Proxies For Web Scraping: Everything You Need To Know

The internet is a big book full of information. Day by day, new data is being fed into it, and the extra information is garbage. When you look for relevant information, you need the process of web scraping to get the important data. In this article, we will understand what is web scraping and how using a proxy is useful.

Facts About Web Scraping

Web scraping is the process of fetching relevant information from different websites. This is useful when you need useful information about certain topics, and you do not have to take them from the web manually. 

The best thing about web scraping is you do not have to manually extract information, especially on sites that restricts to be copied. In short, you can get the information you need and want. Also, web scraping allows you to save the information in the format that you want. Through web scraping, you save your time, and you can speed the process of extracting data.

Web scraping is best paired with proxy servers, especially when you need to extract information from many websites.

What Is A Proxy?

A proxy is an extra server that links you and the site that you are accessing. The proxy server is like a middle server where your request to get information through them. The best thing about using a proxy is scraping the web in utmost safety because the original server address is being hidden.

Pros of using a proxy:

1. Privacy – Proxies use their own IP address. Therefore, they can no longer detect your own IP address. This means the data in your computer is safe from internet fraud.
2. Proxies remember data  – Proxy servers remember the access data and information. This means that searching becomes easy and usage of the internet becomes highly accessible and convenient.
3. Saves Time – Using proxy servers helps you save your time because it increases your efficiency and productivity. It allows you to scrape information in a short period without the fear of losing the data that you need. 
4. Safety – Using proxy servers prevents you from accessing sites that can bring harm to your computer. You can surf the internet with ease.
5. Free – Some proxy servers are free yet reliable. You do not need to pay an extra fee for using them. 
6. Access different locations – You can access websites from different places with ease.

Kinds of Proxies to Choose From:

Datacenter IPs – They are the cheapest kind of proxies. This type of proxy is used in companies because they are affordable, and it can be very robust in getting information.

Residential IPs – This kind of IP is more expensive since it is for personal use. This is often installed in houses. When using a residential IP, you need to ask for consent because you are scraping the web for personal use.

Mobile IPs – This kind of IP is the most expensive since it is for personal use on a mobile phone. You also need legal consent to attain this. 

Using Datacenter IPs can be the best choice because of its cost, and there are not legal consents needed. 

Why Do We Use Proxies For Web Scraping?

Using proxies for web scraping is ideal because you can hide your own IP address, and the proxy uses its own IP address instead. This allows you to access sites that have restrictions in your country, for instance. Moreover, you can scrape more data in your target websites without any problem with bans and restrictions.

When Do You Need A Proxy Server?

Your business needs a proxy server when you aim to web scrape more than a thousand pages in a day. The number of proxy servers you need depends on how many websites you need to access in a minute.

What Is A Proxy Pool?

When you want to scrape a large amount of data in a certain period, it is best to have a proxy pool. Proxy pools manage group of controlled proxies and different IP addresses are being assigned to them.

Drawbacks Of Using Proxy Pools

Managing different kinds of proxies can be challenging because you need to set each one of them optimally. These are the common challenges that managing a proxy pool can have:

• Bans – Detecting certain bans is one of the challenges of managing a proxy pool. One good example is being restricted on a page.
• Errors – There are instances that proxies detect timeouts and errors. You will have to refresh your page several times.
• Location – You need to manage the places that you will use your proxy server. You can do this manually.

Solutions to the Drawbacks

Solutions always come in hand when challenges are in the way. 

1. Self-Managed Proxy Server – When your budget is a big consideration, you can manage your own proxy server. This is also ideal for companies that have a few servers to manage. However, managing your own server takes time and can be tiresome.
2. Outsourcing Companies – Having a bigger budget for proxy pool management can lead you to outsource a company that manages your proxies. You can hire a company or a proxy rotator that manages certain proxy-related issues only. Outsourcing is the best solution, especially for companies with a lot of data to be scraped from the internet.

Final Words on Proxies For Web Scraping

If your business involves getting data from the web, then using a proxy server can greatly help. Proxy servers hide your IP address; therefore, ensuring the safety of your computer. So if you need to scrape a lot of information, consider having a proxy server immediately.