---
title: "How does Spur detect VPNs, residential proxies, and ISP proxies?"
type: "faq"
url: "https://docs.spur.us/knowledgebase/faqs/how-does-spur-detect-vpns-residential-proxies-and-isp-proxies"
category: "Anonymizing Infrastructure"
product: "general"
publishedAt: "2026-08-07T15:07:00.000Z"
updatedAt: "2026-08-12T19:30:30Z"
---

# How does Spur detect VPNs, residential proxies, and ISP proxies?

Spur uses a combination of network intelligence, infrastructure analysis, behavioral signals, routing characteristics, historical observations, and proprietary research to identify and classify IP addresses. Multiple signals are evaluated together to determine the likelihood that an IP belongs to a VPN, residential proxy network, ISP proxy service, hosting provider, or other category.

## Extended answer

Spur uses a combination of network intelligence, infrastructure analysis, behavioral signals, routing characteristics, historical observations, and proprietary research to identify and classify IP addresses. Multiple signals are evaluated together to determine the likelihood that an IP belongs to a VPN, residential proxy network, ISP proxy service, hosting provider, or other category.

Unlike traditional network ownership based enrichment solutions, Spur's products were built for the modern dynamic internet and its complex cloud, sublet, and routing relationships.