Forward Proxy

A forward proxy is a server that acts for a client by sending the client’s outbound requests to their destinations. The destination sees a connection from the proxy rather than a direct connection from the client.

Applications may use a forward proxy to route traffic through a chosen network or location, keep their source IP address from a destination, enforce an organization’s outbound access policy, or inspect permitted traffic at a gateway. The client normally knows that it is using the proxy and is configured with a proxy address, port, and any required credentials.

This direction of representation distinguishes a forward proxy from a reverse proxy. A forward proxy represents one or more clients when they contact outside services. A reverse proxy represents one or more servers when outside clients contact them. Both relay requests, but they sit on opposite sides of the exchange and solve different routing and control problems.

Residential forward proxies use exit addresses associated with residential internet connections. How residential proxies work explains the path from a configured client through a proxy gateway to a residential exit.

Related terms: proxy server and reverse proxy.