Method and apparatus for transmitting network traffic via a proxy device

1. A method, comprising:

initiating, by a proxy device, a connection with an introducer server before a user computer initiates a connection with the introducer server;

connecting to the user computer, wherein the initiating by the proxy device occurs before the connecting to the user computer, and a connection between the user computer and the proxy device is first requested by the proxy device; and

connecting, by the proxy device, directly to a target device using an identifier of the proxy device,

wherein the user computer is connected to the target device via the introducer server and the proxy device, an identifier of the user computer is hidden from the target device, and the target device identifies the user computer using the identifier of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device is a mobile device having a non-static or unpredictable internet protocol address,

wherein the connecting to the target device comprises using the internet protocol address of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device accesses the internet using a WiFi base station, the internet protocol address of the proxy device is assigned by the WiFi base station, the internet protocol address is non-routable, and the internet protocol address changes as the proxy device accesses the internet using a different WiFi base station, and

wherein the internet protocol address of the proxy device is associated with a network of the WiFi base station.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting to the user computer comprises connecting to the user computer through the introducer server.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the identifier of the proxy device is provided by a service provider of the mobile device.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the internet protocol address of the proxy device is a dynamic internet protocol address.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the proxy device is connected to a network behind a Network Address Translation server.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to

initiate a connection with an introducer server before a user computer initiates a connection with the introducer server;

connect to the user computer, wherein the initiating by the proxy device occurs before the connecting to the user computer, and a connection between the user computer and the apparatus is first requested by the apparatus; and

connect directly to a target device using an identifier of the apparatus,

wherein the user computer is connected to the target device via the introducer server and the apparatus, an identifier of the user computer is hidden from the target device, and the target device identifies the user computer using the identifier of the apparatus,

wherein the apparatus is a mobile device having a non-static or unpredictable internet protocol address,

wherein the connecting to the target device comprises using the internet protocol address of the apparatus,

wherein the apparatus accesses the internet using a WiFi base station, the internet protocol address of the proxy device is assigned by the WiFi base station, the internet protocol address is non-routable, and the internet protocol address changes as the apparatus accesses the internet using a different WiFi base station, and

wherein the internet protocol address of the apparatus is associated with a network of the WiFi base station.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the connecting to the user computer comprises connecting to the user computer through the introducer server.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the identifier of the apparatus is provided by a service provider of the mobile device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the internet protocol address of the apparatus is a dynamic internet protocol address.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is connected to a network behind a Network Address Translation server.

11. A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product configured to control a processor to perform a process, comprising:

initiating, by a proxy device, a connection with an introducer server before a user computer initiates a connection with the introducer server;

connecting to the user computer, wherein the initiating by the proxy device occurs before the connecting to the user computer, and a connection between the user computer and the proxy device is first requested by the proxy device; and

connecting, by the proxy device, directly to a target device using an identifier of the proxy device,

wherein the user computer is connected to the target device via the introducer server and the proxy device, an identifier of the user computer is hidden from the target device, and the target device identifies the user computer using the identifier of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device is a mobile device having a non-static or unpredictable internet protocol address,

wherein the connecting to the target device comprises using the internet protocol address of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device accesses the internet using a WiFi base station, the internet protocol address of the proxy device is assigned by the WiFi base station, the internet protocol address is non-routable, and the internet protocol address changes as the proxy device accesses the internet using a different WiFi base station, and

wherein the internet protocol address of the proxy device is associated with a network of the WiFi base station.

12. A method, comprising:

initiating, by a user computer, a connection with an introducer server after a connection to the introducer server is initiated by a proxy device, wherein the initiating by the proxy device occurs before a connection to the proxy device is established, and the connection between the user computer and the proxy device is first requested by the proxy device; and

connecting to a target device via the introducer server and the proxy device,

wherein an identifier of the user computer is hidden from the target device, and the target device identifies the user computer using an identifier of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device is a mobile device having a non-static or unpredictable internet protocol address,

wherein the connecting to the target device comprises using the internet protocol address of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device accesses the internet using a WiFi base station, the internet protocol address of the proxy device is assigned by the WiFi base station, the internet protocol address is non-routable, and the internet protocol address changes as the proxy device accesses the internet using a different WiFi base station, and

wherein the internet protocol address of the proxy device is associated with a network of the WiFi base station.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the establishing the connection with the proxy device comprises connecting to the proxy device through the introducer server.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the identifier of the proxy device is provided by a service provider of the mobile device.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the internet protocol address of the proxy device is a dynamic internet protocol address.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the proxy device is connected to a network behind a Network Address Translation server.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to

initiate, by the apparatus, a connection with an introducer server after a connection to the introducer server is initiated by a proxy device, wherein the initiating by the proxy device occurs before a connection to the proxy device is established, and the connection between the apparatus and the proxy device is first requested by the proxy device; and

connect to a target device via the introducer server and the proxy device,

wherein an identifier of the apparatus is hidden from the target device, and the target device identifies the apparatus using an identifier of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device is a mobile device having a non-static or unpredictable internet protocol address, wherein the connecting to the target device comprises using the internet protocol address of the apparatus,

wherein the apparatus accesses the internet using a WiFi base station, the internet protocol address of the proxy device is assigned by the WiFi base station, the internet protocol address is non-routable, and the internet protocol address changes as the apparatus accesses the internet using a different WiFi base station, and

wherein the internet protocol address of the apparatus is associated with a network of the WiFi base station.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the establishing the connection with the proxy device comprises connecting to the proxy device through the introducer server.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the identifier of the proxy device is provided by a service provider of the mobile device.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the internet protocol address of the proxy device is a dynamic internet protocol address.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the proxy device is connected to a network behind a Network Address Translation server.

22. A computer program product, embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product configured to control a processor to perform a process, comprising:

initiating, by a user computer, a connection with an introducer server after a connection to the introducer server is initiated by a proxy device, wherein the initiating by the proxy device occurs before a connection to the proxy device is established, and the connection between the user computer and the proxy device is first requested by the proxy device; and

connecting to a target device via the introducer server and the proxy device,

wherein an identifier of the user computer is hidden from the target device, and the target device identifies the user computer using an identifier of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device is a mobile device having a non-static or unpredictable internet protocol address,

wherein the connecting to the target device comprises using the internet protocol address of the proxy device,

wherein the proxy device accesses the internet using a WiFi base station, the internet protocol address of the proxy device is assigned by the WiFi base station, the internet protocol address is non-routable, and the internet protocol address changes as the proxy device accesses the internet using a different WiFi base station, and

wherein the internet protocol address of the proxy device is associated with a network of the WiFi base station.