Proxies offer a lot of benefits for anyone on an online platform. The most important, perhaps, is to provide security. By filtering content, you can avoid what could be harmful to your website.

Proxy Speeds
Credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/proxy-proxy-server-free-proxy-5301801/

Proxies also provide data encryption, making it harder for hackers to find areas of vulnerability. Only the intended recipient gets access to what you have sent.

Proxies are also fantastic for monitoring internet usage. Employers can monitor or track the online activities of their employees. The same applies to educational institutions. Parents can also keep track of what their children are doing online.

With the right proxy, you can go around sites that restrict content. It means geographical barriers will no longer apply to you when visiting a site. You also gain privacy when the proxy hides your IP address. A SOCKS proxy shields your IP address with its own. In this way, you can browse comfortably while enjoying anonymity.

You are probably aware of all the above. But, do you know that you can increase proxy connection speeds?

Read on to find out how.

Increasing Proxy Connection Speeds

A proxy is an internet computer that runs on its own server. An extra server adds an additional load onto the connection. The server site it is connecting to may also determine the speed of the connection. So it only makes sense that the connection may end up being slower.

However, a proxy can increase your internet speed.  Requests go through the proxy server so it doesn’t matter what kind of bandwidth the recipient’s server is using. You will not feel the effect on your end. Proxies also cache files and web pages even when there are multiple users. They also compress traffic and block ads that will slow down the speed of the connection.

We will go into how to increase proxy connection speeds in more detail. But first, it is crucial to understand how they work.

  • You type in a search query.
  • Your query goes through the proxy for filtration.
  • The proxy uses its IP address to route the request to the recipient’s website. In this way, your IP address remains hidden. It allows for privacy and anonymity.
  • The recipient’s website sends back the relevant data.
  • The traffic must also go through the proxy for sieving of the content
  • The proxy then roots the information back to you

With fast proxy speeds, the process occurs in seconds. It is, in fact, an important consideration to have when shopping for a proxy. Different proxies have different transmission rates. It is, therefore, crucial to know the speed of your connection with the proxy.

How to Measure Proxy Speed

Take advantage of online tools to measure the speed of your proxy.

Testmy.net is one such tool. Simply log onto the page. You will get a page that looks like this:

Test my internet speed

Decide on the test you want to run, and click on it. For example, if you want to do a download speed test, click on the appropriate link.

Click on the test my download speed button, and let it do its job. You will get a report that looks like this:

Insternet Speed Test

You can also do proxy speed tests on anonymous proxies from all over the world. Use https://testmy.net/country/a1/max to do the test.

What to Do If The Speed Is Slow

If you determine the speed of your connection is slow, here is what to do:

  1. Check the number of IP addresses on the proxy. Typically, there is a limit, but numbers vary. It could be within tens to thousands. The more connections to the IP addresses, the slower the speed may be.
  2. You may need to slow down your crawl rate.
  3. Increase the number of proxies you are using. It allows you to run multiple IPs concurrently. By distributing your requests, you can increase the speed of the connections.
  4. Rotating proxy servers use random IPs for every request you type in. It allows you better access without any blocking or rate limits.
  5. See if your proxy allows for persistent connection. Persistent connections reduce memory and CPU usage. When you type in a request, you get a response faster.
  6. Compress data so that you do not use too much bandwidth.
  7. Manage latency, which refers to connection delay for data transmission between two computers. The delay time varies due to geographical distance. Be mindful of the location of the server you want to use. The nearer it is to you, the better.
  8. Look for a proxy that is near your target server. Sites like Proxymesh and Worldserver will show you which ones to use.
  9. Take advantage of open proxies to direct requests to any sites. You still get to maintain privacy and anonymity because it conceals your IP address. The disadvantage of open proxies is that total anonymity is not a guarantee. You may also have to deal with some errors. However, you have more access to a broader range of IP addresses.
  10. Check the location of your proxy using free sites like whatsmyIP.com. It lets you know your location and the server location. When you log in, you get an immediate response. You will see something like this:

IP Address

  1. Be mindful of timeouts for requests and responses. A 408 response shows the server was not able to give it back in time. Custom headers will allow you to set the time you want to wait for a response. Recurring 408 responses show poor network connection between your server and the remote site. It may also indicate that the remote site is blocking the request.

Final Thoughts

You want to be able to use the internet efficiently. Speed is an excellent determinant of how much you can achieve within a specific time.  Proxy servers offer many functionalities. You get anonymity, privacy, security, and you can access content from all over the world.

In some cases, you may notice lower connection speeds. Use the steps we have highlighted above to increase the speed.

You May Also Like : How To Configure A Proxy Server In Mozilla Firefox