Don't Trust FREE Proxy Lists & Web Browsers: Stay More Anonymous! | NordVPN

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How to bypass online restrictions with web proxy or VPN

There are several reasons why you may have trouble accessing websites and online services. Media content is often unavailable in certain countries or regions, while many educational institutions completely block users’ access to social media networks, streaming or P2P sharing platforms.

With the help of web proxies or VPN services, you can easily bypass content restrictions by simply replacing your IP with the address of the proxy or the VPN server you are connected to. This way, you can securely access all websites and services from anywhere in the world.

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Don’t risk using free proxy lists. There’s a safer alternative

Free proxies may help you bypass censorship filters and access blocked websites. But by using web proxy browsers or replacing your IP with addresses from free proxy lists, you put your privacy and security at risk.

Free proxies are known for manipulating their users by injecting spyware or advertisements into their sessions. What’s more, they don’t encrypt your Internet traffic, leaving it vulnerable to hacking.

NordVPN allows you access all the content you want without limiting your bandwidth, while at the same time securing your communications with strong encryption.

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NordVPN benefits for secure browsing

Encrypt your Internet traffic to browse securely and privately.

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Frequently asked questions

Why do people use proxies?

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Proxies are easy to set up and use, so some Internet users, especially from highly censored countries, choose web proxies to access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, eBay, LinkedIn, and other websites that are unavailable in their region.

Proxies work on any device connected to the Internet and are compatible with all major operating systems – Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, and Linux.

What is a free proxy list?

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Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and other web browsers support Internet access via web proxies. There are many websites that claim to offer free web proxy IP addresses, which you can use to replace your actual IP.

However, we cannot guarantee the safety or effectiveness of free proxy services for protecting your identity and security online. Therefore, it is always better to get a reliable VPN service, which not only protects your IP address but also encrypts all the data that is sent and received.

What is a web proxy server and what does it do?

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A web proxy server, also known as a proxy or application-level gateway, is a computer that sits between your device and the Internet and handles your requests for accessing websites and services. When you are browsing with a proxy, your Internet traffic is routed through that server, making it look as if it came from the server’s IP address rather than yours. This setup allows you access websites and services that may be restricted in your country. However, most sites today use complex blocking techniques, and simple web proxies can’t bypass them.

Why shouldn’t you use free proxy services?

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The main concern of using web proxies is that they don’t offer any data protection. Even though using a proxy makes it more difficult for snoopers to obtain your IP address, it still leaves your data vulnerable to hacking, because these services don’t encrypt your Internet traffic. What’s more, free proxy services are also known for injecting spyware or advertisement into websites.

Another problem is that proxies can cache web pages. Every time you request an URL from outside, a copy is stored locally. The next time you try to access the same URL, the proxy can supply the local copy instead of reloading the original across the network. It may improve page performance but also leave you with out-of-date results, which may be a problem if you depend on having the latest information and data.

Why is VPN a better choice?

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VPN encrypts your Internet traffic, while a web proxy doesn’t. NordVPN is like your private tunnel in the “Internet jungle.” All the data traveling via this tunnel is protected with the strongest encryption protocols available, making it extremely difficult for hackers to intercept or decipher. To guarantee the protection of your sensitive data, NordVPN uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) with 256-bit keys. NordVPN also has an automatic Kill Switch feature that protects your private data in case the VPN connection drops.

Unlike a web proxy, VPN secures not only your browser but also the traffic of all your applications that use the Internet connection. Software such as Skype, Avast Free Antivirus, KMPlayer, Slack and many others benefit from using VPN.

What’s more, with a single NordVPN account you can secure your whole network, including your computer, mobile phone, tablet, and even smart TV.

Does proxy slow down your Internet connection?

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Since a web proxy is a free service, lots of Internet users tend to use it, putting a heavy load on the server, which may result in a slow connection. Therefore, if you wish to securely access restricted websites and streaming services without sacrificing your connection speeds, you will need a reliable VPN service. NordVPN allows choosing from 4400 ultra fast servers worldwide, so you can enjoy any content you want with no interruptions, cyber threats or data leakage.

Internet users are also concerned about the bandwidth limits that many free services tend to impose. NordVPN does not limit, monitor or block connection speeds in any way, shape or form, so you can download as much data as you like.

What are other options for protecting my IP address?

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NordVPN’s encrypted extension for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox is a powerful combination of a proxy and VPN. When enabled, the extension encrypts your connection and changes your IP address, protecting your browsing from any third-party snooping and allowing you to securely bypass various content restrictions. On top of that, it will block intrusive ads and malware-hosting sites.

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