[Q] Issues with VPN & Tethering via USB

New Nexus 5 (2 weeks old) and currently running Stock / Rooted. I have successfully connected my phone to my work VPN, and other VPN networks that I use but the issue is when tethering with USB (may be the same with wifi) my IP address is still my cell providers network. Everyone else at work has an app they use to tether with their blackberry and I had to be cool and switch to Android first with the Nexus.

Is it possible to route the VPN traffic on the phone through USB tethering to mac or pc?

nigelhealy said:

Yes, run VPN client on your MAC/PC, it goes through the tether to use you phone as modem, VPN layered begins in the PC through the tether.

The only thing I've ever had to worry about is Android and windows has different encryption defaults, you might have to toggle options til it works.

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Thanks. Yeah, I was hoping it was possible on the phone itself. Our PC's get reimaged everyday (stupidly strict with the work computers) and have to start fresh and input the settings again.. and again.. and again. It would have just been one less thing to worry about.

nigelhealy said:

Yes, run VPN client on your MAC/PC, it goes through the tether to use you phone as modem, VPN layered begins in the PC through the tether.

The only thing I've ever had to worry about is Android and windows has different encryption defaults, you might have to toggle options til it works.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

nigelhealy said:

What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

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Connect to my work network over VPN through the phone (which works) & then tether that connection to my work pc (which has some crazy restrictions).

- I connected to my work VPN on my phone using the built in Android VPN.
- Everything on the phone acts like it is suppose to, I can get on the INTRAnet, browse network drives, etc...
- I can tether the phone through USB with no issue however none of the traffic is routed through the VPN connection.

I don't really care about any tethering limits with networks as we have unlimited (including tethering) with Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. I tried a couple of the tricks I am finding out but noting is letting me route my phones VPN traffic over the tether.

- Made sure changed the settings to IPv4/IPv6
- Tried out the tether hack by adding tether_dun_required 0 to the SQL

No luck so far I will keep hunting around this weekend. If nothing works I will just have to get the IT people to install some VPN app into the PC Image for me which will probably take a month or so.

nigelhealy said:

Idea 1:

Bootable USB stick running Ubuntu 14.04, you put all your setting to your heart's content into that image, you can then use the desktop device just as a big keyboard/mouse/screen and bypass any software restrictions and leave no footprint. Ubuntu does VPN.

Then its just the F key to press, F12 say on a Lenovo and anything you save is in the USB stick so any re-imaging is irrelevant as you never use that re-imaged at all.

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Thats exactly what I was thinking but I run into the issue of needing to use the proprietary work software on the PC. I might do this just for the hell of it anyway because its always fun but it will probably just add in another step not needed.

nigelhealy said:

Idea 1:

Bootable USB stick running Ubuntu 14.04, you put all your setting to your heart's content into that image, you can then use the desktop device just as a big keyboard/mouse/screen and bypass any software restrictions and leave no footprint. Ubuntu does VPN.

Then its just the F key to press, F12 say on a Lenovo and anything you save is in the USB stick so any re-imaging is irrelevant as you never use that re-imaged at all.

Idea 2:

Remote desktop capability, your remote end runs Remote Desktop servers (e.g.Citriix) then from the local PC you connect to the gateway.

Idea 3:

Try different VPN software in Android. So sounds like the VPN on the Android device is layered only ontop for the Android apps not the whole device, so you need to put the VPN layer lower down. Try instead of Android's builtin VPN capability (Settings, ....VPN) try the VPNRoot app

Idea 4:

(I got plenty more... probably you'll like Idea 3 as its easiest for you)

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Ugh yeah, I should have tried a different VPN app as that might fix my issue. I will give VPNRoot a shot later tonight. Not that it matters for what I need done but the "hacks" I used actually shows all data I used was coming from the phone, nice to know if I ever have to pay for my own service again.