Proxy Servers for Academic Research: Your New Best Friend

Allison GarciaAllison Garcia
2 min read

👉GET THE DEALS NOW!!!

What is a Proxy Server?

Simply put, a proxy server acts as a middleman between you and the Internet, giving you a different IP address than your real one. Other servers see this IP address instead of your actual IP. This is useful for online research because other servers won’t know it’s you. It provides you with privacy and security.

Why Do We Need Proxy Servers?

Anyone who does research surely understands the difficulties in accessing scientific documents and international data, such as geo-blocking or very slow download speeds. I’ve often been frustrated because I couldn’t download important documents, or my connection was interrupted when accessing foreign sources, which directly affected my research progress. That’s why I started looking into proxy servers as a solution to overcome these issues.

Risks When You Don't Use A Proxy

If you conduct academic research online without a proxy server, you expose yourself to several risks and limitations. First, you may face geo-restrictions that block your access to crucial scientific databases or region-specific content, severely limiting the scope of your research. Second, your real IP address is visible to all servers you connect to, which can compromise your privacy and make your research activities traceable, as this can be especially sensitive if you study politically or socially sensitive topics. Third, without a proxy, you may experience slow connection speeds or frequent interruptions when accessing foreign resources, which can delay your research progress significantly.
In short, not using a proxy server can create barriers that hamper both the quantity and quality of your data collection and analysis.

The Proxy Brand I’m Using

I use the proxy service from 9Proxy. I learned about this proxy provider through a friend. Honestly, at first, I was skeptical. However, their prices were affordable, and I contacted their customer support. They replied very quickly and even made me an offer of 5 IPs as a free trial. Other proxy providers usually charge by bandwidth or monthly subscription. Often, when I get lost on websites for research, I run out of data, and I won’t be using it for a whole month. So I found this IP trial package very reasonable. One night, I used one IP to access a blocked website, and the next morning, I could still use the same IP. Their cheapest package is very affordable, so I decided to buy and try it out. It was truly very useful!
So, fellow researchers, you should definitely get yourself a proxy server! Still unsure which provider to choose? Try 9Proxy, they’re cheap, they’re reliable, and they’re friendly. Remember to contact their customer service for those free-trial IPs!

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Allison Garcia
Allison Garcia