Get the most out of your Octo Browser with DataImpulse proxies
DataImpulse
When it comes to online security, there's never too much caution. That's why Octo Browser supports the use of third-party proxies. By combining an anti-detection browser with proxies, you can get numerous advantages in terms of safety, including enhanced anonymity and protection from malware. In this article, our colleagues from DataImpulse give insights into the three main benefits of integrating proxies into your Octo Browser. You'll also find a detailed guide to choosing the right proxies for maximum privacy.
Table of contents
Table of contents
What are proxies, and why use them with Octo Browser?
Proxies are software or hardware that sits between your device and the target server. They act as a middleman, forwarding your requests and then forwarding the server's responses. While doing so, they hide your real IP, so sources you visit see the address of a proxy and never know your real one. It makes it hard to trace traffic back to you, to learn your identity, or to pinpoint your location.
Anti-detection browsers like Octo Browser and proxies are both tools that help you stay undetected when you're online. They complement each other in the way you experience numerous advantages, including:
Anti-detection browsers like Octo Browser and proxies are both tools that help you stay undetected when you're online. They complement each other in the way you experience numerous advantages, including:
- Proxies for enhanced anonymity
When you go online, you leave pretty much information about yourself — cookies, fingerprints, and IP addresses. Cookies are small files that contain details like session ID, preferences, passwords, logins, and sometimes even click patterns. Fingerprints include information about your device and software, browser data like HTML5 features, and installed plugins and extensions. An IP address is a unique identifier for your gadget. By knowing it, it's possible to know your location, network, internet service provider, or even find an open port and get into your system. So, cookies, fingerprints, and your IP give away a lot of information and can help identify you. When you need to remain covered online, for example, when managing several accounts on social media or scraping the web, you have to hide everything.
If you take care only about your cookies or fingerprints but let websites see your real IP, it's still easy to link your activities to your IP and track you down. You may even end up being presented with a captcha or blocked by websites you try to visit if, for instance, you try to reach geographically restricted content. That's why adding proxies to your anti-detection browser will benefit your anonymity. By implementing both tools, you'll hide much more details about yourself, minimise the chances of possible data leaks, and stay truly anonymous.
The possible problem is that websites often implement detection systems that monitor whether visitors use proxies. Your task is to avoid getting under the radar of such systems. To do it, residential proxies are the best to use. Those are IPs of real households. Internet service providers assign the aforesaid addresses. When you use them, it's hard to identify you. Websites you reach think that you're an ordinary visitor, as your IP shows that you're a private user who probably just wanders online while sitting on a couch at home. There is one more kind of proxy: datacenter proxies. They usually are faster and cheaper; however, they're way more detectable and cannot improve your privacy much.
If you take care only about your cookies or fingerprints but let websites see your real IP, it's still easy to link your activities to your IP and track you down. You may even end up being presented with a captcha or blocked by websites you try to visit if, for instance, you try to reach geographically restricted content. That's why adding proxies to your anti-detection browser will benefit your anonymity. By implementing both tools, you'll hide much more details about yourself, minimise the chances of possible data leaks, and stay truly anonymous.
The possible problem is that websites often implement detection systems that monitor whether visitors use proxies. Your task is to avoid getting under the radar of such systems. To do it, residential proxies are the best to use. Those are IPs of real households. Internet service providers assign the aforesaid addresses. When you use them, it's hard to identify you. Websites you reach think that you're an ordinary visitor, as your IP shows that you're a private user who probably just wanders online while sitting on a couch at home. There is one more kind of proxy: datacenter proxies. They usually are faster and cheaper; however, they're way more detectable and cannot improve your privacy much.
2. Proxies for protection from malware, spyware, and viruses
New attacks, harmful software, and viruses appear almost every day. Not individual users, but businesses are usually a desired target as you have a lot of inside information like plans for future services and your employees' personal data. That's why you should pay attention to what websites you visit and what content you access. As a lot of processes, such as web scraping, are automated and done with the help of scripts, it's sometimes hard to control where you go online. That's why implementing additional tools like proxies to take care of security can be a way out.
Proxy's ability to protect you online is based on the fact that servers' responses go through a proxy server before reaching your internal network or device. That's why they can act as a secure gate, allowing data or not to enter your gadget. While configuring your proxy server, you can set up rules about what to consider safe and what to rate as dangerous.
First of all, you can control what sources you allow to visit. A lot of sites are infamous for spreading malware, spyware, viruses, or hosting attacks. Some attacks are especially dangerous, for example, a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack. This one is that bad because you don't even have to download anything or interact with damaging files in any manner. It's enough to just open a page that contains strings of malicious code, and they start to self-execute at the very same moment.
Using proxies, you can block such sources by their IP address, DNS name, URL, or type of source.
Proxies are good when it comes to filtering content, too. There are situations when a source itself is well-known and considered safe. However, it doesn't mean a 100% guarantee that the content is safe either. Images, pieces of text, video files, etc. may be infected with viruses or have lines of malicious code implanted into them. If a site has a comments section, it's impossible to control what visitors post here, and threat actors may use it and infect a site with harmful code.
There are several ways you can block access to such content: by object within images, strings of code, or strings of text. One more option is signature-based detection. Patterns of malicious code are well-known, and you can configure your proxies to block everything that resembles those patterns.
Proxy's ability to protect you online is based on the fact that servers' responses go through a proxy server before reaching your internal network or device. That's why they can act as a secure gate, allowing data or not to enter your gadget. While configuring your proxy server, you can set up rules about what to consider safe and what to rate as dangerous.
First of all, you can control what sources you allow to visit. A lot of sites are infamous for spreading malware, spyware, viruses, or hosting attacks. Some attacks are especially dangerous, for example, a stored cross-site scripting (XSS) attack. This one is that bad because you don't even have to download anything or interact with damaging files in any manner. It's enough to just open a page that contains strings of malicious code, and they start to self-execute at the very same moment.
Using proxies, you can block such sources by their IP address, DNS name, URL, or type of source.
Proxies are good when it comes to filtering content, too. There are situations when a source itself is well-known and considered safe. However, it doesn't mean a 100% guarantee that the content is safe either. Images, pieces of text, video files, etc. may be infected with viruses or have lines of malicious code implanted into them. If a site has a comments section, it's impossible to control what visitors post here, and threat actors may use it and infect a site with harmful code.
There are several ways you can block access to such content: by object within images, strings of code, or strings of text. One more option is signature-based detection. Patterns of malicious code are well-known, and you can configure your proxies to block everything that resembles those patterns.
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3. Proxies for traffic encryption
Whatever you do online, it boils down to two processes: sending requests and receiving responses. You may use anti-detection browsers that hide your online traces, like cookies or fingerprints, filter content, or hide your real IP, but leaks may occur in the process of sending information. To prevent it, encryption is necessary.
When your traffic is encrypted, it means that it's ciphered. Even if attackers manage to intercept such traffic, they cannot read and use it as it looks like a bunch of unreadable symbols. With encryption, your data is protected during the transfer process. That's especially important for tasks that require sending sensitive information, like credentials, for example, when you log in to your social media accounts.
Proxies can encrypt your traffic. However, not all proxies can be used for that purpose. It depends on the type of protocol a proxy server uses. Now the HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 protocols are the most widely used. HTTPS is the one that encrypts your traffic. Pay attention to the fact that the HTTP protocol doesn't do so, even despite being widely used. The SOCKS5 protocol cannot encrypt traffic either. However, it can be used to set authentication, which can also benefit your safety. Authentication is necessary if you store any sensitive information on your servers and want to control who can access it.
The choice of a protocol depends on your tasks as well. HTTPS proxies are good when you have to deal with a large volume of data, for example, web scraping. Requests that you send have headers, and those headers carry additional information about what you're looking for. The HTTPS protocol then fetches the HTML code of pages and, using information from headers, customises search results, showing you only relevant ones. It saves you time as you don't have to look through unrelated options.
The SOCKS5 protocol is irreplaceable when you need speed, be it video streaming or P2P file sharing. That protocol uses another type of connection that allows you to transfer your data faster.
When your traffic is encrypted, it means that it's ciphered. Even if attackers manage to intercept such traffic, they cannot read and use it as it looks like a bunch of unreadable symbols. With encryption, your data is protected during the transfer process. That's especially important for tasks that require sending sensitive information, like credentials, for example, when you log in to your social media accounts.
Proxies can encrypt your traffic. However, not all proxies can be used for that purpose. It depends on the type of protocol a proxy server uses. Now the HTTP(S) and SOCKS5 protocols are the most widely used. HTTPS is the one that encrypts your traffic. Pay attention to the fact that the HTTP protocol doesn't do so, even despite being widely used. The SOCKS5 protocol cannot encrypt traffic either. However, it can be used to set authentication, which can also benefit your safety. Authentication is necessary if you store any sensitive information on your servers and want to control who can access it.
The choice of a protocol depends on your tasks as well. HTTPS proxies are good when you have to deal with a large volume of data, for example, web scraping. Requests that you send have headers, and those headers carry additional information about what you're looking for. The HTTPS protocol then fetches the HTML code of pages and, using information from headers, customises search results, showing you only relevant ones. It saves you time as you don't have to look through unrelated options.
The SOCKS5 protocol is irreplaceable when you need speed, be it video streaming or P2P file sharing. That protocol uses another type of connection that allows you to transfer your data faster.
How to choose proxies to enhance your online security?
To have maximum results in terms of online protection, you should carefully choose proxies. DataImpulse's specialists prepared a detailed guide for you about critical points you should pay attention to:
1. Understand your needs
The first thing you have to do is define your goals. All types of proxies have their advantages; however, to experience them to the fullest, you have to use the most suitable kind of proxies for each particular task.
For instance, rotating and sticky proxies are two types that have opposite strong points and are necessary for different tasks. You'll probably need them both.
When you use rotating proxies, it means that you have a new IP for every request. When you use sticky proxies, it means that you hold on to the same address within a set period of time — for example, for 10, 30, or 60 minutes. After that time comes to an end, you automatically switch to another address. Don't confuse sticky and static proxies; they are different types. With static proxies, you buy or rent an IP from a datacenter and use it for months. That particular IP is associated with your company, and it's not an option when you want to stay in the shadows while online. Sticky proxies are never associated with you.
If you're going to scrape the web, it's better to opt for rotating proxies. When you visit websites and want to gather information about goods or prices, you have to make numerous requests. That's not only because you visit many pages; for example, when you open even one page, you can send up to forty requests as you need to download images, text, videos, and everything else that is on that page. As you don't do it manually and execute scripts, those requests come to sites enormously fast. If you use the same IP when doing so, even for ten minutes, anti-detection systems will suspect you because such behaviour doesn't look human-like. It may result in a source presenting you with a captcha. It's a severe problem for a scraper that may lead to you getting no useful information. So, if you're going to do tasks that require extracting a lot of data and sending numerous requests within a short period of time, rotating proxies is the best choice.
On the other hand, sticky proxies are the top option if you need to manage accounts on social media or buy something. To understand why it's like that, you should know what a session is. Imagine you opened your Instagram and started to read posts, like them, comment, subscribe, etc. At the same time, millions of people all over the world do the same. How does Instagram know who is who and what page to show to whom? It's possible thanks to sessions. A web session stores all the necessary information about your visit — credentials, cookies — so the target server recognises you and sends you the necessary data. The issue is that to maintain the same session, you have to hold on to the same IP. If you use rotating proxies and your IP changes per request, it will be impossible to even properly log in to your account, let alone post something or answer messages. If you choose sticky proxies, you use the same IP for a set period of time and maintain the same session. It means that you can manage your accounts with no problems.
The last, but not least, question here is about the optimal proxy rotation interval. Our partners at DataImpulse don't recommend exceeding 30 minutes. The reason is simple: with residential proxies, you have to remember that you practically use someone's IP. You can do it as long as an associated device is online. You can set longer intervals, but there is no guarantee that you'll use the same IP throughout the entire session. So, intervals up to 30 minutes are the best; it's long enough to do a lot of work, and usually, the connection is stable. With datacenter proxies, you can set longer intervals, as such servers work 24/7 without any breaks.
For instance, rotating and sticky proxies are two types that have opposite strong points and are necessary for different tasks. You'll probably need them both.
When you use rotating proxies, it means that you have a new IP for every request. When you use sticky proxies, it means that you hold on to the same address within a set period of time — for example, for 10, 30, or 60 minutes. After that time comes to an end, you automatically switch to another address. Don't confuse sticky and static proxies; they are different types. With static proxies, you buy or rent an IP from a datacenter and use it for months. That particular IP is associated with your company, and it's not an option when you want to stay in the shadows while online. Sticky proxies are never associated with you.
If you're going to scrape the web, it's better to opt for rotating proxies. When you visit websites and want to gather information about goods or prices, you have to make numerous requests. That's not only because you visit many pages; for example, when you open even one page, you can send up to forty requests as you need to download images, text, videos, and everything else that is on that page. As you don't do it manually and execute scripts, those requests come to sites enormously fast. If you use the same IP when doing so, even for ten minutes, anti-detection systems will suspect you because such behaviour doesn't look human-like. It may result in a source presenting you with a captcha. It's a severe problem for a scraper that may lead to you getting no useful information. So, if you're going to do tasks that require extracting a lot of data and sending numerous requests within a short period of time, rotating proxies is the best choice.
On the other hand, sticky proxies are the top option if you need to manage accounts on social media or buy something. To understand why it's like that, you should know what a session is. Imagine you opened your Instagram and started to read posts, like them, comment, subscribe, etc. At the same time, millions of people all over the world do the same. How does Instagram know who is who and what page to show to whom? It's possible thanks to sessions. A web session stores all the necessary information about your visit — credentials, cookies — so the target server recognises you and sends you the necessary data. The issue is that to maintain the same session, you have to hold on to the same IP. If you use rotating proxies and your IP changes per request, it will be impossible to even properly log in to your account, let alone post something or answer messages. If you choose sticky proxies, you use the same IP for a set period of time and maintain the same session. It means that you can manage your accounts with no problems.
The last, but not least, question here is about the optimal proxy rotation interval. Our partners at DataImpulse don't recommend exceeding 30 minutes. The reason is simple: with residential proxies, you have to remember that you practically use someone's IP. You can do it as long as an associated device is online. You can set longer intervals, but there is no guarantee that you'll use the same IP throughout the entire session. So, intervals up to 30 minutes are the best; it's long enough to do a lot of work, and usually, the connection is stable. With datacenter proxies, you can set longer intervals, as such servers work 24/7 without any breaks.
2. Source of proxies
Anything you use online, including proxies, has to be legal, especially if you are looking for a service or a product that will benefit your security. So, pay attention to a provider's source of proxies. There are several ways to legally obtain proxies. For instance, DataImpulse developed a special app that people install on their gadgets and opt-in to sell a part of traffic to DataImpulse, getting paid for it. In such cases, a provider can set limitations for its partners, making sure that proxies are reliable and not associated with illegal activities like spreading viruses.
3. Geographical diversity and quantity
The more, the better. The more locations you can reach, the better. The more IPs are available, the better. DataImpulse offers you more than 5 million addresses from 194 locations. Taking into account that there are only 195 countries in the world, DataImpulse covers almost all of the world. 5 million addresses may seem like not that many; however, it's worth noting that this provider doesn't resell proxies from other providers. It means that they have control over what to offer you and are responsible for the quality and speed of proxies. Also, DataImpulse has country plans available. If you need IPs from a particular country, you can select those countries while configuring your proxy server, and you'll have IPs from that chosen area.
4. User-friendliness
Pay attention to the customer service that a provider offers. There are situations when help is necessary. At DataImpulse, the support team is available 24/7, even on weekends or holidays. The provider offers you a convenient dashboard where you can configure your proxy server on one tab. They are ready to help; however, there is no need for you to do every minor action only via DataImpulse's pros; you can set up a proxy server on your own.
5. Opportunity to customise
Proxies are used for various tasks, and for those tasks, you may need different settings. So, pay attention to what a provider offers you in terms of functions. It's better when numerous options are available and you can choose and configure your proxy server according to your current needs and adjust settings the very moment this is demanded. With DataImpulse, you can choose between sticky and rotating proxies and manually set rotating intervals for sticky proxies; any length up to 120 minutes is available. You can exclude ASNs, select protocols and countries, and top up your balance. This way, you won't spend too much time adjusting settings according to your current requirements, even if you're not an IT specialist, you'll still get the features you need.
6. Speed
You route your traffic through a proxy server, and this requires time. To save time on that, you have to choose fast proxies. Speed depends on a lot of factors. A part of those factors, like the quality of the connection of your internet service provider or whether you use up-to-date software and hardware, a proxy provider cannot control. However, a provider should take care about how many servers it has and whether they work correctly. With DataImpulse, you can have one-second response-time proxies. That's fast enough for you to not notice that you use an additional server. DataImpulse constantly works to have more servers, especially in the most popular locations, for you to enjoy a high-speed connection. If speed is your priority, you can contact DataImpulse's support team and get a personal server for your needs.
7. Reasonable price
Proxies are an essential tool, and they should be of high quality; however, they shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg. DataImpulse offers you a proxy for $1 per 1 GB. There are no subscriptions, as the company operates on a pay-as-you-go pricing model. You don't have to rush to use all the traffic you bought and can go at a convenient pace with your tasks; your proxies will wait for you. The standard amount of proxies you can buy from DataImpulse is 50 GB. There is a trial available: 5 GB at a price of $5.
If you use a lot of traffic, there is a custom plan available starting at 1 TB. You'll get a special price for this one. To get such a plan, you need to contact the support team at DataImpulse.
If you use a lot of traffic, there is a custom plan available starting at 1 TB. You'll get a special price for this one. To get such a plan, you need to contact the support team at DataImpulse.
How to use DataImpulse proxies with Octo Browser?
First, you need to create an account at dataimpulse.com. You can do that by clicking on the “Try now” button in the top left corner of the screen.
Then, you have to fill out a short registration form.
After you’re done with registration and payment, go to your dashboard. You need to open the “residential” tab. Here you can check how many GBs are left in the “Usage” area and set up your proxy server in the “Proxy Configuration” area. In case you have any questions or difficulties, click on the widget in the bottom left corner of the screen. Here, you can ask DataImpulse’s support team to help you.
To start using proxies, copy the necessary information from the “Proxy Access” area. Then, paste that information into the “Proxies” section into of the Octo Browser account.
To start using proxies, copy the necessary information from the “Proxy Access” area. Then, paste that information into the “Proxies” section into of the Octo Browser account.
Conclusion
Security and compromises cannot live together. When it comes to your safety, you should always have the opportunity to choose whatever you think will benefit your defence best. That's why Octo Browser supports the use of third-party proxies with our anti-detection browser. In addition to enhancing your security, proxies will help you isolate your online identities and successfully deal with tasks such as web scraping or managing social media accounts. Our partners from DataImpulse prove that proxies can be easy to use, cost-effective, and still reliable. Go to dataimpulse.com to start and secure your online experience.
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