What are residential proxies and how to use them

Residential proxies are a type of proxy server that utilizes real IP addresses provided by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and are associated with individual users. These proxies support both HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 connection protocols and are characterized by a high trust factor—an indicator evaluated by web resource security systems to determine the reliability of the request source.

The IP addresses of residential proxies are highly trusted because they originate from real-user home networks worldwide. Unlike data center-provided proxy servers, residential proxies can be traced back to legitimate ISPs and hosts, making them appear less suspicious to web service security systems. Additionally, their broad geographic coverage enables access to region-restricted content and resources.

Sources for obtaining residential proxies

The sources of residential proxies differ from those of data center proxies. Residential proxies are obtained from real individuals who rent out their IP addresses, while data center proxies are sourced from servers belonging to data centers.

There are two main methods for obtaining residential proxies:

1. Direct Ethical Rental:

This method involves forming agreements with residential proxy providers who have access to a network of real users. Our company offers proxy servers for rent because we have special agreements with device or application owners who provide access to their traffic in exchange for a reward, such as a premium subscription or bonuses. These agreements are based on the voluntary consent of users, making their use legal. Consent is typically obtained through the installation of an application, website, or browser extension that distributes traffic.

2. Without User Consent:

Acquiring residential proxies without the consent of users is both illegal and unethical. This can involve the use of botnets, malware, or other methods to control users' devices without their permission. IP addresses are collected without the knowledge or consent of the owners. Such practices not only breach laws but also pose a security risk to device owners.

When using residential proxies obtained unethically, users face several risks:

• The proxy's speed may be compromised if multiple users access it simultaneously.
• Excessive traffic consumption by multiple users can lead to the association of your proxy with bot activity, which may result in the banning of IP addresses and accounts.
• Proxies provided by unauthorized services may not function correctly, as these services acquire IP addresses without formal agreements with users.

Utilizing residential proxies obtained without consent can lead to account and IP address blocking, fines, and reputational damage. Therefore, it is crucial to use proxies from trusted providers who obtain them ethically, ensuring access to a secure network of IP addresses.

Operational features of residential proxies

The operation of ethically sourced residential proxies differs from that of server-based proxies. In this scenario, clients purchase traffic from a provider who grants access to a pool of IP addresses belonging to real users. These IP addresses are then integrated into the client's software, ensuring secure connections that protect data from interception and leakage while allowing users to bypass geo-restrictions and website blockages.

A notable advantage of residential proxies is their ability to provide precise geolocation IP addresses from almost anywhere in the world, down to the region, city, and Internet provider level. This is achievable through access to a vast pool of user addresses that distribute traffic during their online sessions. When a user providing access to the traffic ends their session or disconnects their device, another IP from the same geolocation is supplied.

It's important to highlight that the traffic of residential proxies is typically more expensive compared to data center proxies. Their purchase is advisable for specific applications, such as web scraping for data collection. The rotation of residential proxies enhances the reliability and efficiency of the interaction between the scraper and websites, increases anonymity, and minimizes the risk of blocking. Many web resources have restrictions on the number of requests from one IP address within a certain period. Regularly changing IP addresses allows the scraper to bypass these restrictions by distributing requests between different IPs. The scraper will automatically connect to sites from IP addresses located in various locations, helping to avoid captchas and potential errors during the scraping process.

Types of rotation and sales models of residential proxies

Residential proxies can be categorized based on their rotation method and sales model:

Types of residential proxy rotation:

• Sticky (Static): Also known as “Sticky” proxies, these provide IP addresses that remain unchanged for the duration of the online sessions of the users distributing the traffic. They are suitable for tasks that require a consistent IP address, such as authorization or working with resources where IP address stability is crucial.
• Rotating (Dynamic): These proxies change their IP addresses within a specified time range. Users can set the interval for IP address rotation when purchasing traffic from the provider, for example, every 5, 10, 20, or 30 minutes.

Residential proxy sales models:

• Shared: These proxies offer access to a common pool of IP addresses that multiple users can utilize simultaneously. They are more affordable than dedicated proxies but may be less stable, making them suitable for general tasks where a stable server is not strictly required.
• Dedicated: These proxies provide users with a pool of private dedicated IP addresses that are not shared with other users. They offer a high level of connection stability and security, making them the most expensive option.

The choice of residential proxies depends on the specific needs of the user's project. Dedicated servers are generally recommended as they are used exclusively by one user and allow for the choice between sticky or rotating rotation types, depending on the requirements of the task at hand.

How to determine the required amount of traffic for different tasks

The traffic consumption when utilizing residential proxies can significantly differ based on the tasks at hand, the frequency of requests, and the volume of data transferred. Assessing the exact amount of consumed traffic is most effectively done through practical evaluation. To facilitate this, many proxy providers offer trial packages for their clients. By opting for a trial plan, users can gauge the traffic consumption for their projects, for instance, by employing third-party software.

Here's a table that provides an estimate of the minimum traffic consumption data to consider when engaging with different projects:

Task	Ranges of minimal traffic consumption
Web-scraping	From 10 kilobytes to several megabytes per page, depending on its size, the number of images, and other multimedia elements.
API requests	From a few kilobytes to several tens of megabytes, depending on the complexity of the request, the volume of data returned by the API, and the response format, such as JSON or XML.
Social media	Varies from a few kilobytes to several tens of megabytes depending on the type of interaction, such as posting, uploading images, downloading content, and the type of platform.
Watching video	Uploading a video consumes a large amount of data, ranging from several tens of megabytes to several gigabytes, depending on the video quality and duration.
Bypassing blocks and geographical restrictions	A small amount of data, often less than 1 megabyte, as the main goal is to provide access to blocked resources.
Testing API and web applications	From a few kilobytes to several tens of megabytes depending on the number and complexity of requests, as well as the amount of data transmitted in each request.

This information is a rough estimate and can change a lot based on how it's used. Things like how often you make requests, how many connections you have at the same time, and how much data you're using can really affect how much traffic you use when you're using residential proxies.

We offer a trial package on our website that gives you 200 MB of traffic to use over three days after you pay. This is a great way for you to try out how residential proxies work and see how much traffic they use before you decide to go for a full pricing plan.

To find out more about our pricing plans, check out the “Resident” section on our website.

How to create a residential proxy list

To generate a list of residential proxies based on your purchased plan, follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Navigate to the “Resident Orders” section in your account on our website.

   

2. In this section, you'll find information about your pricing plan, including data usage and how long it's valid. Choose the proxy rotation method that best fits your project - either “Sticky” or “Dynamic”. This selection will apply to all the proxy lists you create.

   

3. To create a proxy list, start by giving the list a name for easy identification. Then, choose the proxy authorization method and the upload format. In the “Filter” field, specify the geolocation, including the city and Internet provider, and indicate the desired number of proxies for the current sheet. For easy integration of proxies into various software, select the appropriate upload format from the drop-down list in the “Output” field. Click on the “Create” button to complete the process.

   

4. Your proxy list is now ready and accessible in your account on our website. To download the list in your chosen format, click the “file” button.

   

   

All proxies in the file will share the same gateway server. The actual IP address of a residential proxy will be revealed after configuration. You can verify this using our free tool, “My IP”.

In conclusion, residential proxies offer several advantages over other types of proxies. They use real IP addresses from providers and hosts, unlike data center proxies. Residential proxies are available in numerous countries and regions globally, enabling users to bypass geo-restrictions and access content unavailable in their area.

Their dynamic nature makes residential proxies ideal for tasks like website scraping, data analysis, multi-accounting, process automation, and profile promotion. Users can configure the rotation and authorization type, and monitor traffic consumption for efficient project implementation.