I have very limited knowledge of networks (I just build/repair the towers), and a buddy of mine was just recently trying to explain some things to me. He didn't do a very good job describing proxy servers. It sounded like you can not be traced back to your original IP if you use a proxy server, and it's one of the most secure/safest ways to browse to web.
If this is true, then the troll population should be x10 what it is.
Can anyone clarify? And/or do a better job of explaining how a proxy works?
About proxy servers
Moderator: Moderators
Re: About proxy servers
basically what you do is get another machine to send your outgoing packetz and receive and forward your incoming packetz to you so that essentially the public ip is not your 'real' ip.
generally,well known free/open proxy servers are horrendously abused by spammers and trolls and hackers and child pornographers and banned quickly.
and its just one more ip address; it can still get banned even if you do have a proxy server.
generally,well known free/open proxy servers are horrendously abused by spammers and trolls and hackers and child pornographers and banned quickly.
and its just one more ip address; it can still get banned even if you do have a proxy server.
Re: About proxy servers
Also, I mean it's not a foolproof method of protecting your IP address.
Security is difficult to find in this age.
Security is difficult to find in this age.
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Felix the Cat
- Posts: 2383
- Joined: 15 Jun 2005, 17:30
Re: About proxy servers
Assuming you use an ordinary ISP's home connection, you connect to the Internet through a proxy server daily.
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SwiftSpear
- Classic Community Lead
- Posts: 7287
- Joined: 12 Aug 2005, 09:29
Re: About proxy servers
Advantages of proxies:
- makes it harder to trace back to you (the owner of the proxy basically has to give up that information)
Disadvantages of proxies:
- Most are already banned from everwhere that matters
- Signifigant speed decrease generally speaking
- Many sites and services will ban you if you're caught on a proxy
- Goverment agencys and civil services set up "honey pot" proxies to catch people using proxies to commit illegal activities
Ultimately, I'd say on average proxying is more safe when committing illegal acts, since it makes someone pursuing you jump through hoops to get your identity information. Honeypotters are usually looking for something specific (like child porn and terrorist activity) so they don't usually make trouble for people downloading music and movies or something like that through proxies... although they can, so don't be sure about it. In general proxying is more secure because anyone gaining your online identity has absolutely no way of tracing it to your real IP, because proxy services won't give up any information unless legally forced to anyways. But it's often so difficult to tolerate the decrease in speed and the fact that you have to try hundreds of proxies in order to get access to any legitimate site, that the increase in security isn't worth it.
- makes it harder to trace back to you (the owner of the proxy basically has to give up that information)
Disadvantages of proxies:
- Most are already banned from everwhere that matters
- Signifigant speed decrease generally speaking
- Many sites and services will ban you if you're caught on a proxy
- Goverment agencys and civil services set up "honey pot" proxies to catch people using proxies to commit illegal activities
Ultimately, I'd say on average proxying is more safe when committing illegal acts, since it makes someone pursuing you jump through hoops to get your identity information. Honeypotters are usually looking for something specific (like child porn and terrorist activity) so they don't usually make trouble for people downloading music and movies or something like that through proxies... although they can, so don't be sure about it. In general proxying is more secure because anyone gaining your online identity has absolutely no way of tracing it to your real IP, because proxy services won't give up any information unless legally forced to anyways. But it's often so difficult to tolerate the decrease in speed and the fact that you have to try hundreds of proxies in order to get access to any legitimate site, that the increase in security isn't worth it.