Rotating Proxy

A rotating proxy selects an exit IP for each new connection or configured interval, though a later selection may return the same address. Rotation spreads traffic across a proxy pool instead of keeping every request on one source address.

Connection-based rotation selects an exit when the client opens a new proxy connection. Requests that reuse the same connection may therefore keep the same exit. Time-based rotation changes an assigned exit after a set duration, though the exact behavior when a connection remains open depends on the proxy service. Clients need to understand which event causes rotation before assuming that every HTTP request gets a new address.

Changing exits can reduce the concentration of requests on one IP and help avoid per-IP request limits. It does not make a client indistinguishable from a browser. Request rate, cookies, headers, TLS behavior, and navigation patterns remain visible to the destination. Workflows that need a login or multi-step state often use a sticky session instead of rotating between steps.

See sticky sessions versus rotating residential proxies for the continuity tradeoff and the rotating residential proxies page for PacketStream connection options.

Related terms: sticky session, IP rotation, and proxy pool.