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Proxy types
Residential proxy. An IP address assigned by an internet service provider to a real home internet connection, routed through that connection with the owner's consent. Looks like ordinary consumer traffic to any site checking it.
Datacenter proxy. An IP address hosted on cloud or server infrastructure rather than a home connection. Fast and cheap, but easy for sites to flag categorically since ordinary residential traffic never originates from datacenter IP ranges.
Mobile proxy. An IP address routed through a cellular network (3G/4G/5G), the same kind a phone gets from a carrier. Carries the highest trust of any proxy type, since carriers share a limited pool of IPs across many real subscribers, making individual IPs risky for a site to block outright.
ISP proxy (static residential). An IP registered to an internet service provider's range but hosted on stable server infrastructure rather than a real home device — combining a residential-looking IP with datacenter-level speed and uptime, without rotating.
Session and rotation terms
Rotating proxy. A proxy setup that assigns a new IP on each request, at a timed interval, or based on a custom trigger, rather than holding one IP indefinitely.
Sticky session. A rotation setting that holds one IP for a defined duration, so a multi-step task (login, checkout, pagination) sees a single consistent visitor instead of a new one on every request.
TTL (Time to Live). How long a sticky session holds its assigned IP before releasing it back to the pool, typically set in seconds as part of the session configuration.
Backconnect proxy / gateway. The infrastructure a proxy provider runs between your request and the actual exit IP. Your request hits the gateway, and the gateway routes it through whichever device or IP it selects — you never connect to the end device directly.
Network and detection terms
ASN (Autonomous System Number). An identifier for a specific network — an ISP, hosting company, or carrier — that a given IP address belongs to. Anti-bot systems check this first, since datacenter ASNs are well-documented and easy to flag categorically.
Subnet. A block of IP addresses that share a common network prefix. IPs clustered in the same subnet can reveal coordinated infrastructure even when technically "rotating" between them.
CGNAT (Carrier-Grade NAT). A system mobile carriers and some ISPs use to share a single public IP across many customers simultaneously. It's part of why mobile IPs carry unusually high trust — blocking one risks blocking many unrelated real users sharing it.
IP reputation. A score or history attached to a specific IP or IP range, based on past behavior, that influences how much a site trusts traffic from it before evaluating anything else about the request.
Fingerprinting. Identifying a visitor based on technical characteristics of their browser or device — screen size, installed fonts, rendering behavior — independent of their IP address. A clean IP paired with an inconsistent fingerprint can still get flagged.
Protocol terms
HTTP/HTTPS proxy. A proxy that handles standard web traffic. HTTPS proxies tunnel encrypted traffic without inspecting it; the encryption itself comes from the site's own HTTPS setup, not the proxy.
SOCKS5 proxy. A more general-purpose proxy protocol that handles any kind of traffic, not just web requests — including applications and protocols HTTP proxies can't route, like certain gaming or torrenting traffic.
Sourcing and business terms
Consent-based sourcing. The legitimate way residential and mobile proxy pools are built — device owners opt in, typically through an app's SDK, in exchange for a free or discounted service, and their device becomes available as an exit node when idle.
Pay-as-you-go (PAYG). A pricing model billed by actual usage (typically per GB) with no forced monthly minimum, as opposed to a fixed monthly plan regardless of how much is used.
KYC (Know Your Customer). A verification process some proxy providers require before granting full access to their network, common among larger enterprise-focused providers.
Geo-targeting. Specifying the country, region, or city a proxy's exit IP should be located in, so a request appears to originate from that specific location.
Concurrent sessions. The number of proxy connections that can run at the same time under one account — relevant for any workflow running multiple requests or tasks in parallel rather than one at a time.
FAQ
What's the difference between a rotating proxy and a sticky session? A rotating proxy assigns a new IP automatically — per request or on a timer. A sticky session holds one specific IP for a set duration so a multi-step task appears as one continuous visitor.
Why does ASN matter more than just the IP address itself? An ASN identifies the entire network an IP belongs to, not just the single address. Detection systems check it first because datacenter ASNs are easy to flag categorically, regardless of how the rest of a request looks.
What does "consent-based sourcing" actually mean for residential proxies? It means the device owners in the network have knowingly opted in, typically through an app that bundles a proxy SDK, in exchange for a free or discounted service — distinct from devices recruited without the owner's knowledge.
Is SOCKS5 more secure than a standard HTTP proxy? Not inherently more secure — neither protocol encrypts traffic on its own. SOCKS5's advantage is handling a wider range of traffic types beyond standard web requests, not stronger encryption.