➡️ Understanding the Proxy Network Path
A proxy’s network path refers to the route your data takes when you request a website while using a proxy.
When you visit a website, your request must travel from your device to the website’s server and then back to you with the requested content.
Because there is no direct connection between your computer and the target website, the data must pass through multiple network hops across different ISPs and points of presence (POPs).
✔ How a Proxy Affects the Network Path
When a proxy is added, the request follows this general path:
- ✔ Your device → Proxy server
- ✔ Proxy server → Target website
- ✔ Target website → Proxy server
- ✔ Proxy server → Your device
Each additional hop introduces some latency.
In the example above, the total round-trip time for a request using a proxy is approximately 620 ms.
✔ Why Distance Impacts Speed
- ✔ Greater physical distance between your device and the proxy increases latency.
- ✔ Additional distance between the proxy and the target website adds more delay.
- ✔ Using a proxy server geographically closer to your location can improve performance.
Slower speeds are often caused by long-distance routing, such as:
- ✔ A user located far from the proxy server
- ✔ The proxy server being far from the target website
- ✔ Multiple long-distance hops combined
Reducing physical distance between your device, the proxy server, and the target website can significantly reduce latency and improve response times.