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Home/Blog/How can one avoid purchasing shared IPs when buying residential proxies?
How can one avoid purchasing shared IPs when buying residential proxies?
PYPROXY·Aug 21, 2025
When buying residential proxies, many users often overlook an important aspect—whether the IPs they are purchasing are shared or dedicated. Shared IPs can lead to slow speeds, security risks, and even IP bans. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand how to avoid buying shared IPs to ensure optimal performance and protection when using proxies. In this article, we will provide a detailed guide on how to identify shared IPs and ensure that the residential proxies you purchase are private, reliable, and secure.
Understanding Residential Proxies
Residential proxies are IP addresses assigned to real residential devices such as computers, smartphones, and routers. They are often used for tasks that require anonymity and reliability, such as web scraping, online privacy, and bypassing geographic restrictions. The key advantage of residential proxies is that they provide a higher level of legitimacy compared to data center proxies, which are easily identified by websites as coming from non-residential sources.
However, the type of residential proxy matters a great deal. Proxies can either be shared or dedicated. Shared IPs are used by multiple clients, while dedicated IPs are assigned to a single client. Shared IPs can pose risks such as IP reputation issues, slower speeds, and potential blockages, which is why it is essential to understand how to avoid purchasing them.
What Are Shared IPs?
Shared IPs are proxies that are used by multiple customers simultaneously. This means that the same IP address is being accessed by different people for various activities. While shared proxies can be cheaper, they come with significant drawbacks.
For example, shared IPs are more likely to be flagged or blocked by websites since multiple users are accessing them. If one user performs actions that violate a website's terms of service, such as web scraping, it could result in the IP address being blacklisted for all other users who share that IP. Additionally, because several users are utilizing the same IP, performance may be slower, which could affect tasks such as browsing or data scraping.
How to Avoid Buying Shared IPs
1. Ask the Provider About IP Allocation
When purchasing residential proxies, always ask the provider if the IPs they offer are shared or dedicated. Many proxy providers will clearly state the type of IP allocation they offer. If they don't provide a clear answer, it’s best to avoid purchasing from them. Dedicated IPs are usually priced higher, but they offer better performance, security, and reliability.
2. Look for Specifics on the IP Type
Some providers offer both shared and dedicated proxies. Make sure to choose the dedicated option. Often, providers will allow you to filter and select the type of proxy you wish to purchase. Carefully review the details of your purchase before finalizing it to ensure you are getting a dedicated residential IP.
3. Check the Proxy's Reputation
The reputation of the IP addresses is critical when purchasing residential proxies. Look for providers that have a solid reputation for offering high-quality, dedicated IPs. Check online reviews, testimonials, and forums to verify the experiences of other users who have used the service. If a provider has a history of offering shared IPs that lead to issues, it’s better to look for alternatives.
4. Choose Providers That Offer IP Rotation
IP rotation is a technique where the proxy provider periodically changes the IP address being used. While some shared proxy services use IP rotation, it’s usually better to use a provider that allows you to rotate dedicated IPs. This way, you can maintain the privacy and security of your connection while ensuring the IP is not used by multiple customers simultaneously.
5. Test the Proxies Before Committing
Some providers offer trial periods or money-back guarantees, which allow you to test the proxies before making a long-term commitment. Use this opportunity to check the speed, performance, and reliability of the proxies. If the IPs are slow or seem to be flagged by websites, it’s likely that they are shared and should be avoided.
6. Check for IP Consistency
Dedicated residential proxies should provide you with the same IP address for an extended period, which helps maintain consistency for tasks like web scraping and managing multiple accounts. Shared IPs may not provide this level of consistency, as the IP address can change frequently or be used by multiple users simultaneously.
Why Avoid Shared IPs?
1. Risk of IP Bans and Blocks
Shared IPs are more prone to being banned by websites. When multiple people use the same IP address for different activities, there’s a higher chance of the IP being flagged for suspicious behavior. For example, if one user is scraping data from a website, it could lead to the entire IP address being blocked, affecting all other users who share the same proxy.
2. Slower Performance
Since shared IPs are used by multiple users at the same time, the bandwidth is divided between them. This can result in slower speeds, especially if several users are using the proxy for data-intensive tasks such as video streaming or large-scale web scraping.
3. Security Risks
Using a shared IP can expose your online activity to other users. While residential proxies generally offer better anonymity than data center proxies, using a shared IP means your traffic could be mixed with that of others. This creates a potential security risk, especially if one of the users engages in malicious or illegal activities.
4. Lack of Control and Customization
With shared proxies, you have less control over your IP allocation. Dedicated proxies, on the other hand, are allocated exclusively to you, giving you more control over the configuration and use of the proxy. This is especially important if you need a proxy for tasks that require specific settings or behavior.
When buying residential proxies, avoiding shared IPs is crucial for maintaining speed, security, and reliability. Always inquire about the type of proxies being offered, choose reputable providers, and ensure that the IPs are dedicated to a single user. By following these tips, you can avoid the pitfalls of shared IPs and ensure that your online activities remain secure and efficient.
