Sticky Session

A sticky session keeps a proxy client on the same exit IP across multiple connections or requests for a limited period. It provides continuity when a destination expects related actions to come from one network address.

Sticky sessions are useful for workflows that maintain state across several steps, such as signing in, following a sequence of pages, or completing a transaction. Changing the source IP partway through such a sequence can trigger a security check or separate activity that should belong to one session. Rotation is usually a better fit when requests are independent and distributing them across exits matters more than continuity.

A sticky assignment is not a guarantee that an exit will remain available. Residential devices can disconnect, network paths can fail, and a proxy provider may impose a maximum session duration. A client should keep its application state separate from the proxy assignment and recover cleanly if it receives a new exit.

PacketStream accepts a _session- label in the auth key to request a sticky session for up to 60 minutes. The rotation and sticky sessions documentation gives the exact format and behavior.

Related terms: rotating proxy and exit node.