How to Use Proxies for Web Scraping
Scraping the same website from a single IP address quickly triggers rate limits and blocks. Proxy rotation distributes requests across multiple IP addresses, making your scraper appear as natural user traffic rather than automated requests from one source.
Step-by-Step Guide
Understand proxy types
Datacenter proxies are fast and cheap — good for sites with minimal rate limiting. Residential proxies route through real user IP addresses — better for sites that filter by IP reputation. Mobile proxies offer the highest trust level but at the highest cost.
Use AlterLab's built-in proxy rotation
AlterLab automatically rotates proxies across all requests. You don't need to manage a proxy pool separately — the API handles selection and rotation based on the target site.
Verify your requests are distributed
Check the IP address reflected in responses (or use a test endpoint like httpbin.org/ip) to confirm that different IPs are being used across consecutive requests.
Code Example
import requests
# AlterLab handles proxy rotation automatically — no proxy config needed
responses = []
for url in ["https://example.com/page/1", "https://example.com/page/2"]:
response = requests.post(
"https://alterlab.io/api/v1/scrape",
headers={"X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "Content-Type": "application/json"},
json={"url": url},
)
responses.append(response.json())
# Each request is automatically routed through a different proxy
print(f"Collected {len(responses)} pages")Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your key from the . No credit card required.
Try this yourself with AlterLab
Run this tutorial on live websites with AlterLab's API. Free tier includes 5,000 requests — no credit card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to configure proxy settings when using AlterLab?
No. AlterLab manages proxy selection and rotation automatically for every request. You send the URL, we handle the networking — including proxy rotation, retry logic, and IP reputation management.
What is the difference between rotating proxies and sticky sessions?
Rotating proxies use a new IP for each request — good for broad data collection. Sticky sessions maintain the same IP across multiple requests — required for websites that use session cookies or track login state.
Responsible Use
AlterLab is designed for extracting publicly available data. Always review the terms of service for any website you access, respect robots.txt directives, and ensure your use case complies with applicable laws in your jurisdiction.
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