To understand the usage and importance of IPv4 proxies, you first need to learn what IPv4 and proxy servers are and how they work. So, let’s start from the beginning.
If we break down the term IPv4, we’ll get IP which stands for Internet Protocol, a set of requirements and standards for creating and transmitting datagrams or data packets across networks, and v4 for version 4. In other words, the 4th version of the Internet Protocol.
IPv4 is the original internet protocol that’s still the basis for network maintenance. The entire internet was built on this IP version. It has been routing internet traffic ever since 1982 when IETF introduced it. These IP addresses are 32-bit numbers expressed in dotted-decimal notation, containing the network prefix and the host number.
Despite the limitations of IPv4’s 32-bit address space, it’s still the most widely used IP version. The world has nearly 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses to use, but due to the growing number of connected devices, it has run out of this version of IP addresses in 2011. In 2012, IPv6 was introduced as a solution to the IPv4 address exhaustion. Since then, the internet has been gradually transitioning to this IP version.
A proxy or proxy server is an online device that acts as an intermediary between the internet and end-users. It receives your requests intended for other servers and redirects, forwards, rejects, or fulfills them depending on several factors.
These factors include what is requested, the capabilities of the proxy server, the location of the request, the information contained in the request, the sender, and the intended destination.
In other words, the proxy communicates with other servers on the internet on your behalf. During the entire process, the proxy uses its own IP address, which can be from any location in the world. This guarantees privacy and anonymity when surfing the web.
The most common reasons people use proxies today are their abilities to improve network security, bypass geo-restrictions, and optimize network traffic.
You can use iPv4 proxies for everything, from social networking and security to gaming, copping sneakers, and web scraping. That’s because they work with all websites. Reasons to use them include:
Avoiding geo-restrictions
IPv4 proxies can help you get around geo-restriction blocks and access websites and services that are not available in your region or country due to licensing restrictions and similar issues. By providing you with countless IPv4 addresses from many countries and locations worldwide, you’ll be able to choose a location where the preferred website is available and get access.
Anonymity
By hiding your IP address, an IPv4 proxy will prevent hackers from accessing your device and stealing or compromising your data. Also, it’ll make it impossible for websites to track you, thus saving you from all those annoying targeted ads.
Protection
If you visit a malicious website by mistake, which can happen to anyone, the malware will sneak onto your system and cause permanent damage. Also, many hackers set up unreliable websites, so if you access any of them, you’ll expose your sensitive information. By using an IPv4 proxy, your system will be protected from malware and hackers as it won’t communicate directly with these malicious websites. Instead, the proxy will face all threats before they ever reach your device.
Faster load times
Proxies can cache data locally, storing the web pages they have previously accessed. So, if you request a cached web page, the proxy will display it faster to you. However, this applies only when you request web pages that the proxy already has in its local cache.
The best IPv4 proxies are paid proxies as they provide optimal online security and anonymity. You can use rotating IPv4 proxies, which will provide you with a new IPv4 address for every request or connection, or datacenter IPv4 proxies for better speeds.
Choosing a trustworthy premium proxy provider like IPRoyal will ensure you get all the benefits of IPv4 proxies mentioned above without worrying about data leaks or IP bans. IPRoyal’s residential and datacenter IPv4 proxies are high-quality, secure, fast, and reliable.
