How Netara Works

Your Role in Netara

Every time you browse the internet, you use a unique IP address, and much of the content you see is customized based on your location. When acting as a residential IP proxy, you allow someone to route internet traffic through your IP, granting them access from your perspective. This way, they can extract public data from the web.

How Does This Work in Practice?

Imagine you're sharing your internet connection. If your maximum download speed is 100 MB/s, and you’re only using 50 MB/s, that leaves 50 MB/s of unused bandwidth. Companies utilize this idle bandwidth to scrape data, effectively using a resource you’re providing without compensation. Though it may seem insignificant, these small contributions accumulate. Businesses scrape vast amounts of data for market research, and unused bandwidth from millions of users fuels this process. But why are we not receiving compensation when our connections enable these activities?

The Current State of Residential Proxy Markets

Currently, a few centralized providers dominate the residential IP proxy market. These companies build vast proxy networks using residential IPs, selling the unused bandwidth to buyers. In the best-case scenario, owners opt into these networks and receive some form of compensation for their unused bandwidth. However, the current model is flawed:

• Limited compensation: Providers aim to pay as little as possible, maximizing their profits while paying users little.

• Lack of competition: Without competition, buyers and sellers are trapped in a system where prices are high for buyers, and payments are low for users.

• Involuntary participation: Many apps automatically enroll users to donate unused bandwidth without compensation. You pay for bandwidth, but when it's underused, your ISP sells it off without offering you a share.

Introducing Netara

Netara presents a decentralized alternative to existing networks. It is a network-sharing platform where users can monetize their unused bandwidth. Unlike traditional systems that exploit users, Netara ensures both parties — the bandwidth provider and the buyer — have a vested interest in the network’s success. For users, Netara works as a web extension, easily installed and running in the background. It facilitates the collection of public web data for others, in exchange for payment via the protocol’s native token, $Nera.

Netara stands out for:

• Ethicality: Recognizing that unused resources are being exploited, Netara simply redirects the proceeds to their rightful owners.

• Democracy: Token compensation rewards users not only for their unused bandwidth but also gives them ownership stakes in the protocol itself.

• Security: The decentralized nature of Netara reduces the risks associated with centralized control of the network.

Ultimately, Netara breaks away from the unethical practices of current market leaders. Like many blockchain applications, it promotes a fairer, more equitable distribution of resources by dismantling centralized control, fostering fairness across the board.