Hackers, corporations, and governments follow your every move online, and it is becoming more and more difficult to maintain your anonymity on the internet.
The Maxthon browser adds a significant layer of protection to help you avoid ad targeting and some other tracking methods. In addition to them, an often overlooked setting in the browser – proxy settings – adds vital protection from IP address tracking.
Common Tracking Methods
There are many ways to track someone on the internet, but currently, cookie tracking is the most widespread method. Cookies are very small data files that are created and sent to your device when you visit almost any website.
They exist for various reasons. Cookies save your login tokens, so you do not have to log in every time you visit a site, but they also identify you. Tech giants like Google, Facebook and Oath have beacons on millions of websites to detect cookies and identify user browsing habits. For all the good cookies do, they are not the best option for privacy. You should consider disabling cookies if you want to stay anonymous while browsing. The best and simplest option here is using the Maxthon Incognito Mode to delete cookies as soon as you finish your browsing session.
Another tracking method that has been used more often in recent years is browser signature tracking. Websites track your browser signature, which is a combination of several information points, like your screen resolution, operating system, language, and location. More often than not, browser signature tracking is used to detect bots online.
IP Address Tracking
Even if you disable cookies, there is one piece of information that lets websites easily identify you. It is called IP address tracking. Your IP (Internet Protocol) address is your online identity, and it tells everyone what your ISP (internet service provider) is and where you are located. Every internet server you connect to sees your IP address. This makes it easy to track your activities. In some cases, IP tracking is used to provide localized versions of a website, but most often it is used to target ads or even spy on people.
Using Maxthon to Reduce Tracking
Maxthon is centered around internet security and anonymity, and has major features for anonymity online, such as the Ad Blocker and Incognito Mode. It is compatible with every operating system and syncs your browser settings across all devices, so you can be anonymous and protected everywhere you go.
In addition to Incognito Mode, Maxthon’s features allow you to avoid IP tracking by setting up a proxy. Proxies act as intermediaries for your browsing, which is why sites you connect to cannot detect your real IP address, only that of the proxy server.
Proxy servers are very useful for bypassing geographic restrictions because a proxy server in Germany, for example, will allow you to view content that is only available in Germany.
To counter IP tracking, you could use a single proxy address or a rotating proxy network. The latter one changes your IP address for every connection you make. This way you never use the same IP address for too long, so you cannot be identified or tracked by looking up your IP. When combined with Incognito Mode, it helps you maintain a higher level of anonymity when browsing.
It should be noted that you should always use a reliable proxy provider and not some free public proxy, as free proxies might be tracking user data. If you are tech-savvy, you can also rent some servers and create your own proxies. In any case, you can make your real IP address untraceable and protect your identity with Maxthon’s proxy setting.
How to Set Up Proxies on Maxthon
Setting up proxies is straightforward. To access Maxthon’s proxy settings on a Windows device:
- Go to the Menu.
- Click Settings.
- Select ‘Advanced’ in the left-side menu.
- Scroll down to the ‘Proxy Settings’ section. Select either the ‘Use IE proxy’ or ‘Check Use’ box. Then select ‘Manage Proxy’.
- Use the IE proxy setting to select the internet properties on your computer. An internet properties window will open.
- You will now need to change your proxy settings. Select ‘LAN Settings’ and then select the box ‘Use a proxy server for LAN’. Your Address and Port information will now be available.
- Enter the IP address and port number and press OK.
- Make sure you click the ‘Use proxy server for this connection’.
- Here you can enter the IP address details (as well as username and password) and then click OK.
This is how easy it is to set up Maxthon to keep your internet activity private and protect yourself from the government, hackers or businesses trying to track and identify you. Remember, your IP address is a vital part of your online identity that should be protected at all times.
Be sure to also use other Maxthon’s features like Ad Blocker and Incognito Mode for enhanced online privacy when browsing the internet.