Shared HTTP proxies are, in general, a very affordable way for hiding your IP address in order to browse the web anonymously. Unlike a dedicated proxy, these are used by several persons at the same time, which means that you basically share an IP with other users. Thus, shared proxies will be a budget-friendly option for simple online tasks, but they are not always ideal for everything, especially when higher privacy or faster speeds are required. In this article, we will explain what shared HTTP proxies are, how they work, describe their pros and cons and help you make a decision if a shared HTTP proxy is what you need for your particular online activities.
What Are Shared HTTP Proxies?
A shared HTTP proxy is an IP address that has several users accessing and controlling it at one time. Due to this shared nature, these proxies tend to be very cheap since they can help you to improve your anonymity without breaking the bank. Moreover, shared HTTP proxies are usually datacenter IPs which are hosted by cloud companies and are available worldwide. However, they have a tendency to fail working with websites that have either stringent security or anti-bot measures. How Do Shared HTTP Proxies Work?
In simple words, shared HTTP proxies act like a barrier between the user's device and the target website. When one gets connected to a shared proxy, his internet traffic goes through the proxy server. The proxy hides the real IP address of the user and changes it to its own shared IP, which is being used by several users at the same moment. Then, it forwards your request to the target website and when that site responds, the proxy relays the data back to you.
Here is an easy explanation of how shared HTTP proxies work:
Connection: Firstly, you need to set up your device to connect through a shared proxy server.Request Forwarding: After you entered the credentials of the proxy, the proxy server will receive requests that come from many different users since it is a shared proxy, it will mask all of users' IP addresses and forwards the requests to the target websites.Response: The websites process the request and return the required information to the proxy server. After that, the proxy returns the response of the website to you while it also keeps you real IP address hidden.Shared HTTP Proxies vs. Dedicated HTTP Proxies
Here are some of the most important differences between these 2 types of proxies.
One of the major differences between shared HTTP proxies and dedicated HTTP proxies has to do with control. In shared HTTP proxies, several users use one IP address at a time, and you do not have any control over how others behave online. If another user performs some suspicious activities or does inappropriate things, this shared IP may be flagged or banned by certain websites. This can also limit your access.
Now, while shared HTTP proxies can be unstable-as you share the proxy with other people-with a dedicated one, since you are the sole person leasing that IP, you have full control over it. Since you are the only user on the proxy, you would not need to deal with the complications of someone else bringing it down. That single factor alone makes the dedicated proxy far more stable. For tasks that require stability and continuity, you should totally use a dedicated proxy. In case performance is an issue, shared HTTP proxies will be a bit slower since a number of users will have to share just one bandwidth. The overall speed and efficiency simply goes down when more and more users connect to the proxy, especially at high usage of the proxy.
On the other hand, dedicated HTTP proxies provide a lot faster and more consistent performance because you have all the IP to yourself. In that respect, they are awesome for any task that requires high-speed connections such as running several accounts at the same time, streaming, or automated scripts.
Both shared and dedicated proxies offer anonymity, although in a very different way. The shared ones will give an extra layer of anonymity because several users operate under one IP address, making it more difficult for websites to try pinpointing the activity of one user. At the same time, shared proxies entail the risk that if other users use these in suspicious ways, the IP gets blocked.
With dedicated HTTP proxies, even though only one user operates on the IP, it offers more control over your anonymity and reputation. The reason is simple: since no one else is sharing the IP with you, you don't have to worry that some other user's actions might lower your proxy credibility, or affect access to websites. The strong side of shared HTTP proxies is that they are pretty cheap. Since a number of users share one IP address, the costs are divided among all users of this IP address, making it really budget-friendly. They will suit users whose requirements include low-cost solutions for non-demanding tasks: basic browsing or accessing geo-restricted content. Dedicated HTTP proxies are more expensive, since they are reserved for one user. However, the added cost is justified in all ways, as dedicated proxies offer better performance, control, and reliability. In cases where speed, much better security, and uninterrupted access are needed, then a dedicated proxy is well worth the investment.
Types of Shared HTTP Proxies
Shared HTTP proxies normally come in two flavors: static proxy lists and rotating proxies through a backconnect gateway. Each has different advantages depending on your needs and exact use cases.
Static Shared Proxy List
It simply gives you a list of fixed IP addresses that you will be using to browse or do something online. The IPs don't change; they are constant and never rotate automatically. You just get a text file listing the IPs, and you can use them at your discretion. Nothing advanced can be modified here in terms of port numbers or scheduled rotations.
Static proxy lists are ideal for use cases where you need to be on the same IP: gaming, or access to any other kind of platform where consistency is necessary. In processes like web scraping or automated browsing, the ability to change IPs often is a definite plus, and this format isn't so ideal.
Rotating Shared Proxies
Rotating shared proxies work a bit differently, providing a switching mechanism for IPs via a backconnect gateway server. In other words, instead of switching over to other different IPs manually, you connect through a certain gateway, like gateway.proxyprovider.com:8080; you are gonna connect to the proxy pool of the provider and automatically receive an IP address. Moreover, your IP will change on each new request, or possibly after some time, say every few minutes, depending on the provider.
This format is ideal for those tasks which require changes of IP quite frequently, such as scraping, creation of accounts and more. Rotating proxies are easier to handle since the IPs are rotated by themselves, and hence you won't be going through the headache of managing a proxy list yourself. If you choose to buy rotating proxies, you are gonna pay for how many GBs you use.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Shared HTTP Proxies
Benefits
- Cost-Effective: The first and foremost reason people use shared HTTP proxies is that they are cheap. People use the same IP by splitting the cost among themselves, and hence shared proxies become the most affordable proxy. This works pretty well for activities like web scraping, where shared datacenter proxies cost much less compared to other residential proxies that are more expensive.
- Privacy and Anonymity: Even though shared proxies are not for your private use, they still protect you with a fairly strong privacy umbrella. They mask your real IP address, so it is really challenging for websites to link web activities to you.
Drawbacks
- Slower Speeds: The most important disadvantage when you are using shared HTTP proxies is that their speed may be slower. Since you will share the proxy, your bandwidth is will also be shared among many users. This leads to noticeable slowdowns, especially during peak use of the proxy. In extreme cases, bandwidth overload can occur, but shared datacenter proxies still often provide better speeds than residential proxies.
- Risk of IP Issues: If an individual who has used or is using the same IP address has abused it, for example, for spamming or against the policy of a website, the IP might be flagged or banned by some websites. Even without an outright block of the IP, you might face more CAPTCHAs and extra levels of security checks, which add other layers of frustration to your browsing or automation tasks.
Most Common Use Cases
Light Web Scraping
For a smaller-scale web scraping project, shared HTTP proxies will do just fine. They help you avoid blocks by spreading your requests over more IPs. While they might not fit right for scraping heavily protected websites, they are ideal for less simple tasks that demand to stay under the radar and avoid rate limits.
Concealing Your IP Address
That is a big plus about shared HTTP proxies: they can conceal your real IP and give you little more security. If your actual IP is masked by a shared one, you are making it much harder for websites to track what you do online, and this offers you some protection for your private life.
Getting Around Geo-Restrictions
You will be able to connect through shared HTTP proxies, using IP addresses from various countries, hence accessing content that is forbidden in your country. That includes access to location-based social media content, country-specific job listing views, or even sports broadcasts.
When Should You Use Shared HTTP Proxies?
In some cases, shared HTTP proxies are a good choice when there is not much complexity in the task or a limit on the budget. If you start with web scraping or any other activity using proxies, shared proxies serve as the most economical way to get into practice easily without blowing away your wallet. They also come in handy when one needs to access higher amounts of IPs at a cheaper price, instead of just a few for a higher price. Just keep in mind that shared proxies might not be well-suited for really resource-heavy tasks such as sneaker copping or automating social media interactions, but they can work quite effectively on the small, less protected sites. By keeping the focus on low-profile sites and using clean IPs, you can use shared HTTP proxies to achieve your goals without serious obstacles.
Conclusion
The fact is, using shared HTTP proxies brings both pros and cons. First off, they are cheap, but be prepared to suffer slower speeds and run the risk of IP bans due to other users misbehaving on the same proxy. Even with all those limitations, shared proxies can still be pretty useful for certain tasks if you're looking at getting an economical solution and dealing with websites that don't have stringent security features.
