What’s The Difference Between a Proxy and a VPN? – Varonis
The Internet can be a scary place: we’re under near constant attack from ransomware and botnets – on work computers, personal devices, even smart home devices like thermostats and baby monitors.
If you’re security conscious, you might be thinking about setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or a proxy server.
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Proxy and VPN Defined
Both VPNs and proxies enable a higher degree of privacy than you might otherwise have, allowing you to access the internet anonymously by hiding your IP in various ways. But how they do that is quite different.
A proxy acts as a gateway – it’s ideal for basic functions like anonymous web browsing and managing (or circumventing) content restrictions. Proxy servers excel at IP masking and misdirection, making them good for viewing geographically limited content. They allow users to bypass content restrictions and monitoring, or enforce website content restrictions – so that you can’t log into certain web pages on company time.
A VPN client on your computer establishes a secure tunnel with the VPN server, replacing your local ISP routing. VPN connections encrypt and secure all of your network traffic, not just the HTTP or SOCKS calls from your browser like a proxy server.
VPNs are great when you need to use the WIFI at a local coffee shop: using a VPN instead of the potentially completely unencrypted local WIFI adds another layer of privacy – who knows who is lurking on that network, just sitting in the corner sipping coffee and waiting to steal your credit card digits?
Proxy and VPN Drawbacks
If you’re using proxy servers to mask your internet activity, you might see performance issues that prevent you from streaming or downloading the thing you are trying to get. High ping times and other traffic on the proxy server can cause web pages to load slowly. For this reason, some users pay for a private proxy server which limits the number of users that access it, speeding up your connections.
Proxies are also vulnerable to security exploits: they can be open to attack, allowing the bad guys to infiltrate networks or steal private data. Some proxies can still track (and store) your browsing habits, as well as recording usernames and passwords – rendering that promise of anonymity null.
VPNs can also suffer from performance issues, depending on proximity to the VPN server you’re connecting with. VPNs use a local client to create the connection to the VPN server, so any local CPU or memory issues will slow down the connections. VPNs are typically more expensive to use (and maintain) than a proxy server, and they are often more complex to manage.
Just like proxy servers, VPNs can’t guarantee anonymity while browsing. Neither of these services will always encrypt your traffic all the way to the web server. A VPN only guarantees an end-to-end encrypted connection if you use the HTTPS protocol when you go to a new web address. Your data will be encrypted to the VPN, but from that point on, it could be unencrypted to the web server. For some sites, this may be irrelevant: an information-only webpage with no login or payment options for example, but for any sites that require a login or online payments – or any sensitive data – make sure the website is enabled to use HTTPS. Remember, the S stands for moderately more secure.
Proxy and VPN Benefits
The biggest argument to use a VPN instead of a proxy is the total encryption for all traffic you get with the VPN. Dollar for dollar, a VPN is more secure than a similarly priced proxy. VPN providers maintain their own networks and you use their IP addresses for your connections. The top VPN providers advertise a logless policy, which means they don’t have data to provide to anyone about your browsing habits.
If you’re an IT business owner charged with the security of data and users, there are advantages to both, and you likely have both configured for your company. For users in the network, you might route traffic through a proxy server to log web traffic, protect the organization from malware or other attacks, and enforce a web content policy.
When users are operating out of the office, you will want to use a VPN to create a secure connection to access the company resources (email, internal shares, etc. ).
Proxy vs VPN: Which is Right for me?
Privacy and security matter these days, regardless of if it’s your company data or your own personal data you need to protect. Make sure you’re investing time and money into the correct tools for your security goals: both proxies and VPNs add an additional layer of security and privacy to your data.
If you want to enable your team to work remotely with secure access to the company resources, set up and maintain a VPN users to access the network with the VPN.
If your concerns are more around “what websites are my users hitting, ” a proxy server is a better tool.
To get the most bang for the buck (and to protect your data as a security-aware citizen), sign up for a well-regarded VPN service. For the most part, VPN services allow you to use servers in different locations to work around content restrictions. If you need to use a free proxy server occasionally for that purpose as well, just be aware of the risks.
If you’re just starting to implement your data security strategy on an enterprise level, there are more complex attack vectors to account for. Insider threats, APTs, privileged account escalations – along with plain old social engineering – are just as dangerous to your data as an unencrypted data stream.
Neither a proxy nor a VPN will protect you from 100% of the cybersecurity threats your company will encounter: they won’t stop an insider from stealing personal data, a ransomware attack, or a coordinated infiltration effort.
Varonis Edge adds perimeter telemetry to security analytics – monitoring proxy, VPN, and DNS to help bridge that gap: you’ll be able to see when an attacker breaks through a VPN, get alerts when sensitive data is uploaded to external websites, more. See how it works with a 1:1 demo – and discover how Varonis helps secure your data from perimeter attacks.
Can I use VPN and proxy together? How to set it up – Windows Report
Elena started writing professionally in 2010 and hasn’t stopped exploring the tech world since. With a firm grasp of software reviewing and content editing, she is always trying new things to improve her skill… Read more
Updated: Jan 14, 2021
Posted: August 2020
A proxy server changes your IP address and redirects your network traffic to another server. A VPN does that and also encrypts your data to protect it from eavesdroppers.
You don’t really need to use a VPN and a proxy at the same time for privacy and security unless you receive specific proxy instructions from your system administrator.
To set up a VPN and a proxy simultaneously, you can use a VPN client that has native proxy support. It’s the easiest and most convenient solution.
It’s also possible to configure proxy settings on Windows 10 without installing anything else. Or, you can set up a proxy on Firefox for browsing only.
A VPN comes with numerous benefits, such as privacy and security.
But if you want to become more anonymous online and hide your true identity even from your VPN provider, then you can use a VPN and proxy server together.
By redirecting your proxy connection to a VPN server, you will hide your true IP with a proxy, and the proxy’s IP with a VPN.
This way, you gain two layers of online anonymity.
Wait, aren’t VPN and proxy the same?
Although they work similarly, VPNs and proxies are not the same. A lot of computer users and Google itself often fails to tell them apart.
Both hide your IP address to protect your genuine identity over the Internet. However, this doesn’t automatically ensure privacy and security.
If you use a proxy server to change your IP, it won’t also encrypt your data.
That means that a hacker is capable of intercepting your network traffic to get hold of your email account credentials or banking details, for example.
However, a VPN not only spoofs your IP address but also encrypts everything that flows in and out of your computer.
In case of a man-in-the-middle attack, a cyber-criminal won’t be able to decipher your data even if it manages to acquire it.
Do I need a VPN and a proxy?
In most cases, no, you won’t need a VPN and a proxy at the same time.
If you equip your computer with a premium VPN that has a zero-logging policy, you should be able to connect to a wide range of VPN servers and regularly swap your IP address.
Nevertheless, if you want to raise your anonymity level, it’s possible to reroute your VPN connection through a proxy server.
How can I use VPN and proxy together?
A VPN client with built-in proxy
Sign up for a VPN subscription plan (we recommend PIA)
Download and install PIA on your PC
Right-click PIA’s systray icon
Go to Settings > Proxy
Choose Shadowsocks, click Configure, and pick a location
Or, select SOCKS5 Proxy and specify the Server IP address, Port, User, and Password if required
Left-click PIA’s systray icon
Press the big power button to connect
If you’re interested in SOCKS5, discover how to set up PIA SOCKS5 proxy the right way.
Connecting to a VPN with integrated proxy support is the best way to use both a VPN and a proxy simultaneously.
We used Private Internet Access in our example above because it’s the best VPN with a built-in proxy, offering support for Shadowsocks and SOCKS5.
PIA supports OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols, 256-bit military-grade encryption, native port forwarding, a kill switch, split-tunneling mode, and exclusive DNS.
More about PIA:
+3, 300 VPN servers in 48 countries
No logs or leaks
10 simultaneous connections
24/7 live chat support
30-day money-back guarantee (no free trial)
Private Internet Access
Set up PIA on your PC to easily use a VPN and a proxy together.
Firefox proxy settings
Get a VPN browser addon for Firefox (we recommend PIA)
Install the PIA browser extension for Firefox
Go to Firefox Settings
In the General tab, go to Network Settings
Click Settings
Choose the proxy type and configure settings
Connect to a VPN server
Using a proxy server at the browser level is different from the previous method because it only protects your browser traffic.
Any other Internet-enabled applications will be excluded from the proxy and VPN protection.
Windows 10 proxy settings
Set up a manual VPN connection on Windows 10
Right-click Start and go to Network Connections > VPN
Select your VPN connection and click Advanced options
Scroll down to VPN proxy settings
Select from Automatically detect settings, Use setup script, and Manual setup
Enter the required information and click Apply
Connect to the VPN
If you don’t have a VPN client or if it doesn’t have native proxy support, the next best thing is to manually set up the proxy settings on the Windows 10 VPN connection.
Keep in mind that it’s a different setting than configuring a global proxy server on Windows 10.
You can also set up SOCKS5 proxy on Windows 10 using Internet Options.
Conclusion
To sum up, you can use a VPN and proxy together to add an extra layer of anonymity to your network connection. Just keep in mind that you need a stable Internet connection.
For instance, you can use a VPN client with an integrated proxy server since it’s the easiest way to make changes later.
In this case, we recommend using Private Internet Access (buy here). It’s easy to use and supports both Shadowsocks and SOCKS5 proxy.
Alternatively, you can configure proxy settings in Mozilla Firefox or Windows 10.
Did you manage to set up a VPN with proxy simultaneously? What method did you use? Let us know in the comment section below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can two VPNs work together?
Yes, but it’s rare. You can have two VPN apps installed, connect to a VPN server in one app, and then connect to another VPN server in the other app without disrupting the first connection. But it’s more reliable to use a service that supports multi-hop VPN connections, like NordVPN.
Is VPN better than proxy?
Yes, a VPN is better than a proxy. A proxy masks your IP and redirects your traffic to another server. A VPN changes your IP and also encrypts your data to protect it from hackers.
Do I need proxy if I have VPN?
Not really, since a VPN can already do what a proxy does. If you’re looking for a solution to protect your online privacy, a VPN is enough.
Proxy vs. VPN: 4 differences you should know – Norton
Worried about your privacy when searching the Internet? Wondering if hackers, government agencies, or companies can track what sites you visit, files you download, or links you click?
You might be wondering if it’s time to sign up with a virtual private network (VPN) or proxy server to hide your location and internet-service-provider address from any snoops.
But be aware: There are significant differences between a proxy and a VPN. While both tools can protect your identity, only a VPN will encrypt your data as you browse the web.
This means that only a VPN can help hide your online activity from hackers, government agencies, and companies that might be looking to learn more about how you spend your time on the internet.
What VPNs and proxy servers are
Both VPNs and proxy servers are tools you can use to help keep your activity private when browsing the internet, sending emails, reading online message boards, streaming video, and downloading files. But both of these tools work in different ways.
A proxy server is a computer that sits between you and a server, acting as a gateway when you access the internet. When you connect to a specific website, video-streaming app, or file-sharing program from your laptop, tablet, smart phone, or any other device, you can first connect to a proxy. Once you do this, you’ll be connecting to the site or app through an outside host server.
There’s a clear benefit to this if you want to hide your identity. The website you are visiting — or the streaming service you are accessing or file-sharing site you are using — will only see the IP address belonging to the proxy server. It won’t see your address. This will keep your identity and true location hidden from these sites and apps.
There are different types of proxies. Here are three of the most common ones.
HTTP proxies
You’d use these proxies to access websites. You can also use this type of proxy to access geo-restricted content. For instance, maybe an online video is restricted in your region. You can use a proxy server to log onto the site hosting the video, hiding the fact that your original IP address is restricted from watching it. Keep in mind, this may violate the user agreement with your content provider.
SOCKS5 proxies
These proxies don’t work only on websites. You can use a SOCKS5 proxy to access video streaming services, file-sharing sites, or online games. Be aware, though, that connecting to an app through a SOCKS5 proxy might be slower because free proxies can have less configuration options, support, and slower infrastructure.
Transparent proxies
You might have used a transparent proxy without realizing that. That’s the whole point. Employers — or parents, schools or libraries — might set up a transparent proxy as a way to filter user’s content when they connect to the internet or block users from accessing certain websites.
A VPN is similar to a proxy, but instead of working with single apps or websites, it works with every site you visit or app you access.
Like a proxy, when you visit a website after first logging into a VPN, your IP address is hidden and replaced with the IP address of your VPN provider. This keeps your identity shielded. But unlike a proxy, this protection will remain in place as you surf to new websites, visit online streaming sites, or send emails or download files.
You can access the internet through free VPN providers. But providers that charge for VPN access are less likely to share data with third parties.
How VPNs and proxies differ
Here are four ways VPNs and proxies are different.
1. VPNs encrypt your information
The biggest benefit of a VPN over a proxy server? With VPN enabled, your browsing and any data you send or receive, will be encrypted. This is important: It means that hackers, government agencies, businesses, or anyone else won’t be able to see what you’re doing when online.
Say you access your online bank account while using a VPN. Because your information is encrypted, hackers won’t be able to access your bank account numbers. The same is true if you log onto your credit card provider’s online portal: Because your data is encrypted, criminals won’t be able to snag your credit card number or the password you use to log onto the portal.
2. VPN providers promote online privacy
If you want total privacy, work with a VPN provider that has a no-log policy. “No log” means the providers pledge not to track and store your activity while you are using the service to connect to the internet. This means that these providers won’t have any data to give to anyone else who wants information about what sites you browse or files you share. On the other hand, a free proxy may monitor traffic and sell data to third-parties.
3. Free proxy connections can be slower
Both proxy servers and VPNs can slow down your browsing, depending on how many users are accessing these services. Free proxy connections however can be slower and less secure because of less support, less configuration options, and slower infrastructure.
4. You may spend more with a VPN
You can connect through free VPNs. However, many tech experts recommend going with a VPN provider that charges a fee because paid services often offer more data privacy, more secure connections, and more reliable performance. Security of free VPN can be unreliable, as many providers use only one VPN connection, called point-to-point tunneling protocol (PTTP). A paid VPN service, on the other hand, can offer users data encryption which is more secure.
Do you need a proxy if you have a VPN?
No. A VPN and proxy server both mask your IP address. But a VPN will also encrypt the data you send and receive, something that a proxy server doesn’t do. If you are already using a VPN, then, connecting to a website or app through a proxy server would be an unnecessary step.
What should you use, a VPN or proxy server?
When it comes to proxy vs. VPN and which one to use, the differences between the two might help you decide what’s the best choice for you.
If you want to hide your IP address, using either a proxy server or VPN will work. And if you’re worried about browsing speed, and you’re only worried about hiding your IP address from a single site or app, then a free proxy server will do the job.
If cost is an issue, then connecting to single sites, apps, or file-sharing services through a proxy server might be the smart move. It’s easy to find free proxy servers that will hide your IP address.
But if you want to keep your browsing activity hidden from snoops, logging onto the internet through a VPN is the better choice. Again, it comes down to encryption: VPNs encrypt your data while online. Proxy servers don’t.
If you plan to access several sites while online, especially if you’re connecting to sites such as your bank account or credit card portal, a VPN provides more security.
And while many of the preferred VPN providers will charge for their services, this price might be a small one to pay if it means that your most sensitive personal and financial information is shielded from the eyes of online snoops.
Frequently Asked Questions about proxy and vpn
Can I use VPN and proxy together?
To sum up, you can use a VPN and proxy together to add an extra layer of anonymity to your network connection. Just keep in mind that you need a stable Internet connection. For instance, you can use a VPN client with an integrated proxy server since it’s the easiest way to make changes later.Jan 14, 2021
What is VPN and proxies?
A VPN is similar to a proxy, but instead of working with single apps or websites, it works with every site you visit or app you access. Like a proxy, when you visit a website after first logging into a VPN, your IP address is hidden and replaced with the IP address of your VPN provider.
Are proxies better than VPN?
Is VPN better than a proxy? Yes, a VPN is better as it provides privacy and security by routing your traffic through secure VPN servers and encrypts your traffic. A proxy simply passes your traffic through a mediating server but doesn’t necessarily offer any extra protection.