Comprehensive definitions of proxy, web scraping, and internet privacy terminology. Whether you're new to proxies or an experienced user, this glossary covers essential concepts.
A proxy server that routes internet traffic through real residential IP addresses assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to homeowners. Residential proxies are the most trusted proxy type because they appear as genuine home users to websites, making them ideal for web scraping, ad verification, and market research. SpyderProxy offers 130M+ residential IPs across 195+ countries.
A proxy that uses IP addresses hosted in data center facilities rather than residential locations. Datacenter proxies offer faster speeds and lower costs but are easier for websites to detect. They work well for accessing public APIs, open datasets, and websites without advanced anti-bot protection. SpyderProxy offers both static and rotating datacenter proxies.
A proxy that assigns a fixed IP address that remains the same for the duration of your session or subscription. Static proxies are useful when you need a consistent identity, such as managing social media accounts, accessing geo-restricted content, or maintaining logged-in sessions on websites.
A proxy that automatically assigns a new IP address with each request or at set intervals. Rotating proxies are essential for large-scale web scraping because they distribute requests across thousands of IPs, preventing rate limiting and IP bans. SpyderProxy supports auto-rotation on residential and datacenter proxy pools.
The process of automatically switching between different IP addresses during web requests. IP rotation prevents websites from detecting and blocking automated traffic by distributing requests across a large pool of IPs. SpyderProxy handles IP rotation automatically through its proxy gateway, with options for per-request rotation or timed sticky sessions.
A proxy configuration that maintains the same IP address for a specified duration, typically ranging from 1 minute to several hours. Sticky sessions are useful when you need to maintain a consistent identity across multiple requests, such as completing multi-step forms, navigating paginated results, or keeping a logged-in session. SpyderProxy supports sticky sessions up to 8 hours.
A versatile proxy protocol that operates at the transport layer (Layer 5 of the OSI model), supporting any type of traffic including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, and UDP. SOCKS5 proxies are more flexible than HTTP proxies because they don't interpret network traffic — they simply relay it. SOCKS5 also supports authentication. SpyderProxy supports both HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 protocols on all proxy types.
A proxy that operates at the application layer and understands HTTP/HTTPS protocols. HTTP proxies can interpret and modify web traffic, cache responses, and filter content. HTTPS proxies support encrypted connections through the CONNECT method, creating a tunnel between the client and destination server. Most web scraping and browser automation tools use HTTP(S) proxies by default.
A proxy gateway that provides a single entry point (host:port) that automatically routes each connection through a different IP address from a large pool. Instead of managing thousands of individual proxy IPs, you connect to one backconnect gateway and the rotation happens server-side. SpyderProxy uses backconnect gateways for all residential and rotating proxy products.
The ability to select proxy IP addresses from specific geographic locations — by country, state/region, or city. Geo-targeting allows you to view websites and content as if you were browsing from that location, which is essential for ad verification, price monitoring, SEO rank tracking, and accessing geo-restricted content. SpyderProxy supports geo-targeting across 195+ countries with city-level precision.
The total collection of IP addresses available through a proxy provider. A larger proxy pool means more unique IPs to rotate through, reducing the chance of detection and bans. SpyderProxy maintains a proxy pool of 130M+ residential IPs, making it one of the largest pools in the industry. Pool size directly impacts scraping success rates.
The automated extraction of data from websites using software tools or scripts. Web scraping is used for price monitoring, market research, lead generation, competitive analysis, and AI training data collection. Proxies are essential for web scraping at scale because they prevent IP bans and rate limiting by distributing requests across many IP addresses.
Security systems used by websites to identify and block automated traffic (bots). Common anti-bot technologies include CAPTCHAs, browser fingerprinting, behavioral analysis, IP reputation scoring, and JavaScript challenges. Residential proxies help bypass anti-bot detection because they use real ISP-assigned IPs with clean reputations, making requests appear as genuine user traffic.
A technique used by websites and APIs to restrict the number of requests a single IP address or user can make within a given time period. When you exceed the rate limit, the server returns errors (usually HTTP 429 Too Many Requests). Rotating proxies circumvent rate limits by distributing requests across multiple IPs so no single IP exceeds the threshold.
The amount of data transferred through a proxy, measured in gigabytes (GB). Residential proxy services typically charge per GB of bandwidth consumed. Bandwidth usage depends on the size of web pages you access — a typical HTML page uses 1-5 MB, while media-heavy pages can use 10-50 MB. SpyderProxy residential proxies start at $1.75/GB for budget and $2.75/GB for premium.
The number of simultaneous connections you can maintain through a proxy service at the same time. More concurrent sessions means faster data collection because you can run more parallel requests. SpyderProxy offers unlimited concurrent sessions on all plans, allowing you to scale your operations without connection limits.
A proxy that routes traffic through mobile network connections (4G/LTE/5G) using real mobile IP addresses assigned by cellular carriers. Mobile proxies are the most trusted proxy type because mobile IPs are shared among many users naturally (CGNAT), making them nearly impossible to ban individually. They are ideal for social media management and accessing highly-protected websites.
Also known as static residential proxies, ISP proxies combine the speed of datacenter infrastructure with the trust of residential IP addresses. These IPs are registered to ISPs but hosted in data centers, providing fast, stable connections that appear as residential users. ISP proxies are ideal for long-running sessions, account management, and tasks requiring both speed and legitimacy.
The process of verifying your identity when connecting to a proxy server. The two most common methods are username:password authentication and IP whitelisting (allowing connections only from pre-approved IP addresses). SpyderProxy supports both authentication methods, with credentials managed through the dashboard.
A network address translation technique used by ISPs and mobile carriers where multiple users share the same public IP address. CGNAT is why mobile proxy IPs are so difficult to ban — blocking a mobile IP would affect hundreds or thousands of legitimate users. This shared nature makes mobile and LTE proxies extremely effective for accessing protected websites.
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