Residential Proxy Detection
Find out whether an IP address is a residential proxy: a genuine household connection shared with a proxy provider, often used for web scraping, together with the other anonymity flags.
- Runs on our servers
- Free to use
- API available →
About this tool
Residential proxies are the stealth option of the proxy world: real home IP addresses whose owners share their connection with a proxy provider, letting scrapers and bots appear as ordinary users. Residential Proxy Detection checks an address against those networks through the APIVoid IP Reputation API and returns the residential-proxy flag together with the proxy, VPN, Tor and hosting flags.
Because the same connection is still used by the household, often with several devices behind one router, a detected residential proxy can also be a genuine customer. Our recommended action is to flag rather than block: show a captcha, require SMS or e-mail verification on sign-ups and watch the session, and reserve hard blocks for Tor exits and open proxies. See also Proxy & VPN Detection page.
How to use it — quick steps
- 01
Enter the IP address
Type or paste the IPv4 or IPv6 address in the field above; your own address is pre-filled.
- 02
Press "Detect residential proxy"
The address is matched against residential proxy networks and the other anonymity data sets.
- 03
Read the recommendation
The verdict tells you whether it is a residential proxy and how to treat it: flag and verify, not block.
Key features of this tool
Residential proxy flag
Identifies IPs that belong to home ISPs but are rented out through proxy networks, the hardest kind to spot.
Context flags
VPN, Tor, web proxy, relay and hosting flags are listed too, so you see the whole anonymity picture.
Actionable verdict
A short recommendation explains why residential proxies deserve verification rather than an outright block.
Frequently asked questions
What is a residential proxy?
An IP address assigned by a consumer ISP to a real household whose connection is shared, knowingly or not, with a proxy provider. Traffic routed through it looks like an ordinary home user.
Should I block residential proxies?
Not by default. The same address serves the real household, often several devices, so a block hits legitimate users. Flag the session and add a verification step such as a captcha, SMS or e-mail confirmation on sign-up or checkout.
Why are they used for web scraping?
Websites rarely block consumer ISP ranges to avoid blocking real users too, so residential proxies bypass simple IP filters and rate limits that stop data-centre scrapers.
How reliable is the detection?
Residential proxy networks rotate addresses constantly, so a flag means the IP was recently seen in such a network. Combine it with behavioural signals before taking action.