First off, a web proxy refers to a proxy server which is, essentially, a computer that takes your request - open a page, download, etc - and then passes it onto a different server, where that information is held. A proxy server may alter your request (client's request) or even cache (save) the first request for the purpose of improving speed. On the other hand, a proxy server which does not change the request and does not do anything the request is called either a gateway or a tunneling proxy.
Now there are several types of different proxy servers with differing functions from one to another. A caching proxy server is designed to cache (save) and thus improve speed while reducing bandwidth usage, and thus cost. Mostly used by large corporations, it is usually flawless (though there are some problems with poorly-implemented proxies) and is used because of the high cost of bandwidth usage. Large corporations also have systems to block access to certain sites that are not deemed to be business-related, which is also a type of proxy server.
The more common type to users is a web proxy or anonymizing proxy server. This goes in to why proxies are used in the first place. Why not just make a direct connection from client to server, right? Well, a web proxy focuses on WWW traffic (websites, the web) and generally anonymizes web surfing.
Thus, you can surf the web and no one would know who you are, because you are essentially using a server to surf the web, download, etc. So any location-tracking services would give the location of the proxy server and not you. There is a whole ocean of anonymizing proxy servers out on the web and many can be found with a simple search from Google or the like.
The problem with anonymizing proxy servers can be the relative difficulty in finding a functioning proxy server and then implementing that into your browser of choice (unless it is an anonymizing proxy server provided by some website).
Also, many networks will block many of the popular anonymizing proxy servers, thus rendering them useless. However, there is still a chance that anonymizing proxy servers can be found via Google since the black listing done by the administrators of networks usually block only the popular ones. And even if the black listing is done automatically, it is not like all proxy servers in the whole wide world can be blocked - usually you can find some obscure anonymizing proxy servers that are not blocked by the administrators of networks.
Author Resource:-
Martin helps people learn about technology and Internet. You can read more of his work like his article about Free Web Proxy or Web Proxy.
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