MNW Proxy - Free Proxy

What is a proxy server ?

In computer networks, a proxy server is a server (a computer system or an application program) that acts as a go-between for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers. A client connects to the proxy server, requesting some service, such as a file, connection, web page, or other resource, available from a different server. The proxy server evaluates the request according to its filtering rules. For example, it may filter traffic by IP address or protocol. If the request is validated by the filter, the proxy provides the resource by connecting to the relevant server and requesting the service on behalf of the client. A proxy server may optionally alter the client's request or the server's response, and sometimes it may serve the request without contacting the specified server. In this case, it 'caches' responses from the remote server, and returns subsequent requests for the same content directly.

In other words, a proxy server is a kind of buffer between your computer and the Internet resources you are accessing. They accumulate and save files that are most often requested by thousands of Internet users in a special database, called “cache”. Therefore, proxy servers are able to increase the speed of your connection to the Internet. The cache of a proxy server may already contain information you need by the time of your request, making it possible for the proxy to deliver it immediately. The overall increase in performance may be very high. Also, proxy servers can help in cases when some owners of the Internet resources impose some restrictions on users from certain countries or geographical regions. In addition to that, among proxy servers there are so called anonymous proxy servers that hide your IP address thereby saving you from vulnerabilities concerned with it.

There are 4 kinds of proxy:

• Transparent Proxy - This type of proxy server identifies itself as a proxy server and also makes the original IP address available through the http headers. These are generally used for their ability to cache websites and do not effectively provide any anonymity to those who use them. However, the use of a transparent proxy will get you around simple IP bans. They are transparent in the terms that your IP address is exposed, not transparent in the terms that you do not know that you are using it (your system is not specifically configured to use it).
• Anonymous Proxy - This type of proxy server indentifies itself as a proxy server, but does not make the original IP address available. This type of proxy server is detectable, but provides reasonable anonymity for most users.
• Distorting Proxy - This type of proxy server identifies itself as a proxy server, but make an incorrect original IP address available through the http headers.
• High Anonymity Proxy - This type of proxy server does not identify itself as a proxy server and does not make available the original IP address.

What is an Anonymous Proxy Servers ?

An anonymous proxy server (sometimes called a web proxy) generally attempts to anonymize web surfing. There are different varieties of anonymizers. One of the more common variations is the open proxy. Because they are typically difficult to track, open proxies are especially useful to those seeking online anonymity, from political dissidents to computer criminals. Some users are merely interested in anonymity on principle, to facilitate constitutional human rights of freedom of speech, for instance. The server receives requests from the anonymizing proxy server, and thus does not receive information about the end user's address. However, the requests are not anonymous to the anonymizing proxy server, and so a degree of trust is present between that server and the user. Many of them are funded through a continued advertising link to the user.

Anonymous proxy servers hide your IP address and thereby prevent unauthorized access to your computer through the Internet. They do not provide anyone with your IP address and effectively hide any information about you and your reading interests. Besides that, they don’t even let anyone know that you are surfing through a proxy server. Anonymous proxy servers can be used for all kinds of Web-services, such as Web-Mail (MSN Hot Mail, Yahoo mail), web-chat rooms, FTP archives, etc.

Why Should You Use Anonymous Proxy Servers ?

Any web resource you access can gather personal information about you through your unique IP address – your ID in the Internet. They can monitor your reading interests, spy upon you and, according to some policies of the Internet resources, deny accessing any information you might need. You might become a target for many marketers and advertising agencies who, having information about your interests and knowing your IP address as well as your e-mail, will be able to send you regularly their spam and junk e-mails.

A web site can automatically exploit security holes in your system using not-very-complex, ready-made, free hacking programs. Some of such programs may just hang your machine, making you reboot it, but other, more powerful ones, can get access to the content of your hard drive or RAM. Everything a web site may need for that is only your IP address and some information about your operating system.

Using an anonymous proxy server you don't give anybody any chance to find out your IP address and any information about you and use them in their own interests.

How to use a proxy server ?

Proxy Settings in Internet Explorer 4.x

1. Click "View" \ "Internet Options");
2. Click "Connections";
3. Enable "use a proxy server";
4. In fields "Address" and "port" type proxy name and proxy port;
5. If nessesary, enable "bypass proxy server for local addresses";
6. Click "OK".

Proxy Settings in Internet Explorer 5.x - 6.x

1. Click "Service" \ "Internet Options";
2. Click "Connections";
3. If you use Dial-Up connection, choose your connection and click "Settings" button.
   if you use LAN connection, click "LAN Settings" button in the "Local Area Network (LAN) Settings" group box;
4. Enable "use a proxy server";
5. In fields "Address" and "port", type proxy name and proxy port;
6. If nessesary, enable "bypass proxy server for local addresses";
7. Click "OK";
8. Click "OK" to close IE settings

Proxy Settings in Netscape Navigator 4.x

1. Click "Edit" \ "Preferences";
2. Click "Category" \ "Advanced" \ "Proxies";
3. Set "Manual proxy configuration";
4. Click "View" at "Manual proxy configuration";
5. Set proxies for following protocols: HTTP, FTP, etc.

Proxy Settings in Netscape Navigator 6.x

1. Click "Edit" \ "Preferences";
2. Click "Category" \ "Advanced" \ "Proxies";
3. Set "Manual proxy configuration";
4. Click "View" at "Manual proxy configuration";
5. Set proxies for following protocols: HTTP, FTP, etc.

Proxy Settings in Opera 5.x - 7.x

1. Click "File" \ "Preferences";
2. In "Category" choose "Network";
3. Click on the button "Proxy servers..."
4. Set proxies for following protocols: HTTP, FTP, etc.
5. Enable proxies for corresponding protocols by enabling options "HTTP", "HTTPS", etc.
6. Click "OK" to close preferences

Proxy Settings in Konqueror

1. Click "Setting" \ "Configure Konqueror...";
2. Choose "Proxies";
3. Enable "Use proxy";
4. Set proxies for following protocols: HTTP, FTP, etc.

Proxy Settings in Mozilla Firefox

1. Click Tools->Options;
2. "General", "Connection Settings";
3. Select "Manual Proxy Configuration";
4. Enter proxy IP and port to appropriate fields;
5. Click OK to close Connection Settings;
6. Click OK to close Options;
7. Reload browser.