IP addresses are internet privacy headaches. Thus, a proxy is a crucial tool for private browsing sessions, accessing geo-restricted content, and data collection tasks like web scraping. Regular residential proxies do a great job of making it easy to complete these tasks.
Backconnect Proxies do it even better, especially if you must carry out large-scale projects requiring multiple IP addresses.
In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about Backconnect proxies — from how they work to the pros and cons of using them.
Let’s get to it!
What Are Backconnect Proxies
A regular proxy server lets you use their IP address and location instead of your own. This enables you to browse the internet anonymously, access geo-restricted content, and do many other things. However, it is limited in what it can do.
Tasks like web scraping are extremely difficult with regular residential or data center proxies. With a Backconnect proxy, you would be able to carry out tasks like this.
A Backconnect proxy is simply a proxy server consisting of multiple rotating proxies. This Backconnect proxy server is a pool of regular proxies that switches, usually automatically, when connected to the internet.
Using this shifting pattern not only allows the user to hide their real IP address but also ensures that new IP addresses are used to access target websites.
Rotation can be automated at each request sent or at set intervals. The user can also manually change the IP addresses. This approach doesn’t trigger warnings, so the IPs don’t get blocked, and the tasks get completed
In essence, regular proxies are static, while Backconnect proxies are dynamic. This ability to change or ‘rotate’ IP addresses for every request sent or at regular intervals makes Backconnect proxy servers powerful and sought after.
Proxies in a Backconnect proxy network can be either residential or datacenter proxies. Residential Backconnect proxies are most preferred because of the glaring differences between residential and data center proxies. We explained those differences in detail in our article on data center vs residential proxies.
How Do Backconnect Proxies Work?
For proper functioning of a Backconnect proxy, the following are needed
- a pool of proxies
- a set interval for rotation of the proxies
Backconnect proxies follow the same protocols as normal proxies. These protocols are simplified in a five-step process described below.
STEP 1: From the client-side, the proxy will send the request to the target server by masking your IP address.
STEP 2: The proxy carries the request and passes it to the proxy pool, then one of the proxies sends the request to the targeted website.
STEP 3: The target website checks if proxies are used. It has to evaluate the IP address on the data request as a standard IP address provided by ISPs. The website provides the requested data to the proxy once it completes the scan.
It is important to note that this step depends on the proxies in the pool of proxies in the Backconnect server. Datacenter IPs are often rejected by websites and might not always be suitable as Backconnect proxies. Residential proxies are the best options in a Backconnect proxy server.
STEP 4: The proxy returns the data to the client, then goes back to the proxy pool.
STEP 5: The client makes another request, only this time, the request passes through another proxy in the pool. Whenever a connection request is made to the Backconnect proxy network, a new proxy is used to carry out the request to the target website.
The loop will continue as long as proxies are available in the pool. Also, the set interval for proxy change will affect how the loop proceeds.
Pros and Cons of Backconnect Proxies
Backconnect proxies have desirable features and also drawbacks to their use. Here are some of them.
Pros
- Increases anonymity
Backconnect proxy masks your IP address just like a regular proxy but with a twist. The twist, your IP address is masked with more than one IP address. Websites won’t be able to tell you apart from regular users as your identity is practically invisible to them, making it a great solution for data privacy issues.
- Increases security
Backconnect proxy servers are protective walls. It hides users’ real IPs behind layers of proxy IP addresses. This will greatly increase your safety and security when browsing the web, as all of the proxy servers will stand between you and malicious content.
- Eliminate request limits
Regular proxies have rate limits. With Backconnect proxies, one can make as many requests as possible. This makes it a perfect choice for web scraping tasks.
Websites use rate-limiting to control how many requests one user can make. The website will ban an IP address or a proxy if it exceeds this limit. The constant rotation of IP addresses in the Backconnect proxy network overcomes these limits. The rotation allows you to send out multiple requests per minute without worrying about triggering red flags on the target website.
Cons
- Increases budget
Backconnect proxy servers are much more expensive than a regular proxy. Since Backconnect proxies offer better anonymity, security, and no rate limits, many providers ask you to pay extra for them.
Backconnect proxy service is a great choice for web scraping but might be overkill for regular web browsing. So do your research based on your budget and need.
- Might be slow
Backconnect proxy servers are collections of varying proxy servers and each with different quality. Some connections will be fast, some will be slow, and some might be banned by the service you’re trying to access. You have very little ability to control them
Sometimes your request delivery time can lag. This may be because of the location gap between your proxy server and the target website server. To illustrate, your target website might be in Britain, and you use a Backconnect proxy from Australia.
Your request will travel back and forth between those two locations before you can get a response. You can solve this by choosing Backconnect proxy servers closer to your actual location or servers of target websites.
What Are Backconnect Proxies Used For?
Though Backconnect proxies are quite expensive for a regular user, there are several tasks they are best suited for. These tasks are usually large scale and multiple IP addresses.
Web Scraping
The proxy rotation feature of Backconnect proxies makes them a perfect choice for these tasks. The web scraper needs to make multiple data requests to a single website. Many times, the volume of the requests exceeds what the website allows from a single IP address. With Backconnect proxies, they can overcome that by sending these requests via multiple IP addresses.
Social Media Automation
Social media managers use Backconnect proxies to simplify their work in many ways. They use it for targeting specific social media profiles based on their geographic location. They will be able to access geo-specific social media content. They also benefit tremendously from the improved security features of these types of proxies.
Website Testing and Ad Verification
Website developers and designers often test their websites to understand the user experiences. Backconnect proxies help them to ensure that the testing is comprehensive.
Advertisers and website administrators also use these proxies to verify how their ads are displayed on different web pages across the globe. Sending many requests to a website may result in an IP ban. Therefore, using a Backconnect proxy is the best option.
How to Choose a Backconnect Proxy to Use?
Your choice of a Backconnect proxy to use will depend on two main things:
- the task to be completed
- the proxy provider
As discussed earlier, a regular residential proxy would sometimes complete most tasks. However, you should go for it if you’re managing multiple IP addresses or the required tasks.
Each proxy provider has its peculiarities in terms of price and the kind of service they render. It is important to research and pick a provider that meets your needs.
These are also some other factors you should consider when choosing a Backconnect proxy for use:
Conclusion
So far, we have discussed how Backconnect proxies work, their benefits, and their drawbacks.
Regular residential proxies will mostly suffice for regular internet users. Nevertheless, Backconnect proxy servers are better options for users who want to carry out large-scale projects like social media automation, web scraping, and likes.
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FAQs
What is the difference between Rotating Proxies and Backconnect Proxies?
Rotating Proxies are the same thing as Backconnect proxies. Both proxies ‘rotate’ the connected proxy IP automatically at a set interval.
What is a sticky proxy?
The term ‘sticky proxy’ describes a proxy server that uses the same IP address for a fixed period. When the period is over, the new proxy IP is replaced.
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