Although building proxy servers with tools such as Shadowshocks enables accessing to blocked websites via proxy, that works only for web browsers, not for other web applications to use its proxy setting. We call such proxy mode a local proxy. If you need to make your proxy settings available to local network programs like a web browser, then you need an auxiliary tool like Proxifier to implement a global proxy.

An IP address is a unique identification number that is used to identify all computers and websites on the Internet. When you connect to the Internet, your computer is assigned an IP address from your local Internet Service Provider (ISP). This is known as a direct connection to the Internet. But sometimes you need to use a fake IP instead, with the anonymity and privacy security in mind, for example:

• Access some websites banning you or your country IPs
• Surf the Internet anonymously
• Send emails anonymously
• Prevent identity theft and intrusion from hackers
• Prevent anyone from seeing your real IP when communicating with them