When performing tasks such as data scraping, web crawling, social media management, and market research, the use of proxy IPs is closely linked to our daily operations. Among these, selecting the appropriate session mode when setting up a proxy IP is crucial. It has become an essential step in enhancing work efficiency and strengthening data privacy and security.

IP session modes are not only related to the success rate of accessing websites but also directly impact account management, data collection anonymity, and even the long-term stability of a brand.

Today, we will delve into the differences between rotating sessions and sticky sessions, helping you choose the most suitable session type for your proxy IP needs.

What are rotating sessions?

Rotating sessions are a session mode where the IP address is automatically changed with each connection. Using the IP pool provided by the proxy service, a new IP address is assigned for each request or after a short period (ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes).

This session mode is ideal for scenarios requiring frequent IP changes, such as web crawling and data scraping.

Working Principle

Rotating sessions rely on the rotating IP pool provided by the proxy service. The provider maintains a large IP pool with addresses from various geographic locations and network providers. For each request, the proxy server assigns an available IP from the pool, ensuring randomization and frequent changes of the request IP. This frequent switching of IPs effectively prevents the repeated use of a single IP, making it difficult for target websites to detect continuous access from the same user.

Features

• Frequent IP Changes: A new IP address is automatically assigned for each request or within a short time frame.
• Enhanced Anonymity: Frequent IP switching reduces the likelihood of being tracked, making it suitable for operations requiring a high level of anonymity.
• Anti-Ban Mechanism: Regular IP changes minimize the usage frequency of a single IP, lowering the risk of being banned.

Advantages:

• Enhanced Anonymity: Different IPs make it difficult for target websites to trace the source of requests, improving privacy.
• Suitable for Large-Scale Data Collection: During large-scale data scraping, rotating sessions can help avoid bans and detection.

Disadvantages:

• Not Suitable for Long-Term Tasks: If an operation requires maintaining the same IP for an extended period, frequent IP switching in rotating sessions can disrupt continuity.
• Increased System Load: Frequent IP switching may result in additional server load, especially during high-frequency access over a short period.

Applicable Use Cases

• Web Crawling: When extracting a large number of web pages, frequent IP rotation can effectively prevent crawlers from being detected.
• Market Research: When frequently visiting competitor websites to collect public data, rotating sessions can help avoid bans caused by repeated visits from the same IP.
• Ad Verification: When checking ad display performance across different regions, rotating sessions allow simulation of multiple locations and repeated visits to obtain accurate ad display information.

What are sticky sessions?

Sticky sessions are a session mode where the same IP address is maintained for a certain period, typically used in scenarios requiring long-term stable connections. By configuring the "Life" parameter of the IP, the same IP can remain active for several minutes to a few hours, providing a stable IP connection throughout the session.

Working Principle

Sticky sessions lock an IP address from the IP pool, ensuring that no IP change occurs during the specified time period. This mode mimics the behavior of real users, making it particularly suitable for operations requiring continuous connections, such as social media account management and e-commerce account operations. Proxy service providers typically offer a "Session ID" or similar marker to help maintain the continuity of the selected IP address.

Features

• IP Stability: During the specified time period, the same IP address is used, making visits appear more "natural."
• Simulates Real User Behavior: The stability of the IP during the session makes it closer to real user behavior, avoiding disruptions caused by frequent IP changes.
• Reduced Verification Requirements: With a stable IP, websites are more likely to recognize the behavior as that of a normal user, reducing the likelihood of login verifications or IP bans.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages:

• Suitable for Continuous Connection Needs: For example, operations on social media accounts, cloud platforms, or e-commerce accounts.
• Increased Security: Maintaining a stable IP reduces the likelihood of triggering abnormal logins or account locks.

Disadvantages:

• Less Effective in High-Frequency Scenarios: Frequent visits with the same IP are more likely to be detected, especially in web scraping scenarios.
• Not Suitable for Large-Scale Data Requests: Sticky sessions are not ideal for tasks requiring multiple IPs within a short period, as they could increase the risk of abnormal detection.

Use Cases

• Social Media Management: When managing social media accounts, sticky IPs reduce login verifications caused by frequent IP changes.
• Account Login: Sticky sessions can help avoid frequent verifications during sensitive account logins (e.g., banking or e-commerce).
• Continuous Browsing: For long-term browsing or operations requiring a stable IP over a period, sticky sessions help avoid verifications and IP bans.

How to Set Session Duration for Proxy IPs?

When using proxy IPs, you can control the session mode by configuring session parameters and session ID strings to better meet your needs. Generally, proxy IP session modes are divided into sticky sessions and rotating sessions. Below, we will use AProxy as an example to demonstrate how to set session durations, allowing you to choose the most suitable session mode for different scenarios.

Setting Method

Enter a custom session ID in the "Session" field during proxy configuration. The "Session" field is used to define and set the session ID. By entering a string as the session identifier (e.g., session: a00001), the system will attempt to maintain the same proxy IP for this ID.

For example, if your Session ID is a00001 and your initial request is assigned the proxy IP 1.2.3.4, as long as subsequent requests use the same Session ID, the system will try to route your queries through the same proxy IP, ensuring session consistency.

Example: When using Session a00001 for your first query, you are assigned proxy IP 1.2.3.4. All subsequent requests with the same session will also use the same IP 1.2.3.4, ensuring connection stability.

Code Example: Changing Session ID to Use Different IPs

If you need to use different IPs for multiple requests, you can achieve this by changing the session ID. Each session ID corresponds to one IP, and when you switch the session ID (e.g., from a00001 to a00002), the system will assign a new IP for the new session ID.

1. Below is a code example for using different session IDs to request different IP addresses:

# First request: session ID a00001, US IP assigned, and the same IP maintained for subsequent requests
curl -x pcc-5gbbgh_area-US_session-a00001_life-5:[email protected]:2312 https://api.ip.cc/


# Second request: replace session ID a00002, assign new US IP, and keep the same IP for subsequent requests
curl -x pcc-5gbbgh_area-US_session-a00002_life-5:[email protected]:2312 https://api.ip.cc/


# 3rd request: replace session ID a00003, assign new US IP, keep connection stable
curl -x pcc-5gbbgh_area-US_session-a00003_life-5:[email protected]:2312 https://api.ip.cc/

Combining Life and Session Parameters

To achieve optimal proxy performance and stability, it is essential to configure both the life and session parameters.

• Life Parameter: Indicates the lifespan of the proxy IP (i.e., how long it remains active). During this time, the proxy IP remains valid. The unit for the life parameter is minutes, and you can set it to a maximum of 120 minutes (2 hours). For example, if life is set to 5 minutes, the IP will remain valid for up to 5 minutes before being replaced for maintaining connection stability.
• Session Parameter: Marks a session period. Even if the life period ends, the system will automatically update the IP to maintain continuity and ensure a seamless experience. This means that even if the current proxy IP expires, the system will assign a new IP to continue the session without interruption.

Example:

curl -x pcc-5gbgh_area-US_session-a00004_life-5:[email protected]:2312 https://api.ip.cc/  

The above command sets a 5-minute life period for the proxy IP and uses the session ID a00004 to ensure continuous connectivity with the same IP during that period. Once the life period ends, the system will assign a new IP to continue the session, ensuring connection stability.

Recommendations for Configuring Life and Session

By appropriately configuring the life and session parameters, you can optimize the use of proxy IPs to achieve efficient data transmission and connection stability. Specific recommendations are as follows:

• Set Life for Tasks Requiring Frequent IP Changes: Tasks like web scraping, which require frequent IP rotation, should use shorter life periods.
• Set Session for Long-Term Operations: For scenarios requiring a consistent IP, use longer sessions to maintain a seamless connection and ensure data transmission integrity.

With AProxy's flexible proxy IP configuration, you can customize session parameters to suit your needs, ensuring reliable proxy performance and helping you succeed in various web-based operations.

How to Choose the Right Session Mode?

Choosing the appropriate session mode mainly depends on the specific nature and requirements of your tasks, such as frequency, anonymity needs, and connection stability. Different tasks demand different session modes. For example, some tasks require frequent IP rotation for anonymity, while others prioritize continuous and stable IP connections.

For data collection tasks, if you need to perform large-scale data scraping and visit numerous pages daily, rotating sessions are the ideal choice. This is because high-frequency requests with the same IP can easily trigger detection mechanisms on the target website, leading to bans. Rotating sessions Rotatingally switch IPs for each request or within a short time interval, mimicking multiple independent visitors and avoiding identification. Additionally, this improves the anonymity and security of data collection tasks.

In social media management scenarios, sticky sessions are more appropriate. If you manage multiple social media accounts, frequent IP changes may trigger platform security verification mechanisms, such as login verification or identity confirmation. Sticky sessions allow you to maintain the same IP for a set period, making your actions appear more natural. Platforms recognize you as a legitimate user, reducing risks of account locks or bans. This mode can also help you seamlessly switch between multiple accounts without frequent IP changes causing interruptions.

For market research and price monitoring, rotating sessions are typically the preferred option. Market research often requires accessing different pages and collecting data across regions. Using rotating sessions allows you to efficiently access information from various locations without being restricted due to a single IP. Additionally, tasks like price monitoring that require data collection from multiple regions benefit from frequent IP changes to simulate users from different places, avoiding detection or restriction.

For account login or tasks requiring long-term connections, sticky sessions are the better choice. Account operations often need stable connections over an extended period, such as managing e-commerce websites or browsing banking services. Frequent IP changes can trigger platform security measures, leading to account locks or interruptions. Sticky sessions ensure stability during the operation, maintaining the same IP for a longer period and avoiding disruptions.

Choosing the right session mode is critical. The key lies in balancing your requirements for anonymity and stability. Tasks requiring frequent IP changes are best suited for rotating sessions, while long-term operations benefit from sticky sessions. Matching the session mode to your task ensures efficiency and security.

We recommend using AProxy Rotating Residential Proxies. As a leading provider in the proxy IP industry, AProxy offers more advanced features than any other provider. AProxy is committed to delivering the highest standard of data security and protection for both individual and business users. With proxies available from 195 countries/regions worldwide, AProxy has already served over 20,000 individual users and 100+ enterprise clients, providing efficient proxy services! As an industry-leading proxy IP service provider, AProxy offers more advanced features than any other provider!

Providing high-quality global network data collection, AProxy is one of the top choices for premium IP resources in big data collection. With over 70 million active IP addresses worldwide, it offers flexible location targeting by country, region, or city. Currently, it ranks among the top three globally in terms of the number of IPs available in specific countries/continents/cities, IP lifecycle, high concurrency, uptime, and availability.

Click the link to get a free traffic trial now!

Conclusion

In summary, selecting the appropriate session mode is crucial when using proxy IPs. Rotating sessions and sticky sessions each have their advantages: rotating sessions are ideal for high-frequency access and data collection scenarios, enhancing anonymity through frequent IP changes; sticky sessions, on the other hand, excel in tasks requiring stable connections, such as account operations and social media management. By properly configuring Session ID and Life parameters, users can strike a balance between privacy protection and connection stability, improving data security and work efficiency.

As a leading proxy service provider, AProxy offers high-quality IP resources worldwide, providing robust support to meet the diverse needs of its users.