Many people spend a lot of time online. But that also means that your data is constantly compromised. The average cost of a data breach in the US has climbed by over 60%. So, keeping your business or personal data secure and private is a key priority.
The risks are real, but there is a solution that can help you get the privacy you deserve. Mobile proxies can sort out your troubles with web scraping. It also ensures it isn’t too much of a hassle for you.
Mobile proxies can protect their users from malicious and even legal spying. Even today, people are learning and getting back up to speed on this technology. If this sounds familiar, then it’s time for a quick refresher course. Let’s look at what a mobile proxy is and why you should use one.
What Are Mobile Proxies?
For you to understand mobile proxies, you must first understand what a proxy is.
A proxy server serves as an intermediary server between your computer and all other computers on the internet. It masks your actual IP address and replaces it with another IP. There are several types of proxies available to you, and one of them is a mobile proxy.
A mobile proxy is a gateway that gives a device a mobile IP address. In other words, mobile proxies hide the user’s real address. It’s like an invisible cloak that gives the impression that you are connecting to the internet through a mobile data network. It allows you to browse the internet freely while remaining anonymous.
But mobile proxies don’t always run on or are allocated to mobile phones or other mobile devices. If a mobile device is linked to a domestic network, it lacks a mobile IP. One instance is when you are connecting from a home Wi-Fi network.
Private Proxies, Mobile Proxies, or Residential Proxies?
Private, residential, and mobile proxies are some proxy servers you can use. They have the same function, but the three differ in one thing: how they present your IP address. Understanding this will let you maximize their advantages.
Residential Proxies
Residential proxies use devices with regular broadband connections, like a home computer. They can use laptops, PCs, and mobile devices linked to a home Wi-Fi network to redirect your requests.
So using Rayobyte residential proxies allows you to appear as authentic as you should. They use residential IPs like Comcast or BT, depending on where you live. Your requests will then appear to be coming from a standard home connection when you use one.
Private Proxies
Private proxies, or datacenter proxies, maintain servers by a proxy provider. You can only access these proxy servers based on usage or subscription.
For instance, buying a dedicated private proxy for Facebook means you’re the only one who uses the server IP. Its IP history is clean, so using it on Facebook is safe from account blocking.
Mobile Proxies
Mobile proxies are private proxies that route your web requests using actual mobile devices. That means that it disguises your requests so that it appears as if you made them from a mobile device.
It processes your requests just like a typical private proxy would. The only difference is that it makes use of a mobile ISP like AT&T or Vodafone.
Which of the Three Proxies Should You Use?
It all boils down to what websites see when each proxy forward your requests to them. A private proxy will display the data center’s ISP information for the server. A mobile proxy shows a mobile 4G ISP, while residential proxies show a residential ISP.
These are the only notable differences between the three proxy servers. To choose between them, you need to know what your ISP should look like on the website you’re visiting.
For instance, social media marketers use Instagram proxies for their marketing efforts. And some of them prefer 4G mobile proxies to make it appear more reliable.
While Instagram has both desktop and mobile sites, people mostly use it through its mobile app. So it makes sense to connect to IG servers using a mobile ISP.
How Do Mobile Proxies Work?
When you connect to a proxy server, your device transmits all requests to it. Once transmitted, the proxy server processes them. The proxy sends the request on your behalf to the specified web URL without revealing your IP address.
When the website approves your request, it returns the required data to the proxy server and then to you. This is how all proxies function, including mobile proxies.
Mobile proxies are like residential proxies. It uses gateway software on any sort of device to assign a certain type of IP address to this device. That is an IP address that belongs to a mobile data network.
As mentioned before, you can also use a mobile proxy from any device aside from your smartphone. This is possible if the proxy employs mobile hardware that allows the device to read a SIM card.
Why Should You Use Mobile Proxies?
VPNs are ideal for manual activities and viewing remote information. It is also best for shopping on an e-commerce site. VPNs also encrypt traffic and tunnel it across a secure network. So, it is difficult for anyone to intercept or interfere with it. You can also use it to bypass geo-restriction.
Meanwhile, mobile proxies are for businesses collecting data using local IPs and devices. This allows them to collect precise data such as social sentiment. Also, mobile proxies support scalability data collection based on business needs.
Using mobile proxies is an excellent alternative for web scraping or accessing any content. You’ll benefit greatly from its security, privacy, and increased accessibility. Aside from these, other advantages of using mobile proxies include:
- Get a faster and more secure internet connection
Some mobile proxies can improve your connection when you’re visiting a website. They use a fast cache storage mechanism that allows you to deactivate direct cache downloads. That means you won’t download unnecessary data, which speeds up the performance of your device.
- Get around geo-restrictions and access restricted content
Certain regions restrict access to their content to internet users in specific locations. While some have a good reason for this, some don’t.
Fortunately, mobile proxies can get around these restrictions and unblock content. It rotates your IP and makes you appear as a user from that region.
- Disable cookies
Cookies are pop-up advertisements that show the type of material you’re interested in. While that seems useful for you, they often get in the way of your web browsing. And they can be persistent, especially if you’re using mobile devices.
With mobile proxies, you can block cookies that track your online behaviors. This will help you avoid encountering more pop-ups during your web browsing.
- Compare prices
Some e-commerce platforms display different prices for the same item. And there’s a good chance that you may not notice the difference.
If you need that data, the best way to get it is to use a mobile proxy. By doing so, you can compare prices and get the cheapest deals.
- Ad verification
Proxies help a lot with ad verification. Watching ads means that the website can identify you and the device you used to watch the ad. But they won’t be able to if you use mobile proxies. This makes it possible for you to have stronger protection against fraud.
Similarly, businesses that run ads on the internet can use mobile proxies to confirm their ads. This also ensures they receive organic traffic.
The Bottom line
Mobile phones are a convenient way of accessing the internet. You can’t deny how many people prefer using it to laptops and tablets. But fraudulent activities aren’t exclusive to desktop users.
Mobile proxies help you avoid cybercrimes when browsing the internet. Not only that but businesses also use these for more efficient business operations. Keep your identity safe by using mobile proxies whenever you go online.
