A system for providing a relay service, the system comprising two or more relay servers (30, 32, 34) and being characterised in that: the system further comprises a router on the Internet; and each relay server has a specific IP address, and the router and relay servers are mutually connected by a local area network, wherein the router is configured to: - receive, from a source on the Internet, a first request for a relay service addressed to an IP address that is distinct from the specific IP addresses of the relay servers; and - forward the first relay service request to the relay servers, and wherein each relay server is configured to: - receive the first relay service request from the router; and - issue a respective response addressed to the source comprising an instruction to the source to issue a further relay service request addressed to the specific IP address of the respective relay server, so as to cause the source to issue a second relay service request addressed to the specific IP address of the relay server whose response, among the respective responses, is received first by the source, and wherein the relay servers are further configured such that the relay server whose response is received first by the source receives the second relay service request, addressed to its specific IP address, and responds by providing the requested relay service. the system further comprises a router on the Internet; and each relay server has a specific IP address, and the router and relay servers are mutually connected by a local area network, wherein the router is configured to: - receive, from a source on the Internet, a first request for a relay service addressed to an IP address that is distinct from the specific IP addresses of the relay servers; and - forward the first relay service request to the relay servers, and wherein each relay server is configured to: - receive the first relay service request from the router; and - issue a respective response addressed to the source comprising an instruction to the source to issue a further relay service request addressed to the specific IP address of the respective relay server, so as to cause the source to issue a second relay service request addressed to the specific IP address of the relay server whose response, among the respective responses, is received first by the source, and wherein the relay servers are further configured such that the relay server whose response is received first by the source receives the second relay service request, addressed to its specific IP address, and responds by providing the requested relay service. - receive, from a source on the Internet, a first request for a relay service addressed to an IP address that is distinct from the specific IP addresses of the relay servers; and - forward the first relay service request to the relay servers, - receive the first relay service request from the router; and - issue a respective response addressed to the source comprising an instruction to the source to issue a further relay service request addressed to the specific IP address of the respective relay server, so as to cause the source to issue a second relay service request addressed to the specific IP address of the relay server whose response, among the respective responses, is received first by the source,