What is a Proxy?

Proxies come in many forms but the most popular proxy is the HTTP proxy (also called a Web proxy). A Web proxy allows you to browse the Internet anonymously by routing all of your Web site requests through another server (the proxy server). This may sound a little complicated but it's really pretty simple. Visit a Web proxy in your browser, enter the URL of the Web site you want to browse as an anonymous user, and off you go!

An HTTP proxy works by accepting your request from a form on a Web site, then making the actual request for the Web site on your behalf, and finally returning the Web page to your browser. All this time your browser location bar will display the URL of the proxy Web site, and not the web site you are actually viewing.