What is a residential proxy? How does it work

With the popularity of the Internet and the advancement of technology, more and more users and businesses are using proxy services to protect privacy, bypass geographical restrictions, and obtain more data. Among the many types of proxies, residential proxies have become a popular choice due to their high anonymity and reliability. This article will take a deep dive into what residential proxies are, how they work, how they compare to data center proxies, their legality issues, and different types of residential proxies.

What is a residential proxy?

A residential proxy is a proxy service that accesses the Internet through a real residential IP address. In other words, a residential proxy uses an IP address assigned to home users by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) rather than a virtual or data center IP. This means that when a user accesses a website through a residential proxy, it behaves like an ordinary home user, rather than a machine or virtual server accessed through a proxy.

Because residential IP addresses are associated with real physical locations and network connections, residential proxies are generally considered more trustworthy and more difficult to detect as proxy traffic. Many businesses use residential proxies to perform tasks such as data scraping, ad verification, and market research because these IP addresses are not easily blocked or blacklisted.

How residential proxies work

The core principle of residential proxies is similar to other types of proxies, which is to relay user requests through a third-party server. When a user sends a request, the residential proxy replaces the IP address in the request with a residential IP address before forwarding the request to the target server. The target server will think that the request comes from the residential IP, not the proxy server. Therefore, this process provides users with greater privacy and anonymity.

The following is a typical workflow of a residential proxy:

User request

The user initiates a network request through the client or API of the residential proxy service provider. These requests can be to visit a specific website, crawl data, or perform other online activities.

Proxy server processes the request

After the residential proxy service provider receives the user's request, it forwards it to a real residential IP address. This IP address is usually provided by another user's device, and the proxy service provider routes the request to the device through the network.

Target website responds

After the target website receives the request from the residential IP address, it sends the response data back to the IP address. Since the request is sent from the real residential IP, the target website usually does not regard it as suspicious activity, thereby reducing the risk of being blocked.

Data returned to the user

Finally, the residential proxy service provider forwards the target website's response data back to the user. This process is usually transparent, and users do not need to worry about the complex operations behind it.

Through this process, the user's real identity and location are hidden, and due to the high credibility of residential IP, the user's request is not easily blocked or detected.

Types of residential proxies

Residential proxies can be divided into many types according to their functions and usage methods. Here are some common types of residential proxies:

Static residential proxies

This type of proxy uses a fixed residential IP address, that is, the IP address will not change for a period of time. Static residential proxies are suitable for tasks that require long-term stable connections, such as advertising verification and market analysis.

Dynamic residential proxies

Dynamic residential proxies refer to the IP address that changes regularly during the user's use. This type of proxy is suitable for scenarios where IP addresses need to be changed frequently, such as large-scale data crawling and market research.

Rotating residential proxies

Rotating residential proxies are a proxy service that automatically changes IP addresses, and users can set the frequency and time interval of requests. This type of proxy is suitable for scenarios that require high-frequency requests and can effectively avoid being blocked by the target website.

Dedicated residential proxies

Dedicated residential proxies refer to proxy services provided to a single user, and the user will not share the IP address with other users during use. This type of proxy provides higher security and anonymity and is suitable for users with high privacy requirements.

Shared residential proxy

Shared residential proxy is when multiple users share the same IP address. This type of proxy is usually cheaper, but due to shared use, speed and security may be affected.

Comparison between residential proxy and data center proxy

Residential proxy and data center proxy are the two most common types of proxy services, and they differ significantly in terms of the source of IP addresses, performance, cost, application scenarios, etc.

Source of IP address

Residential proxy: IP addresses come from real home users and are assigned by ISPs. This makes the IP of residential proxy look more natural and real.

Data center proxy: IP addresses come from servers in data centers, which are usually not linked to real residential users and are easily detected as proxy traffic.

Speed and performance

Residential proxy: Due to its reliance on home networks, residential proxies are usually slower, and bandwidth and latency depend on the specific home network situation.

Data center proxy：Data center proxies are based on high-speed servers, usually provide higher bandwidth and lower latency, and are suitable for scenarios that require a large number of fast requests.

Cost

Residential proxy: Due to the scarcity of residential IPs and the high cost of obtaining them, residential proxies are usually much more expensive than data center proxies.

Data center proxy: Since the IP addresses of data center proxy can be generated in batches at a low cost, it is an ideal choice for limited budgets.

Application scenarios

Residential proxy: Suitable for tasks that require high anonymity and avoid being blocked, such as data scraping, advertising verification, market research, etc.

Data center proxy: Suitable for tasks that are sensitive to speed and cost, such as SEO monitoring, large amounts of low-sensitivity data scraping, etc.

Is residential proxy legal?

The legality of residential proxy is a complex issue because its legality depends on how it is used, how the IP address is obtained, and the laws of the country or region where it is located. Below we will explore the legality of residential proxy from multiple perspectives.

The proxy technology itself is legal: Residential proxy as a technology is legal in itself. Its legality issues mainly focus on how the IP address is obtained and the purpose of use.

The source of IP address: Legitimate residential proxy service providers will legally obtain IP addresses by reaching a clear agreement with users. If the proxy service provider uses its IP address without the user's consent, it may be suspected of violating the law. Therefore, it is very important to choose a legitimate residential proxy provider.

Purpose of use: It is permitted to use proxies for legitimate operations, such as market research, bypassing geographic restrictions, etc. However, if illegal activities such as cyber attacks, data theft, identity impersonation, etc. are carried out through proxies, these activities are illegal activities regardless of whether proxies are used.

Conclusion

Residential proxies are a highly concealed and reliable proxy service that is widely used in various commercial and personal tasks. It provides higher concealment and credibility by using real residential IP addresses, and is suitable for scenarios that need to bypass geographic restrictions and circumvent anti-proxy mechanisms.

Different types of residential proxies provide flexible solutions. Enterprises and individuals can choose the appropriate proxy type according to their specific needs to achieve the best results. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at support@abcproxy.com or online chat.