Using Tinyproxy To Route Traffic Through Android Tethering

If you want to channel your network traffic via an Android phone’s connection Tinyproxy offers a minimalistic yet powerful approach Tinyproxy is a compact, open-source HTTP proxy designed for Linux making it perfect for aging hardware repurposed as a network gateway



By combining it with an Android phone’s USB or Wi-Fi hotspot you establish a filtered, private gateway for networked devices to access mobile data



Start by configuring your phone’s connection sharing options You may choose between USB tethering or activating a mobile hotspot via Settings USB tethering is often preferred because it’s more stable and doesn’t require additional wireless configuration Your machine will automatically obtain an IP from the Android device’s network You can check this with the ifconfig or ip addr command to confirm the connection



Proceed by installing the Tinyproxy package on your Linux machine On Ubuntu, use sudo apt install tinyproxy to install the server tinyproxy.conf You’ll want to make a few key changes



Set Listen to the IP address of your Linux machine’s network interface, typically the one connected to your local network Modify the access control list to allow your network’s IP block You may also want to set the Port to 8888, which is the default, or choose another if needed Use "Info" level to track activity without excessive verbosity



After making changes, restart Tinyproxy with sudo systemctl restart tinyproxy Your Linux box now serves as an intermediary, relaying web requests through your phone’s data link



10.0.0.5



This configuration excels in settings requiring traffic inspection or content control or when you want to share a mobile connection without exposing your phone’s hotspot directly It enables circumvention of firewalls in restricted networks using your mobile data



Remember that Tinyproxy only handles HTTP and HTTPS traffic by default SOCKS tunneling, integrate Squid, Dante, or a dedicated SOCKS daemon Also, keep in mind that your data usage is still limited by your mobile plan, so monitor your consumption



A budget-friendly, minimalist setup that transforms your phone into a full network proxy The process is straightforward, requires minimal upkeep, and grants complete routing oversight