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Proxy vs VPN: Residential VPN vs Residential Proxy

Residential VPN and Residential proxy are two methods that are used to provide you with a Residential IP address. Choosing between them might not seem too straightforward. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of each method of delivery and which one you should use for your specific application.

What is a Residential Proxy?

A residential proxy is a method of connecting to the internet where all the data being sent and received is routed through a residential proxy server. A residential proxy server is simply a proxy server that has one or more IP addresses that have been provisioned by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) whose primary purpose is to provide internet connectivity to residents of a particular region. The IP addresses distributed by these providers is generally considered to be originating from a home or business in a residential area.
A residential proxy is usually distributed in one of two ways, open or authenticated access. In each option, the end user is provided with a proxy server IP address or domain name e.g. proxyname.resvpn.com or 192.168.123.45. This is also provided along with a port number that falls between 1024 and 49151.
For authenticated user access, the user is provided with a username and a password. The user is either prompted upon connection for these details, or their application provides them with an interface to input their credentials. In an unauthenticated access proxy, the user can connect directly without the need for a username or password. However, to limit the access to the residential proxy, the provider may limit access to the proxy from specific IP addresses.

When do I use a Residential Proxy?

A residential proxy is recommended if you are planning to access the internet from a specific application. Another important requirement is that this application has to provide an interface that accepts the proxy server configuration information. This includes all the fields mentioned above: server name, port, username and password. Some applications support server name and port but neglect to provide an input field for username and password, so watch out for these anomalies especially if you are using an authenticated proxy service. Others sometimes provide a single input for all the proxy details. This method usually requires that you use a special format to input your proxy information. Some common formats are proxy_server:port:user:password or user:password@proxy_server:port. Consult the specific application for the actual implementation that is required. For Unix command line applications, it is sometimes necessary to set the http_proxy environment variable by running the following command export http_proxy='http://user:password@proxy_server:3128'

If setting a proxy server is not supported or the application, sometimes the application takes into account the general system proxy setting provided by your operating system (Windows, Mac OS, Linux, iOS, Android, etc.). In this case, navigate to the networking settings of the specific OS and input your residential proxy information in the sections provided.

If none of these methods work for your application or you need to access the internet through more than just a single application, you may require a VPN instead. There exist Proxifier or Proxification tools that can force an application's network requests through a proxy even if it does not explicitly support a proxy connection. While this can resemble the working of a VPN, a VPN offers other features that may be important for your application.