What Is My Proxy Host?

A proxy host is better known as a proxy server. A server provides a service, and a proxy is a program that performs a task on behalf of another program or computer. A proxy server stands in for another server. A proxy server host is the computer running the proxy server.

Function

The term "proxy" refers to many different types of devices in networking technology. At work, the network you access from your computer will probably use proxies. You are most likely to have contact with a web proxy. This proxy channels the traffic from your PC out over the Internet.

Discovering Your Host

The network administrator for your company will be able to show you where to see your proxy host's address in the set up of your computer. It will be a part of the "Network Settings" area in the browser's "Options" configuration. There may be a list of several different proxies shown. Each covers a different type of request from your computer.

Features

When you type an address into your browser, the browser does not contact that website. Instead, it contacts your proxy host and sends the address you want to visit to the proxy server. The proxy then visits that website on your behalf and delivers the content to you on the website's behalf.

References

• The Free Dictionary: Proxy Gateway