Most of us find ourselves in situations where a website we wish to visit is blocked by a software or by our ISP (Internet Service Provider). So the question arises, how can we access blocked websites? The answer to this is simple: Proxy websites. Before going into details, let us know a bit about these proxy websites.
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Proxy Websites
A proxy website acts as an intermediate source between the user and server the site being contacted is hosted on. Users send requests to proxy websites which conveys them to the site's server. The reply received by the proxy website is then forwarded to the user's computer. This gives an impression to ISPs and blocking software that the user is visiting the proxy website but in reality, s/he is visiting the site which was blocked. The websites being visited remain under the impression that the user is located at the location of the the proxy website instead of their actual location. Thus, proxy servers hide a user's online activity and location thereby providing extra security.Commonly Blocked Web Sites
The sites which are most commonly blocked at workplaces, schools and offices include websites like Facebook, Blogger (blogspot), Google News, MSN, Amazon, eBay, YouTube, Gmail, Flickr, Instagram, Twitter etc. In some countries, social bookmarking sites like Reddit are also blocked. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and China have even blocked access to mainstream media websites like The New York Times. Some popular websites are restricted to particular countries and block users from other countries from visiting them. Proxy websites can be used to easily access all such blocked and restricted websites.Types of Proxies
There are two types of proxies. First, there are web proxies which have an interactive interface; and second, the proxy servers which work on the basis of IP Addresses and port numbers. Proxies can also be segregated on the basis of anonymity into Anonymous, Transparent and High Anonymous depending upon the amount of privacy they provide.How to Find Proxy Websites and Proxy Servers
A simple Google search containing the word "proxy websites" is likely to return a lot of useful results. However, most of them are likely to be lists containing proxy servers which you can setup using their IP Address and Port Number. So, in order to find interactive proxy websites, you will have to search for something like "Facebook Proxy Server" or "Twitter Proxy Server". A search like this is most likely to return interactive proxy websites with which you can access your blocked website by simply entering the URL in URL field. If you want additional security and anonymity, you can opt for a paid proxy server.How to Setup Proxy Servers using their IP Address
If you wish to visit your blocked website using a web proxy, you do not need any setup. However, if you wish to use a proxy server that can only be accessed by using its IP address and port number, you must configure your operating system to use it. Follow the instructions given below to setup this type of proxy in your operating system:-Windows 11 and Windows 10 users:-
- Click on Start.
- Type Change manual proxy server settings and press Enter.
- Toggle Use a proxy server option.
- In the Address field, add the IP Address of your proxy server. In the Port field, enter the port number for your proxy server.
- Click on Save.
- Start Internet Explorer.
- Click on Tools in the Menu bar and go to Internet Options. The Internet Options dialog box can alternately be accessed from the Control Panel.
- Click on Connections Tab, select your network connection and click on Settings.
- Tick Use a Proxy Server for this connection option.
- In the Address field, add the IP Address of your proxy server. In the Port field, enter the Port Number.
- Click on OK and OK again.
For earlier editions of Windows:-
Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer users:
Your operating system, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge use the same network settings as Internet Explorer. So, in order to configure your OS, Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to use a proxy server, you have to configure Internet Explorer. You can configure a proxy server in Internet Explorer by following the instructions given below:-
Mozilla Firefox users:
In most cases, Mozilla Firefox will also utilize the proxy applied on the operating system through Internet Options. However, Mozilla Firefox users can configure their browser to use a different proxy from that applied on the OS by following the instructions given at Mozilla support website. Do note that individual settings used by Mozilla Firefox will not be applied system wide like in the case of Internet Explorer.
Related - Ways to Access Blocked Websites
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