Web proxies are intermediary servers that receive users traffic and replies from destination servers for a user. These servers are usually in other locations and possess different IP addresses. 

The alteration to the transmission of web traffic confers certain advantages to the user’s online activity. In this article, you will learn factors to consider before purchasing proxies and the best proxy servers for Windows.

Factors to Consider

All proxies are not the same. They might perform the same basic function, but little differences can affect the tool’s efficiency. Here are some factors to consider before buying Windows proxies:

Compatibility

The proxy server must be compatible with the device you intend to use. Compatibility with the Operating System classifies proxy servers into proxy servers for Windows, iOS, macOS, etc.

Performance

The performance of a proxy server should include speed and connection reliability. The only way to assess such metrics is to read customer reviews of the proxy provider.

Configuration Difficulty

You can’t configure a proxy server for Windows 10 like you’d do for a Mac. Similarly, the form of a proxy tool also affects the difficulty of configuration. For example, a proxy extension is generally easier to configure than a standalone proxy service.

Size of Address Pool

The ability of a proxy server to offer users a high level of geographical diversity depends on the size of their address pool. The larger the pool, the more IP addresses and locations you can access. This matters a lot for users looking to access geo-restricted content.

Security Features

Proxy servers vary in the inherent security features they possess. For instance, HTTPS or SOCKS5 proxies for Windows are inherently more secure than HTTP proxies. However, you can also check for additional features the proxy provider provides. Some examples of these security features are encryption, and IP leak protection. 

Customer Support

Proxy tools are technical tools that beginners might need help configuring. Even expert users sometimes need help dealing with technical issues. Consistent support is necessary to avoid frustrations in these scenarios. 

As with performance, customer reviews are the most accessible means of assessing customer support. You can get a measure of the proxy provider’s commitment to service without paying a dime.

Cost

There are many providers of proxies for Windows devices. Meaning there is no shortage of options for potential customers to choose from. Assess your finances and the proxy providers that are available. Then, decide which product offers the best value for your money.

Best Proxy Server for Windows in 2024

There are many options regarding proxy server providers. However, we can’t leave you to pick about for value in the wild.  Here are 5 of the best proxy servers for Windows:

Static Residential Proxies

Static residential proxies use IP addresses belonging to actual residential addresses. These IP addresses seem more authentic and original to website admins and servers. Consequently, they confer these originality on the traffic of a user, making them less likely to invite blocking or IP bans. 

However, their static nature means that there is no automatic rotation of IP addresses within the pool at regular intervals.

• Speed. The nature of the IP addresses used by these proxies means that the speed and efficiency of connections through the server depends on the ISP (Internet service provider) or location. So, if the service of the ISP is strong, the proxy server is likely to be faster. Similarly, the location of the proxy server from the user and destination server will affect the impact of rerouting on connection speed. 

• Security. The authenticity of the residential IP adresses in static residential proxies makes connections seem more human. It prevents association with server farms, and bots. For this reason, it is more anonymous. Unfortunately, using such proxies might associate users with the web activity of another device.

• Price. Sourcing for residential proxies in an ethical manner may be time consuming. Combined with the elite anonymity offered by static residential proxies, this makes them relatively expensive to obtain. Proxy Cheap static residential proxies are cheaper to acquire than datacenter proxies, but more expensive than mobile proxies.

Rotating Residential Proxies

A rotating residential proxy server utilises the same types of IP addresses as static residential proxies, but with a twist: the service automatically rotates the IP associated with user requests at intervals. 

• Speed. The same variability in network quality that plagues all residential IP addresses is present here. However, the variability might be more in this case considering the IP rotation that will take place. The consequence of this is that connection and download speeds might not be consistent over the entirety of a browsing session.
• Security. What rotating residential proxies might give up in speed, they make up for with increased security over static residential proxies. Thanks to their rotation, they prevent web tracking because user traffic becomes associated with different IP addresses in fragments. 

A regular residential proxy prevents user profiles created during their use from being associated with you. On the other hand, a rotating residential proxy theoretically fragments the creation of the profile entirely and renders it useless. 

In addition to preventing tracking and user profiling, rotating residential proxies are also more anonymous to web admins than static residential proxies. Rather than one authentic proxy-mediated connection, user requests on rotating proxies are distributed among many. This makes them significantly less vulnerable to IP blocking, and ideal for request-heavy tasks and sessions. 

• Price. A rotating residential proxy is more anonymous than a static residential proxy but could potentially affect the efficiency of your connection. Users, however, consider the positive of anonymity to outweight the negative inconsistencies. As such, at Proxy Cheap, rotating residential proxies are slightly more expensive than static residential proxies.

Datacenter IPv4 Proxies

Unlike static and rotating residential proxies,  datacenter proxies aren’t associated with actual residential locations. Rather, the proxies make use of IP addresses on server farms and virtual servers. IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) is a communication protocol that determines the type of IP address employed.

• Speed. The set up of datacenter proxies mean that speed and efficiency are prioritised.  Users get to enjoy rapid connections and reasonable bandwidths. In comaprison to residential proxies, these are faster.
• Security. Due to their association with IP addresses originating from data centers, the anonymity provided by these proxies is not of the same level as that of residential proxies. The destination server and admin might not be able to see your real IP, but they are aware that the IP doesn’t originate from a residential location. That reality makes datacenter proxies more susceptible to IP bans than residential proxies. 

• Price. While they may have speed and efficiency on their side, the anonymity of a datacenter proxy is suspect. When combined with the relative ease of acquiring IP addresses and the cost-efficiency of the set up, its no surprise that Proxy Cheap datacenter IPv4 proxies are significantly cheaper than both static residential and rotating residential proxies.

Datacenter IPv6 Proxies

A datacenter IPv6 proxy server uses IP addresses from server farms and data centres, just like datacenter IPv4 proxies. However, the communication protocol here is the Internet Protocol version 6.

• Speed. As a result of the set up, the datacenter IPv6 proxies retain the speed and efficiency of a datacenter proxy. In addition, they also enjoy the inherent data packet transmission advantages of IPv6 over IPv4. However, the protocol suffers from a relative lack of adoption at this point. Due to this, and the potential need for conversion, it may be slower than IPv4 proxy despite being infrastructurally better. 
• Security. A datacenter IPv6 proxy server is more secure than IPv4. However, a lack of compatibility with existing websites and platforms may reduce the impact of the increased security. 

The IPv6 protocol also guarantees significantly more address spaces than the IPv4 protocol. So, there are many more IP addresses to theoretically employ in proxies. Unfortunately, compatibility issues also prevent this advantage from being the security boon that it can be.

• Price. The efficiency and security of an IPv6 proxy merits a higher price than IPv4 proxies. However, their relative abundance also means they don’t have to be expensive yet as there’s more than enough to go around. Proxy Cheap datacenter IPv6 proxies consider all of this to provide a package that is cheaper than the datacenter IPv4 proxies and consequently any proxy under our service.

Mobile Proxies

As the name implies, mobile proxies make use of IP addresses associated with mobile devices and carriers. Thus, offer the best anonymity of any proxy and are less vulnerable to bans or IP blocks.

• Speed. Like residential proxies, mobile proxies prioritize anonymity over speed. As such, there’s some variability in the speed and efficiency of mobile proxies. Their performance would depend on the mobile carrier, their effectiveness in the chosen location, their proximity to the destination server, and congestion in the area.
• Security. The top-level anonymity provided by these proxies make them very secure. Traffic originating from a user of mobile proxies will appear just like that from any other mobile device in the target location.
• Price. The prices of mobile proxies in relation to other proxy types always mirrors their premium status and elite anonymity. Things are no different at Proxy Cheap. Proxy Cheap mobile proxies are more expensive than all other proxies on the market. However, they still represent a significant improvement on competing services of similarly trustworthy reputations.

Setting Up The Proxy Server

The setup of a proxy server depends on the version of the operating system and the type of proxy you’re using. With that in mind, here’s a summary of how to set up a proxy server for Windows:

1. Open the “Control Panel,” open “Network and Internet,” and open “Internet Options.”
2. Under Internet Properties, go to “Connections” and click on “LAN Settings.”
3. Within the settings, check the box for “Use a Proxy Server for your LAN,” and fill in your proxy server’s address and port number in the relevant spaces
4. If the proxy server in question needs authentication, after checking “Use a proxy server for your LAN,” fill in the relevant username and password into the appropriate spaces
5. Click “OK” to save your settings, and you will be set 

If there are any setup issues, consider a more detailed setup procedure. Alternatively, you can use a proxy extension that simplifies the configuration process. For instance, Proxy Cheap has a Proxy Manager Chrome extension to ease the process for their users.