Help me understand proxy...

• MohamedF

  20 Apr 07, 21:27

  Hey... I got problem using mirc to play Dota... for one thing, I can't connect to any channels at all... next, when I tried to get answers from mirc.com, I can't get to the site... same goes with shareminer.com...
  
  I thinks it might have something to do with proxy but I'm not sure... I used http://www.fr33proxy.com/ to get around sendspace but I'm not sure if got anything to do with what's wrong with my connection....
  
  so... ultimate question is... what is proxy? How it works? How it affects my internet connection? What is the norm?
• ndmmxiaomayi

  21 Apr 07, 00:12

  A proxy is basically a type of software that masks your IP address. As you've discovered, you can use it to bypass Sendspace file downloads limits. That's what it does.
  
  Proxies can also be used to speed up net surfing, because they store cache copies on the server.
  
  From a security point of view, it can also be a firewall. For one, it masks your real IP address. Two, it sits between you and the server. Since a proxy is a server, the server would have been configured properly to protect it from being misused. By using a proxy, you are making use of the proxy to protect yourself.
  
  One thing about proxy is that since they can be used as protection programs, this means your connection is not transparent. Programs like mIRC connects a user directly to another user through their servers, so if they can't determine who you are, you won't get anything from them.
  
  As for Shareminer, since it's a search website, there are chances that it may be down. If it doesn't work, use your ISP's proxy and see if it solves the problems. Anonymous proxies can sometimes cause a lot of problems.