Proxy glossary
Clear, no-jargon definitions of the proxy terms you'll encounter — from residential proxies to ASN targeting and fraud scores.
Proxy types
Datacenter Proxy
A proxy hosted on cloud or server infrastructure rather than an ISP. It is the fastest and cheapest proxy type but the easiest for sites to detect.
Read moreHTTP/HTTPS Proxy
A proxy that handles web traffic. HTTPS connections are encrypted end-to-end, while HTTP is unencrypted unless the destination site uses TLS.
Read moreISP Proxy
A static proxy hosted in a data center but registered under a residential ISP, combining datacenter speed with residential trust and a zero fraud score. Also called a static residential proxy.
Read moreMobile Proxy
A proxy that routes traffic through a real 4G or 5G connection on a mobile carrier network, so the exit IP belongs to a phone operator rather than a hosting provider or a home ISP. Also called a 4G, 5G or cellular proxy.
Read moreResidential Proxy
A proxy that routes traffic through an IP address assigned by an ISP to a real home device, making requests appear to come from a genuine consumer.
Read moreSOCKS5
A flexible proxy protocol that supports any traffic type, including UDP, and is often preferred for performance and security over HTTP proxies.
Read moreHow proxies work
ASN (Autonomous System Number)
A unique identifier for a network operator on the internet. Targeting by ASN lets you select IPs belonging to a specific ISP or carrier.
Read moreBackconnect Proxy
A proxy that connects you to a rotating pool through a single gateway endpoint, so the underlying IP changes automatically without you managing individual proxies.
Read moreCGNAT (Carrier-Grade NAT)
A technique mobile carriers and some ISPs use to share one public IPv4 address among many subscribers at the same time.
Read moreCONNECT Method
The HTTP request a client sends to a proxy to open a raw tunnel to a destination host, used for every HTTPS site accessed through an HTTP proxy.
Read moreGeo-Targeting
Selecting proxy IPs from a specific country, state, city or ASN to collect location-accurate data or access region-restricted content.
Read moreIP Rotation
The process of automatically switching between different IP addresses to spread requests and reduce the chance of being blocked.
Read morePAC File
A proxy auto-configuration script that tells a browser or operating system which proxy to use for each URL, or to connect directly.
Read moreProxy Pool
The total set of IP addresses a provider can assign. A larger, more diverse pool means lower detection rates and better success at scale.
Read moreProxy Server
An intermediary server that forwards your internet requests to target websites and returns their responses, masking your real IP address and location in the process.
Read moreRotating Proxy
A proxy that assigns a new IP address on every request or at set intervals, distributing traffic across many IPs to avoid rate limits and bans.
Read moreSticky IP
An IP address that remains assigned to your session for its duration, as opposed to rotating on each request.
Read moreSticky Session
A configuration that keeps the same proxy IP for a defined period (up to 72 hours with seamless), used when a task needs a consistent identity such as a login or checkout.
Read moreDetection & blocking
Anti-Detect Browser
Software that creates isolated browser profiles with unique fingerprints, paired with proxies to manage multiple accounts without linking them.
Read moreBrowser Fingerprint
The combination of details a browser reveals — graphics output, fonts, screen, timezone, language and hardware — that together identify it without cookies.
Read moreCAPTCHA
A challenge designed to tell humans from bots. Clean residential IPs and good request hygiene reduce how often CAPTCHAs are triggered.
Read moreFraud Score
A risk rating (0–100) that anti-fraud systems assign to an IP. Lower is better; seamless ISP proxies carry a zero fraud score, so they are rarely flagged.
Read moreRate Limiting
Restricting how many requests a client may send within a time window, after which further requests are delayed, challenged or blocked.
Read moreTLS Fingerprint
An identifier derived from how a client opens a TLS connection, which distinguishes real browsers from HTTP libraries before any request is read.
Read moreWAF (Web Application Firewall)
A security layer that filters and blocks suspicious web traffic. Residential proxies and realistic request patterns help pass WAF checks.
Read moreBuying & billing
Bandwidth
The volume of data transferred through a proxy, usually measured in gigabytes. Residential proxies are typically billed by bandwidth.
Read moreIP Whitelisting
Authorising specific IP addresses to use a proxy without a username and password, as an alternative to credential-based authentication.
Read moreLatency
The time it takes for a request to travel through a proxy to the target and back. Lower latency means faster responses; ISP and datacenter proxies achieve under 50ms.
Read moreSub-User
A separate proxy account with its own credentials and usage limits, created under a main account — useful for teams and agencies.
Read moreUptime
The percentage of time a proxy network is available and operational. seamless guarantees 99.9% uptime across its network.
Read moreUse cases
Multi-Accounting
Operating several accounts on a platform, with each account isolated on its own dedicated IP to prevent linking and bans.
Read moreSneaker Proxy
A residential or ISP proxy used with sneaker bots to place multiple checkout tasks on limited drops without being rate-limited or banned.
Read moreWeb Scraping
The automated collection of publicly available data from websites, commonly used for price monitoring, SEO, research and AI training datasets.
Read more