● What is a SOCKS5 Proxy?

SOCKS5 is a network protocol that allows applications to transparently send traffic through a proxy server. SOCKS5 proxies are commonly used to anonymize Internet traffic and bypass geographic restrictions.

● Why should I use a SOCKS5 Proxy?

SOCKS5 proxies can help protect your IP address and online anonymity. They allow bypassing censorship firewalls and accessing geographically restricted content. SOCKS5 is also faster than HTTP proxies as it works at a lower level in the TCP/IP stack.

● How does a SOCKS5 proxy work?

When an application tries to connect to a remote server, it connects to the SOCKS5 proxy instead and specifies the destination. The proxy authenticates and then establishes a connection to the actual destination server on behalf of the client, acting as an intermediary for all communication.

● What are the differences between HTTP(s) and SOCKS5 Proxies?

HTTP proxies only handle HTTP traffic while SOCKS5 is a protocol-agnostic universal proxy. SOCKS5 works at the network layer for all protocols like HTTPS, SSH etc and provides better anonymity compared to HTTP. However, SOCKS5 doesn't support caching and HTTPS requires decryption at the proxy for inspection.

In summary, SOCKS5 proxies offer higher performance and anonymity for bypassing geographic restrictions compared to HTTP proxies. They are useful wherever strong anonymity and universal protocol support are needed.