What Is A Proxy Server And How To Use It for Security

Lets start, Proxies are store-and-forward caches. When you configure your web browser to use a proxy, it never connects to the URL. Instead, it always connects to the proxy server, and asks it to get the URL for you. Proxies can be used as a sort of firewall, because it isolates you from connecting to the Internet. When you use a proxy server, your computer will send a request to the proxy server, then the proxy server will send it to the destination (for example a website), the destination will answer the request the proxy has sent and finally the proxy will return the data to you computer. For example when you visit www.cyberarmy.in via proxy, it looks like this:


Why should you use proxy servers ?
    * Using proxy server you can bypass security/ parental controls.
    * To scan transmitted content before delivery for malware.
    * Proxy server is able to increase or decrease the speed of your connection to the Internet depending on the location of the prox.
    * Proxy server ( but only anonymous) can hide your IP address (the resource you visit will retrieve the IP of the proxy, and not your.
    * Proxy servers can help in case some owner of an Internet resource impose restrictions for users from certain countries ( for example hulu.com is only reserved for those from United States, if you are not from United States, you can’t watch videos on hulu.com)


How to use a proxy server ?

It is simple, just follow these instructions for Internet Explorer

1. Open Internet Explorer

2. In the Menu bar, select Tools, then Internet Options

3. After that click the Connection tab

4. In the Connection tab, on the bottom , you will find LAN settings;

5. In LAN tab, check "Use a proxy server for your LAN (These settings will not apply to dial-up or or VPN connections)", in Address add the IP Addresses of the proxy you would like to use, and add Port, and finally click OK. It looks like this:

In this example i am using an anonymous proxy server from United Kingdom with this IP address: 64.66.192.61 and port 80.

The same is for Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Mozilla Firefox

2. In Menu bar, select Tools, then Options…

3. After this will appear Options window, click Advanced tab

4. In Advanced tab, you will find Settings, click it

5. In Settings tab, check Manually proxy configuration, in HTTP Proxy add IP addresses from proxy server, and add Port, you can also set sites where you wont't use proxy server. For Example if you are from Germany, no sense to use a proxy server for German sites.
In the end click Ok;

I used the same proxy server(therefore the same address) also for Mozilla.

Instructions for Netscape:

1. Select the Tools Menu
2. Select Options
3. Select General
4. Select Connection Settings...
5. Check Manual Proxy Configuration
6. Enter the proxy server's IP address in the HTTP Proxy field and the proxy's port into the Port field.
7. OK your way out

Instructions for Opera

1. Select the Tools Menu
2. Select Preferences
3. Select Advanced Tab
4. Select Proxy Servers
5. Check the box next to HTTP
6. Enter the proxy server's IP address in the first box and the proxy's port in the box after "Port"
7. OK your way out