The present invention provides proxy browsing on the Internet 16 whereby the user interface of one device, such as a personal computer 10 with a Web browser, causes servers 14 to interact with alternate client devices 20, 24 linked to the Internet 16 that are remotely located from the personal computer. A user may activate a proxy browser on a PC 10, select one or more files or commands from a Web server 14, and download the files or commands directly from the servers to client devices 20, 24. A user of a Web browser 26 may locate and download by proxy a digital sound file stored on a Web server 40 to play on a series of networked digital speakers 54. The user of a Proxy Browser 26 may select a recipe stored on an Web server 40 and send the recipe that has embedded commands to configure networked home appliances 52 to the correct cooking modes. Digital video players 50 and children's toys 48 comprise further examples of client devices capable of receiving files by proxy with embedded commands or controls, or multi-media files. The user of a Proxy Browser may also select files 60 or Web pages 62 from the Internet 38 and download them to a third party's client PC or Web browser 58.