IP Classification Mismatches
You purchased an ISP proxy, but when you check it on an IP lookup tool, it shows as "Data Center," "Hosting," "IDC," or "Business." This is a known issue with third-party IP databases — not a problem with your proxy.
Why This Happens
IP addresses are allocated in large blocks by regional registries (like RIPE, ARIN, or APNIC) to Internet Service Providers. Third-party databases classify these blocks based on historical data and heuristics. Problems arise because:
- Large ISP subnets get misclassified — When an ISP allocates a large block of IPs, some databases may classify the entire range as "hosting" or "business" based on a few IPs in the range that were previously used for hosting.
- Outdated databases — IP classification databases like those used by ipinfo.io, DB-IP, or MaxMind are not updated in real time. An IP that was reassigned from a data center to a residential ISP months ago may still show the old classification.
- ISP naming confusion — Some ISP names (like "Lumina Broadband" or certain regional providers) are not in the database\'s list of known residential ISPs, so they default to "hosting" or "business" classification.
How to Verify Your IP Is Genuinely ISP
- Check the ASN (Autonomous System Number) — Look up your IP\'s ASN. If it belongs to a known ISP (e.g., Comcast, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom), the IP is genuinely ISP-assigned regardless of what the classification field says.
- Check multiple databases — One database may say "hosting" while another correctly identifies it as "ISP." No single database is authoritative.
- Test on the actual platform — The most reliable test is whether the proxy works on your target platform. Social media sites like Facebook and TikTok use their own classification systems, which are more accurate than public databases.
Our Policy
Misclassification by third-party lookup tools is not grounds for a replacement or refund. If the IP is assigned by a real ISP (verifiable by ASN), it is an ISP proxy regardless of how external databases label it.