Are you a marketer, web scraper, or individual who deals with restricted geo-content? So, you must be familiar with proxy servers. These are very useful tools to hide your real location and give access to restricted zones. You can use them and do your online geo-restricted activities without any cuts. There are many types of proxy servers; however, the 4G and traditional proxy servers are the most commonly used.
If you randomly choose any proxy servers and don’t know the difference between them, you must know how each one differs and offers unique benefits to you. Here is a quick guide for you.
Table of contents
What Are 4G and Traditional Proxy Servers?
Before we dive into the match, let’s see the basics again. A proxy server acts as an intermediary between the device and the internet. This hides your real IP address, which makes it difficult to track your online tasks. Companies and individuals use proxies for everything from the scraping of networks and advertising to bypassing the geo-block.
But here’s the twist: Not all proxies work the same way. Traditional proxies (data centers or residential) have been around for years, while 4G proxy are new and use mobile networks. Let’s see how they differ from each other.
IP Addresses: Static vs. Dynamic
Traditional proxy: These usually use a stable IP address from the data center or residential ISP. For example, a data center proxy can assign an IP (192.168.1.1) that remains the same until it is manually rotated. Although it provides stability, it is a two-edged sword. Flags and blockages are easy for static IPS sites, especially if connected to the data center.
4G Proxy: These use dynamic IP addresses from mobile carriers (e.g., Verizon or AT&T). Each time you connect, you have left a fresh IP from a pool of mobile users. This reveals 4G proxy as real mobile devices that surf the web. Imagine that switching is dissolved every few minutes—it is difficult to catch websites.
Anonymity of Proxy
Sites are getting smarter at detecting robots. If Proxy “Data Center” shouts, you are more likely to be blocked.
Traditional proxy: The data centers are sharp but often get flagged because their IP clouds are bound by the server (not real users). Residential proxy IPs are dependent on home internet users and offer better anonymity; however, they get trapped when overused.
4G Proxy: These mimic real mobile users. Since mobile IPs are repeatedly revolved and belong to real equipment, sites see them as legitimate traffic. You really hide in the amount of billions of smartphone users.
Speed & Reliability
When hiding your IP addresses for an important task, speed and reliability are critical. Both offer good but have a little difference.
Traditional proxy: These are high-speed proxy servers. They are hosted by the high-performance server and are ideal for fast connection tasks (e.g., streaming the content with live-block). The residential proxy depends on the host’s internet speed. If the oldest DSL is your input, prepare for a backlog.
4G Proxy: Mobile networks are not known for power speed. While 4G is faster than 3G, it cannot turn the fiber optic data style speed. The delays vary depending on the current and carrier of the signal.
Use Cases: When to Use Which Proxy
The aim of your project determines the best type of proxies. Know which is best for various tasks.
You should choose traditional proxy if:
- You need high-speed connections (e.g., streaming, downloading).
- Your work is low-risk (e.g., to reach the geo-restricted news sites).
- You have a budget (Data center proxy is cheaper than 4G).
You should choose 4G proxies if:
- You scrape high (e.g., e-commerce participants, sneaker robots).
- You need strong anonymity (e.g., management of many accounts on social media).
- Your target site has advanced anti-boat aids (e.g., TikTok, Amazon).
Cost: Payment for premium Anonymity
While choosing the proxies for your tasks, you also need to consider their cost. Both offer effective anonymity to users; however, the 4G proxy offers a premium anonymity, which is why it costs slightly more than traditional proxy servers. If you need higher anonymity for your task, you must go with 4G proxies.
Which one is better for you: 4G or Traditional Proxy Servers?
Where 4G proxies offer a higher level of anonymity to your secret tasks, on the other hand, the traditional proxies are very affordable and offer efficiency for everyday tasks. Let’s have a look at the below points while considering proxy servers.
- What’s my budget?
- How critical is anonymity?
- Am I targeting bot-sensitive sites?
You need to clarify your goals and vision before selecting which you should go for.
Final Thoughts
At last, in this suspicious world of the internet, to hide your privacy and make your identity anonymous, you require the right tool in your hand. The right proxy servers help secure your secret tasks. Whether you choose 4G proxy servers or traditional proxy servers, it ensures you are never caught on your secret mission on the internet. So next time you go for web scraping or researching geo-restricted content, you should ask yourself how much anonymity you require. It helps you make the right decision to choose the perfect proxy servers for your online tasks.
