Web Proxy Server and The Functions

Definition of Web Proxy
Web proxy is a server computer which acts as the other computer to asks and receives data packets from the Internet. Web proxy usually used for caching and/or surfing the internet anonymously because web server knows the proxy server as its client and doesn't recognize the real client who behind the proxy server. You can see below picture as the illustration.

Source : Google.com

So, I'm going to explain more details about its functions.

Proxy Functions
1. Hide The Real Identity (Anonymous)

This is one of most used features of Web Proxy because you can be tough to be detected especially your location. Because your public IP address is behind the proxy server and web server only recognize the IP address from proxy server. It's going to be more complicated for you to be detected if you are using encrypted connection between your computer and web proxy.

2. Pass The Firewall

Source : Google.com

You can pass through the firewall if you are using web proxy. Some of network administrators only block the restricted contents or site using url address or contents parameters. For example, firewall has rule to block the user who accesses the address https://google.com or downloads mp3 extention files. If you are using web proxy, you can pass through that firewall rules, because the firewall detects you access a machine in port 8080 for example if the web proxy using that port number rather than access https://google.com on port 443.

3. Caching The Contents

Source: Google.com

This feature is usually used for increasing the network performance and reduce the bandwidth usage of local network. Because web proxy has an ability to saves all downloaded static contents like CSS styles, Javascript files, and images from accessed web page. With saving the downloaded contents to proxy server drive storage, it will helps users if in the future they are accessing the same web page with the same contents and reduces the time and bandwidth. Because users do not need to ask to the web server to sends the same contents which is the web server could be far away from user's location. User only has to download the cached contents in web proxy which has better connection quality and latency and the web page can be loaded with fast.