not clean and are commonly blacklisted. In layman’s terms, this means that the IP address is not good for signing into platforms they have sensitive requirements, like Amazon for example.
The reason the IP addresses are not clean it’s because hundreds of people may have used that same IP address and unfortunately nefarious people will also use VPNs.
Countries like China are stopping VPNs by using deep packet inspection technology that throttles down the traffic while they inspect it and identify a tunnel. This can leave VPNs useless unless they use chameleon technology to hide the tunnel itself.
What Are Residential & Mobile Proxies?
Residential and mobile proxies are IP addresses that are sourced from real Internet service providers in a country or phone carriers. Proxy partners like ProxyEmpire gain access to people’s devices through third-party software contracts.
Each individual gives their authorized consent for the proxy company to use their Internet connection.
A proxy IP address is like a mask between you and the platform you are accessing. You can use the proxy within web browsers, routers, custom software, and with the latest anti detect browsers.
Unlike virtual private networks which are restricted to major data center locations, residential mobile proxies can be sourced from the smallest of towns across the globe giving you access to over 150 countries. All websites E is the proxy and not your real IP address.
Positives Of Using Residential Proxies
With residential and mobile proxies’ websites ideally cannot even tell you are using a proxy to mask your IP address. That is because the proxy itself it’s from a real device from the general population. This allows you to access websites like Instagram as a legitimate person while hiding your IP address.
Virtual private networks cannot do this.
Furthermore, you can gain up to 1000 IP address connections in a single area to use simultaneously. So for use cases where you need to scale and make a lot of requests, residential proxies are the answer.
Negatives
Residential and mobile proxies do not encrypt your traffic as virtual private networks do. If you’re in a country with restricted access like China you need to use the proxies within a virtual private server that is located outside of the country so that the proxies do not timeout.
They keep you 100% anonymous from the platform but do not protect you from packet sniffing.
Conclusion
If you want to watch Netflix in China or download Telegram in Russia then a VPN can offer you the freedom to do so. However, residential and mobile proxies give you access to millions of clean IP addresses that can help scale your business on multiple platforms.
Proxies grow a business, VPNs just protect a connection.
So, what are your experiences with using residential proxies or virtual private networks? Feel free to let us know in our live chat located in the bottom right-hand corner.
TL;DR
The key to selecting between Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and residential proxies is to understand your specific needs and use case. VPNs create an encrypted tunnel for your data, effectively masking your online activities from your Internet Service Provider (ISP). They excel at circumnavigating firewalls and bypassing country restrictions, making them immensely useful in regions where certain applications or materials are banned.
However, the IP addresses associated with VPNs are often shared and can be blacklisted due to misuse by other users, posing challenges for accessing platforms with strict security protocols. Plus, countries with deep packet inspection technology can hinder VPNs’ effectiveness. On the other hand, residential and mobile proxies, like those provided by ProxyEmpire, are genuine IP addresses sourced from ISPs and mobile carriers. They function as masks between you and your requested platform, capable of maintaining 100% anonymity.
Although they don’t offer traffic encryption like VPNs, residential proxies provide clean IP addresses, ideal for scaling up without being flagged as suspicious. Lack of encryption can result in vulnerability to packet sniffing, but this can be mitigated by using the proxies within a Virtual Private Server. Thus, choose VPNs for encrypted browsing and geolocation-based content access and residential proxies for scaling business operations.
