Proxy Server IP Addresses and Port Numbers Explained

Hello guys and gals! Today I would like to talk to you about a topic that mystifies a lot of people - IP addresses and port numbers of proxy servers. This topic is very important and can be considered as one of the basics to understand the online world. Without further ado, let's start exploring!

What is a proxy server?

First, we have to figure out what a proxy server is. In layman's terms, a proxy server is a kind of intermediary server that sits between you and a network resource, helping you protect your privacy and security when accessing the Internet. But proxy servers here are not heroes in capes, they are more like wanderers in the network, providing us with the ability to hide our real IP address, break through access restrictions, speed up access, and so on. It is simply versatile! For example, we can access blocked websites through proxy servers or download resources on foreign servers. Importantly, with a proxy server, we can hide our identity and location to safeguard our privacy.

What is an IP address?

Well, we know the role of the proxy server, then what is the IP address, IP address full name is "Internet Protocol Address", as the name suggests, is the Internet Protocol address. It is a string of numbers, like a census in the network world, used to identify each network device on the Internet. Just like a cell phone number, every IP address is unique. Isn't it a bit mysterious and full of "middle-aged" flavor?

Classification of IP addresses

Now let us understand the classification of IP addresses. According to the version of IP address, we have two main types of IPv4 and IPv6.

IPv4 is the most widely used version of IP addresses on the Internet today. It consists of four decimal numbers separated by dots, each array being a number between 0 and 255. For example, 192.168.0.1 is an IPv4 address, and this address is usually used for local networks.

IPv6, on the other hand, is an upgraded version of IPv4, which utilizes a 128-bit address length to provide more available address space than IPv4. It's a little bit of a troll when you write it! An example of an IPv6 address is: 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334. doesn't that make you feel like a god?

Role of the port number

With IP addresses, next we're going to talk about the role of port numbers. Port numbers are used in pairs with IP addresses and are identifiers for specific applications that belong on our computers or other devices. Much like a house number in a home, it is used to tell network packets which program they should be sent to.

Port numbers range from 0 to 65535, with those between 0 and 1023 reserved for global standard protocols such as HTTP (port 80), HTTPS (port 443), and so on. The other port numbers are available for our own use.

How to set the IP address and port number of a proxy server

Finally, let's talk about how to set the IP address and port number of the proxy server. For different operating systems and applications, the setting method varies. Here, I take Google Chrome as an example to show you how to set up a proxy server.

First of all, open Google Chrome and click on the menu button on the top right corner. Then select the "Settings" option.

In the Settings menu, find the "Advanced" option and expand it. Then find "Proxy settings" and click "Open your computer's proxy settings".

You can choose to set the proxy server manually in the pop-up window. Fill in the IP address and port number in the Proxy Server field and select the appropriate proxy type. You can also fill in the information if you need a username and password for authentication.

Finally, click the "OK" button to save the changes, restart the browser, you can enjoy the convenience of the proxy server!

put at the end

Through this article, I am sure you have a better understanding of proxy server IP address and port number. Proxy servers play a very important role in our online world to ensure our privacy and security. It is also very useful to understand the basic concepts of IP addresses and port numbers.