A Comprehensive Guide to Using Residential Proxies

Introduction

A proxy server acts as an intermediary between your activities and the internet. In other words, it serves as a barrier that hides your actual IP address. Therefore, when you visit a website with a proxy, it can only see the IP address of the proxy server.

Proxies are useful for several purposes, including enhancing privacy, security, as well as unblocking restricted access. Residential proxies are some of the most popular and reliable proxy types. Therefore, this article will explore how to use residential proxies, why you should choose NetNut and other frequently asked questions. 

How to Use NetNut Proxies

Apart from the high reliability that NetNut provides, the dashboard is user-friendly. Therefore, you can set up and start using NetNut unlimited residential proxies in just a few steps. 

Step 1: Sign up 

The first step is to sign up and create an account on our platform by visiting NetNut’s official website. NetNut stands out for its transparent pricing models, so be sure to check it out to determine the plan that best suits your budget.  Download the software and sign into your account to explore the dashboard. 

Step 2: Connect to our sales team 

Once you have created an account on NetNut, you can contact the sales team via live chat on the website or messaging platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Skype, and email. NetNut focuses on customer satisfaction. Therefore, you have the opportunity to explain your proxy need, target domains, bandwidth, budget, and other necessary information that is crucial in choosing the best proxy type. Once your requirements are met, you can start enjoying the free trial for NetNut residential proxies. 

Step 3: Configure the proxy settings

From the NetNut dashboard, find the proxy configurations, which include IP address, port number, username, and password. You can simply copy them and paste them into the required field in your device settings. Once this is done, you can access websites and services through your residential IP address.

Step 4: Test the proxy

Residential proxies can be used for several purposes. Therefore, it is necessary to test the proxy connection before using it for large-scale activities like web scraping. One way to confirm the connection is to attempt to access websites or services that you would not be able to access with your real IP address. 

How to Set Up Residential Proxies

Once you have decided on the proxy type and plan that best suits your needs, you have to set it up with your network. Residential proxies work with unique ports, which will be covered in the next section. 

The port is the number that sets your IP address apart from others in a particular network and it is usually a 4-digit number. Most ports are either HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS. Although HTTP proxies are the most common, HTTPS and SOCKS provide an additional layer of security. 

Each proxy often requires you to enter the proxy server address, port, username, and password on your device. However, you need to bear in mind that the details may vary depending on whether you are using HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS proxy.

Check out a recent guide on how to use NetNut proxies with Linux and Android. Once you have supplied your NetNut proxy details, you need to enable proxy use. You can start using the new residential IP address when the authorization is complete. 

Understanding NetNut Proxy Configuration

There are various proxy types, so when integrating NetNut proxies, choose HTTP or SOCKS5 protocol.

This is an example of a proxy string for a browser: 

USERNAME-stc-uk-sid-123456789:PASSWORD@gw-am.ntnt.io:5959

Step 1: Hostname Configuration

Copy the hostname/server address provided by NetNut

Example: Type gw-am.ntnt.io into the host field if you are using HTTP protocol. Alternatively, type gw-socks-am.ntnt.io for SOCKS5 protocol

Step 2: Port number Configuration

The Port number for NetNut HTTP proxies is 5959 and 9595 for SOCKS5

Step 3: Username Configuration

The username is your login, which you can find in your NetNut account in Settings -> Billing.

Proxy-type is the proxy type that you use. NetNut provides three different proxy types depending on your subscription plan. Your username should have three components, including your user ID, type of proxy( residential, datacenter, static), and target country.

•         dc — datacenter;
•         res — rotating residential proxy;
•         stc — static residential proxy.

The country is the country whose IP addresses will be used for connection. You can choose “Any,” in which case any available country will be used, or you can provide the ISO code of a specific country from the list of NetNut Available Countries: e.g., jp(Japan), fr(France).

Example: ticketing123-res-us 

This is where you get the proxy username and password from the customer portal. You can also get in touch with your account manager if you’d like additional assistance.

Step 4: Consistent IP session

While NetNut provides rotating IP addresses, you may want a static IP address. This can be useful when you want to maintain your session via the same IPs. Then, you need to incorporate a session ID (SID) with your username.

How do you choose a SID?

• Choose a number between 4 to 8 digits
• Ensure the numbers are random and non-sequential to protect your IP address

For example ticketing123-stc-us-SID-435765

Practical Troubleshooting Tips for Using Residential Proxies

Here are some practical tips for using residential proxies:

Ensure the proxy server IP address is correct

One of the crucial aspects of proxy configurations is the server IP. Therefore, to avoid any connection problem, you need to ensure you have copied the correct proxy server IP address.

Ensure the authentication details are correct

Free proxies often lack authentication details. However, if you are using premium proxies, you will get a unique username and password. Therefore, you need to double-check that you are providing the correct information when inputting these details.

Check the firewall blocking

What if you are still having some troubles even after ensuring that your proxy details are valid? Then you need to check if any firewall or security settings are active as they may block the proxy connection.

Why Choose NetNut Residential Proxies?

NetNut is an industry-leading proxy provider that has over 85 million rotating residential proxies in 195 countries and over 1 million mobile IPS in over 100 countries. These residential proxies stand out in the following ways:

• NetNut provides some of the fastest residential proxies in the market. Therefore, you can avoid bottlenecks in the traffic flow to ensure optimal performance.
• These proxies are highly stable and reliable since all the traffic is routed through the NetNut network. Therefore, this reduces the risk of any interruptions or disconnections in network connection.
• NetNut offers high-quality proxies as the servers are located on major internet routes or ISP network connection points.
• Excellent customer support is another area where NetNut stands out from other providers. Experts are always available to guide you in making informed decisions that will take your business to the next level.

NetNut Scraper API is an in-house solution that provides unrestricted access to websites for optimized data collection. Moreover, if you need customized web scraping solutions, you can use NetNut’s Mobile Proxy.

Conclusion

Learning how to use residential proxies is an excellent way to hide your digital footprint. These proxies are highly reliable because they originate from an actual residence and are assigned by the ISP. Subsequently, they offer a high level of anonymity, security, and privacy for regular browsing or automated activities like web scraping. 

You can leverage NetNut residential proxies to access geo-restricted websites, unblock restricted content, and bypass censorship. In addition, NetNut proxies are fast, reliable, and easy to set up. 

We hope this article was informative. In case of further inquiries, kindly contact customer support as you begin the journey of online anonymity today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use free residential proxies?

Yes, you can use free residential proxies but we do not recommend them. Free residential proxies often offer lower quality in terms of security and anonymity. There is a high chance of IP blocks since many people are using these proxies. In addition, they often come with slower speeds and may come with malware or tracking technology.

However, the good news is that NetNut offers 7-day free trial periods for residential proxies. Be sure to register today and leverage this opportunity for high-level speed, anonymity, and privacy. 

What is a residential IP address?

A residential IP address is an IP that is associated with an actual location and assigned by the Internet Service Provider. Therefore, the residential IP is the channel through which all the devices in the home network can access the internet. As a result, they are considered as trustworthy by websites as they are perceived to originate from a human user and not data centers. This high reliability makes them crucial for tasks like web scraping where IP ban is a common occurrence. 

What are the advantages of residential proxies?

• They provide an extra layer of anonymity as the IPs are assigned to an actual residence.
• Residential proxies are less likely to be detected and blocked by websites
• Accessing location-restricted content is possible with residential proxies.
• These proxies protect your personal information by masking your actual IP address.