Proxied wifi hotspot in linux lab experiment.
by axolinx from LinuxQuestions.org on (#5R0RF)
Hello networking guys.
My situation:
I am currently traveling overseas and im having isues managing some of my finantial apps and a few others installed on my cellphone that i need to use, from being connected with ISPs out of the country.
My devices:
1. My cellphone
2. My laptop with Linux Mint
3. My Ubuntu server in the US, running in my home.
On my laptop computer, i am able to connect to the US with a third party VPN server (ISP restrictions here are blocking straight VPN connections to my router at home and a few other locations i previously set up).
Once i am connected to the VPN, i SSH into my server with the dinamic port option, for example: ssh -D 9999 user@207.001.222.333
once i establish the connection, i am manually setting up firefox to use local proxy 127.0.0.1 on port 9999. So the result is a web browser window with my local IP at home, and i am able to do anything as if i am sitting in my room's desk in US.
Now, i tried a few proxy apps on my cellphone, but they do not work or trick the apps to use the connection at home. I can open the same SSH tunnel using the termux app, and tried setting the proxy in the android settings but still no go.
Now i would like to try, setting up a wifi hotspot from my laptop, so i can connect to it with my cellphone. And the wifi hotspot should of course be tunneled with the SSH proxy i mentioned above.
I do have an extra USB wifi dongle, that can be setup in monitor mode just in case it is needed, but my skills end here, please let me know if what i am trying to accomplish is possible, and any tips to get there.
Thank you!
UPDATE:
Ok i figured creating the wifi hotspot on the laptop is pretty easy with the GUI tools.
1. Now my computer is connected to a router with Ethernet
2. I am connected to the VPN
3. I opened the SSH tunnel with the dinamic port
4. The wifi card is setup as a hotspot
5. My phone is connected to the wifi hotspot in the laptop, and i get the IP address from the VPN connection
Here is a screenshot with the setup. There is a tab with "proxy" options for the wifi hotspot, but no way to set the loopback address and port number im using with the ssh connection.
https://i.imgur.com/LmFktZX.png
There is another section in the network manager where i am able to setup the proxy, but then the connections stop working in the laptop:
https://i.imgur.com/o6CIaUj.png
UPDATE2:
I found sshuttle
so now i can run: sshuttle -r axo@207.111.222.333 0/0
the laptop tunnels the traffic from my brave browser for example to my home IP in the US.. this is cool, no more manual setting needed in firefox (brave does not let you setup a manual proxy)
BUT.... the wifi hotspot still routes via the VPN ip, not using the SSH tunnel .. i am just missing that connection.
Let me know if you have any ideas.. thank you
My situation:
I am currently traveling overseas and im having isues managing some of my finantial apps and a few others installed on my cellphone that i need to use, from being connected with ISPs out of the country.
My devices:
1. My cellphone
2. My laptop with Linux Mint
3. My Ubuntu server in the US, running in my home.
On my laptop computer, i am able to connect to the US with a third party VPN server (ISP restrictions here are blocking straight VPN connections to my router at home and a few other locations i previously set up).
Once i am connected to the VPN, i SSH into my server with the dinamic port option, for example: ssh -D 9999 user@207.001.222.333
once i establish the connection, i am manually setting up firefox to use local proxy 127.0.0.1 on port 9999. So the result is a web browser window with my local IP at home, and i am able to do anything as if i am sitting in my room's desk in US.
Now, i tried a few proxy apps on my cellphone, but they do not work or trick the apps to use the connection at home. I can open the same SSH tunnel using the termux app, and tried setting the proxy in the android settings but still no go.
Now i would like to try, setting up a wifi hotspot from my laptop, so i can connect to it with my cellphone. And the wifi hotspot should of course be tunneled with the SSH proxy i mentioned above.
I do have an extra USB wifi dongle, that can be setup in monitor mode just in case it is needed, but my skills end here, please let me know if what i am trying to accomplish is possible, and any tips to get there.
Thank you!
UPDATE:
Ok i figured creating the wifi hotspot on the laptop is pretty easy with the GUI tools.
1. Now my computer is connected to a router with Ethernet
2. I am connected to the VPN
3. I opened the SSH tunnel with the dinamic port
4. The wifi card is setup as a hotspot
5. My phone is connected to the wifi hotspot in the laptop, and i get the IP address from the VPN connection
Here is a screenshot with the setup. There is a tab with "proxy" options for the wifi hotspot, but no way to set the loopback address and port number im using with the ssh connection.
https://i.imgur.com/LmFktZX.png
There is another section in the network manager where i am able to setup the proxy, but then the connections stop working in the laptop:
https://i.imgur.com/o6CIaUj.png
UPDATE2:
I found sshuttle
so now i can run: sshuttle -r axo@207.111.222.333 0/0
the laptop tunnels the traffic from my brave browser for example to my home IP in the US.. this is cool, no more manual setting needed in firefox (brave does not let you setup a manual proxy)
BUT.... the wifi hotspot still routes via the VPN ip, not using the SSH tunnel .. i am just missing that connection.
Let me know if you have any ideas.. thank you