SOCKS4

SOCKS4 is a protocol used for routing network traffic from a client computer to a server computer. It was first developed by David Koblas in 1990 and was widely used to access web content until it was superseded by SOCKS5.

The main purpose of SOCKS4 is to provide a mechanism for effective routing of IP packets from a client to an external server. It does this by establishing a channel between the client and server, and routing packets through this channel. This method of routing packets allows for faster communication and improved security, as data is routed through a secure tunnel.

In order to establish a secure tunnel, SOCKS4 requires client authentication, using either a username/password pair or an IP address. Once authentication is complete, data can be transmitted through the tunnel with encryption. This is necessary to protect the data and ensure that it is not tampered with by any parties during the transmission process.

SOCKS4 is commonly used to allow users access to content restricted by firewalls and ISPs, such as for streaming media. It is also frequently used to give access to the internet for applications such as video games and VoIP. However, due to its lack of features such as data encryption and UDP support, it is generally considered inferior to its successor, SOCKS5.

Overall, SOCKS4 is a protocol used to route network traffic from a client computer to a server computer. While it has been supplanted by its successor, SOCKS4 remains an important part of the history of networking protocols and continues to have some uses today.