Bounce (network)

Bounce, often abbreviated as bnc and referred to as a "vhost", is used to relay traffic and connections in networks. Using a bouncer allows a user to hide the original source of his connection, providing privacy. A bouncer can also be used to hide the true target that a user connects to. One common usage is over IRC (Internet Relay Chat) via programs like Psybnc running on remote servers. This should not be confused with e-mail, which may redirect or "bounce" back to the sender if the recipient's mailbox is full.

Example:

User A logs onto IRC directly and appears as USERA!usera@21.22.121.5

User A logs onto IRC indirectly through a bnc and appears as USERA!usera@usera.is.the.best.net