GUIDES · FIELD NOTES

Plain-English guides for crossing the network

Short, careful explanations of how IP addresses, proxies and leaks work, written to help you decide what to use and how to check it.

Last updated October 28, 2026

What you will find here

Each guide explains one topic from first principles and links to the free tool that lets you check it on your own connection. We keep the claims modest: where something depends on the provider, the browser or the law, we say so. The guides are general information, not legal or security advice.

If you are new to this, start with VPN vs. proxy or residential vs. datacenter proxies. If you suspect a DNS leak, follow how to fix a DNS leak. For word meanings, see the glossary and how we test. If you use a VPN and want to know whether your browser gives you away, read the WebRTC guide. If you collect data from websites, read the scraping guide before you buy anything.

Tools that go with the guides

WebRTC leak test and DNS leak test check two common leaks.
Proxy checker tests a proxy for speed, anonymity level and exit country.
IP lookup shows the country and network owner of any address.
Proxy types explains residential, datacenter and mobile proxies.

All guides

Residential vs. datacenter proxies: which one do you need?

Four proxy types, what each is good for, and how sites detect them.

How WebRTC can reveal your real IP behind a VPN

How the leak works and how to reduce it in Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge.

Choosing proxies for web scraping without getting blocked

Rate limits, rotation, robots.txt and the legal caveats.

VPN vs. proxy: what is the difference, and which should you use?

How each works, what it encrypts, and when to use which.

How to fix a DNS leak on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and your router

Step by step settings, browser secure DNS and a re-test.

Webshare review: pricing, free plan and is it legit?

A research-based review with a step-by-step way to test the proxies yourself.

How to remove your personal information from the internet

The free steps for people-search sites and Google results, what removal cannot do, and when paying a service is worth considering.

Is DeleteMe worth it?

A balanced look at DeleteMe's data-removal service based on its own pages: how it works, what it does not cover, the price to check, who can skip it and the free DIY alternative.

DeleteMe vs doing it yourself

DeleteMe or DIY opt-outs? A side-by-side look at money, time, coverage, repeat work, control and who sees your details, with sourced facts and clear estimates.

How to remove your address and phone number from Google

Free steps to ask Google to remove your home address and phone number from search results, plus how to deal with the source sites and when a paid service might help.

What to do after a data breach

A plain checklist for after a data breach: confirm it, change passwords, turn on two-factor, freeze your credit for free, and avoid follow-up scams.

Online privacy for teachers

A calm, practical guide for teachers: remove your address and phone from people-search sites and Google, tighten social media, separate school and personal contact info, and decide if a paid service is worth it.

Online privacy for healthcare workers

Nurses, doctors and clinic staff: how to reduce how findable your home address and phone are, from people-search opt-outs and Google to licence listings and social media settings.

Online privacy for real estate agents

Real estate agents must be easy to contact. Here is how to keep your home address and personal phone out of people-search sites, Google and licence listings while staying reachable for clients.

Online privacy for police, firefighters and EMS

Police, firefighters and EMS: remove your home address and phone from people-search sites and Google, tighten social media, separate work and home contact info, and learn what New Jersey's Daniel's Law covers.

How to set up a proxy in Google Chrome

Set up a proxy in Chrome using your system proxy settings or the --proxy-server flag, how login prompts work, and how to check it worked. Webshare used as an example.

How to set up a proxy in Firefox

Step-by-step Firefox proxy setup with Manual proxy configuration, what to do about the login prompt, and how to confirm it works. Webshare as the example provider.

How to use a proxy with Python requests

How to use a proxy with Python requests: the proxies dictionary, sessions, timeouts, environment variables and error handling, with placeholder code and Webshare as the example.

How to use a proxy with Puppeteer

How to use a proxy with Puppeteer: the --proxy-server launch argument, page.authenticate for username and password, error handling and checking the IP. Placeholder code.

How to use a proxy with Scrapy

How to use a proxy in Scrapy with request.meta['proxy'], a small downloader middleware, or environment variables. Placeholder code and Webshare as the example provider.

Proxies for price monitoring: start with the free options

How to check prices in other regions or at scale politely: free tools and official APIs first, then when a datacenter proxy helps and where it falls short.

How to check search rankings from another country

How to see how a page ranks in another country: Search Console, search settings and when a proxy helps. Plus what personalization and IP location can't tell you.

How to test your website from another country

How to see your own site as a visitor abroad: browser tools, uptime checkers and when a proxy helps. Plus what can differ between a proxy and a real visitor.

The Webshare free plan: what it includes and what to check

What Webshare says its free plan includes (10 proxies, 1GB a month), what we could not verify, what it suits, and how to check the current terms yourself.