A proxy server is a middle-man server through which you connect to the site you want to visit. Thus you can surf the site of your choice without revealing your IP address. Your ISP, if logs the sites you visit, would only log the proxy server site and not the actual site. You become hidden behind the proxy server. The HTTP proxy server can only be used to browse web sites. You can easily set an HTTP proxy server in Firefox. Here is how :
First of all you need an HTTP proxy server. You can get a free proxy server from www.xroxy.com. The CoDeen proxy servers are the best and fastest. Note down the server address and the port number. In the following instructions we will be using a proxy server with IP address 130.245.191.60 and port number 3128.
- Open your Firefox browser.
- Select from the menubar Tools → Options.
- In the Options window, select Advanced → Network tab. Then click on the Settings button as shown :
- Select the option Manual Proxy and enter the proxy server’s IP address and the port number as shown :
- Click on the OK button to save the settings. Close the Options window.
Now if you open a web site, it will be opened through the proxy server you have just set. You can check that your IP address as seen by the outside world (web sites) has changed. You can check your changed IP address by visiting www.whatismyip.com.
Caution : Do not use proxy servers for visiting sites that require you to send sensitive data like banking or other money transations etc. The data is sent through the proxy server and may be captured by the third party.