There were days not that long ago when a cell phone was a rarity. Today, the world is full of mobile devices and their number seems to be growing along with the population.
Among other things, this means that more and more static mobile proxies are available and can be used for online security. Thus, it is time to find out more about how we can benefit from mobile proxies.
How Do Mobile Proxies Work?
A mobile proxy assigns an IP address that belongs to the mobile IP network. Thus, when you are using such a proxy server, the website believes that it is an organic user with a cell phone or tablet connecting.
A few common misconceptions about mobile proxies should be cleared. Firstly, you do not have to be using a mobile phone or tablet in order to connect to a mobile proxy.
A mobile hotspot is a common example of how you can get a mobile IP while using a desktop computer. Additionally, people use USB dongles for mobile internet on a laptop.
However, it should be noted that having a proxy mobile IP in this way is not the same as subscribing to a mobile proxy service.
If the IP address is still assigned to the user by the mobile carrier, it does not do much for anonymity.
Secondly, not just any mobile device at any time has a mobile IP address. The device has to be using mobile data to work as a mobile proxy.
A telephone connecting to a home network simply gets that network’s IP address. It is the same as for any other device in the network, for example, a home computer.
Thus, in this case, the device has a residential IP address and can only work as a regular residential proxy.
When using mobile data, on the other hand, the device has a specific IP address assigned by the mobile network carrier. Therefore, it can serve as a mobile proxy.
Due to this reason, mobile proxies are relatively rare. People tend to connect to Wi-Fi networks when available, instead of using their mobile data.
The Types Of Mobile Proxies
Different typifications can be applied to mobile proxies. The most important way to categorize such proxy servers is by the type of IP rotation they apply.
IP rotation refers to the process and rules that describe how IPs are assigned when using a proxy. Two main types can be distinguished this way.
Static Mobile Proxies
Using “static” and “mobile” in one definition seems like a contradiction at first sight.
While the device used as a proxy remains mobile, what makes these proxies static is the fact that the IP address does not rotate.
It remains the same for the entire session and can be retained virtually as long as the device is connected to a mobile network.
Rotating Mobile Proxies
Rotating proxy servers automatically rotate the IP addresses assigned to mask the user’s actual address.
Mobile proxies can rotate mobile IP addresses either with every new request made to the end server or after a pre-defined period of time.
Another way to categorize mobile proxies is by the generation of the broadband network the device uses. Today, most commonly mobile proxies are either 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE proxies.
Top 5 Benefits Of Mobile Proxies
Using proxy servers can enhance the results of various online activities from casual browsing to business-critical data collection.
Mobile proxies do great in these use cases, providing a bouquet of advantages to the user. Here are some of the noteworthy benefits of mobile proxies.
- Increased anonymity. Proxies hide your real IP address and provide another to safeguard your online anonymity. With residential mobile proxy IPs, you can reach even higher levels of privacy, by hiding behind a residential mobile IP address.
- Diverse access. Mobile proxies enable users to bypass all kinds of geographic or device-based restrictions. Thus, you can access content from all over the world even if they are behind some sort of geo-blocks.
- Avoidance of detection and blocking. Mobile proxies are hardly detectable to websites due to their usage of unique mobile networks. Thus, it is less likely that such a proxy will be blocked by a server that flags all proxy activity as suspicious.
- High speed. Mobile proxies are very fast and demonstrate great performance metrics. Thus, businesses using automated procedures to harness data can do it efficiently. Meanwhile, private users can quickly perform such actions as online shopping as well as stream content.
- Reliable connection. Mobile proxies tend to have a reliable network connection. Users can trust such a proxy with business-critical procedures as well as Esports and casual gaming.
All in all, as any proxy server, mobile proxies can meet your browsing privacy and security needs.
Additionally, such proxies bring even faster connections based on reliable cellular networks and lower detectability.
Is Configuring A Mobile Proxy Hard?
Using a mobile proxy usually isn’t any harder than configuring regular proxy settings. You might need to install a proxy app on your device. The information you will need to get from your proxy provider should include:
- Proxy name,
- Port number,
- Username,
- Password.
Your username and password might be either given to you or you might be asked to create them yourself when signing up for a proxy service plan.
Find the proxy settings page on your device or in the app and enter the details provided above in the specified fields.
Depending on your plan and provider you might have additional customization options, but this is pretty much it.
Are There Free Mobile Proxies?
You can probably find free mobile proxy lists online but it is strongly advisable not to use them.
Firstly, you do not know how these addresses have been sourced. It is very unlikely that the sourcing was legal or ethical.
Secondly, the same proxies will be used by many other users who found the list and are probably already blocked, thus it is not worth your time.
Finally, if providers of such proxy details require your personal information, they might use it for malicious purposes and/or sell your data.
Thus, if you want to try a mobile proxy for free, look for a paid provider with a free trial available.
