➡️ Geolocation vs. Physical Location
It can be a bit confusing to understand what “location” means when referring to a proxy. In practice, there are two types of locations we deal with — Geolocation and Physical Location. Knowing the difference helps explain why your proxy might appear in an unexpected location when checked with an IP lookup tool.
➡️ Types of Proxy Locations
- ✔ Geolocation: The virtual location of a proxy’s IP address. IPs are registered to specific geographic areas, which can differ from where the physical server actually resides. When an IP’s geolocation changes, it can take several weeks for public databases to update their records.
Geolocation is what most websites and IP tracking tools recognize — it’s generally more important for proxy use than physical server location. - ✔ Physical Location: The actual physical location of the proxy’s hosting server, usually inside a data center. While it determines where the hardware sits, it doesn’t always align with the IP’s registered (geolocated) region — and is typically less relevant for most proxy use cases.
➡️ Why Proxy Locations May Differ
If your proxy appears to be in a different city or country than expected, this is often because IP location databases haven’t yet updated. These updates can take 1–3 weeks (sometimes longer) to propagate across public lookup services. Unfortunately, this timing is determined by external data providers — not by Rayobyte.
Websites like Whoer, MaxMind, FreeGeoIP, and IPLocation all rely on third-party IP geolocation databases. These databases, in turn, get their information from regional internet registries such as ARIN in the U.S.
➡️ What Is ARIN?
ARIN (American Registry for Internet Numbers) is one of five global regional internet registries. It manages the distribution and registration of IP address space for the U.S., Canada, parts of the Caribbean, and Antarctica. ARIN maintains authoritative data about IP ownership and registered locations, which is why its records are considered among the most accurate for geolocation data.
Globally, there are five regional registries responsible for maintaining IP allocations:
- ✔ AFRINIC — Serves Africa
- ✔ ARIN — Serves the U.S., Canada, parts of the Caribbean, and Antarctica
- ✔ APNIC — Serves East Asia, Oceania, South Asia, and Southeast Asia
- ✔ RIPE NCC — Serves Europe, Central Asia, Russia, and West Asia
- ✔ LACNIC — Serves Latin America and most of the Caribbean
➡️ Recommendations
- ✔ Test proxies for your actual use case: Even if a lookup tool shows a different location, the proxy may still work perfectly for your target site. We recommend testing directly with your intended application or website before assuming a mismatch.
- ✔ Utilize proxy replacements if needed: If you continue to encounter unsuitable proxies, you can request replacements directly from your dashboard. See our guide on How to Process Replacements.
➡️ Summary
In short, the geolocation of your proxy determines how websites and IP tracking tools see your connection — and it may differ temporarily from the physical server location. This behavior is normal and expected in proxy networks. If a discrepancy affects your workflow, testing or requesting replacements is the best way forward.
➡️ Need Help?
If you’re still experiencing issues, our support team is here to help!
✔ Explore More Rayobyte Guides in our Knowledge Base
✔ Happy Scraping!