Glossary · Proxy types
Transparent proxy
A proxy that passes your real IP address through and often intercepts traffic without you configuring it, common in networks, useless for anonymity.
A transparent proxy is the opposite of what someone seeking privacy wants. It forwards your real IP address in the request headers, so the destination still learns where you are, and it frequently operates without any setup on your end because the network routes your traffic through it automatically.
Its purpose is not anonymity but control and efficiency. Offices, schools, ISPs and public Wi-Fi use transparent proxies to cache popular content, filter what users can reach, or log traffic, all invisibly. You may be behind one right now without knowing it.
For proxy work it is worth understanding mainly so you can recognise it as the wrong tool. If your aim is to hide your address, a transparent proxy actively defeats that, which is why anonymity is measured against the transparent baseline.
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