You need IP separation per account, but whether that separation comes from proxies, VPNs with dedicated IPs, or real SIM cards depends on the platform and the level of detection risk you are managing. For mobile-first platforms like TikTok and Instagram, real mobile carrier IPs from SIM cards are significantly stronger than proxies. For web platforms like Reddit and LinkedIn, high-quality residential proxies are sufficient. IP separation is one layer of the detection stack. It is necessary but not sufficient on its own.
When Proxies Are Necessary
Proxies are necessary when you run multiple web-based accounts from the same computer and need each account to have its own IP address. An anti-detect browser can give each Reddit account a unique browser fingerprint, but if all accounts route through the same home Wi-Fi IP, Reddit links them by shared IP. A residential proxy assigned to each browser profile solves this: each account gets its own IP, and the IPs come from different consumer ISP ranges.
Proxies are also necessary for geo-targeted operations where accounts need to appear as if they are in specific countries. A proxy with an IP from Brazil lets the account appear to be in Brazil regardless of where the operator is physically located.
When Real SIM Cards Are Better
For mobile-first platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, a real SIM card with a carrier data plan provides an IP signal that no proxy can fully replicate. The IP comes from a genuine mobile carrier, is associated with a real IMEI and device identity, and carries the full set of mobile network characteristics that platforms check: carrier name, connection type (4G/5G), signal strength, and cell tower location data.
Meta removes over one billion fake accounts every quarter. Part of the detection infrastructure distinguishes genuine mobile carrier IPs from proxy IPs by looking at the full network signature. A proxy IP from a mobile carrier range may look like a mobile IP at the address level, but it lacks the accompanying device-level mobile network signals that a real SIM provides. Real SIMs close that gap.
IP Separation Is Not Enough
IP separation solves one detection signal. It does not solve device fingerprinting, behavioral analysis, content similarity detection, or engagement pattern analysis. An operator who puts each account on a different residential proxy but runs them all from the same anti-detect browser with similar behavioral patterns gets detected through the behavioral layer even though the IP layer is clean.
Platforms collect over 100 data points per device session. The IP address is one of those data points. Getting the IP right matters, but it is one piece of a multi-layered detection puzzle. Every other layer must also be right for the account to survive.
The Minimum Viable IP Setup
For a small-scale operation with under ten accounts on web platforms, five to ten dedicated residential proxies from a reputable provider, each assigned to a unique anti-detect browser profile, is the minimum viable setup. For mobile-first platforms, you cannot get to minimum viable with proxies alone. You need real devices with real SIMs, because the platform expects mobile hardware and mobile network signals that proxies cannot provide.
For any operation that intends to scale beyond ten accounts, the cost and complexity of managing proxies becomes a bottleneck. Real device infrastructure with SIM-based connectivity scales better at higher account counts because the isolation is hardware-based and does not depend on the quality of a proxy provider's IP pool.
Conbersa uses SIM-based connectivity on real devices. No proxies in the critical path. Each device has its own SIM, its own carrier IP, and its own network identity. This is the setup that real users have, and it is the setup that platforms expect.