Hi all,

I would like to use a linux phone with Ubuntu Touch or PostmarketOS to make a sort of mobile modem which, when my laptop connects to the phone’s hotspot, would have Pihole for DNS and a VPN. Is this possible, and which general steps would you recommend to go about it? I have installed PostmarketOS on a Poco F1 and connected to my VPN using openvpn in the terminal, but then when I open a browser on the same phone and check my ip address it shows the address of the wifi I’m connected to, not the VPN. So it seems I have no idea about the architecture of this endeavor.

I hope to have this working by Christmas when I go to visit my parents. The intended internet connection would be

home wifi —> linux phone [some level of privacy]—> my laptop wifi

Thank you in advance!

  • unitedwithme@lemmy.today
    3·
    19 hours ago

    I would configure your phone to already have the necessary settings for VPN, so that any subsequent device’s traffic routes through that VPN (home).

    On each device individual device, I would then setup adguard or ublock as browser extensions.

    I don’t know how to wirelessly run a pihole as DNS, short of connecting that to the phone hotspot, however, then you run into latency due to the VPN connection unless you allow for a split tunnel for that singular device.

    Probably the simplest way to go about it.

    Edit

    However, if you’re worried about privacy, how secure or private is your home connection?? Because if you have a pihole already at home, using the VPN should also default your DNS to the Pihole you already have configured… Anyway, give a few now details about your network setup.

    • paperboy@lemmy.zipOP
      1·
      18 hours ago

      I would configure your phone to already have the necessary settings for VPN, so that any subsequent device’s traffic routes through that VPN (home).

      Does PostmarketOS work like that? On Android even if the phone has VPN active any device that connects to the phone’s hotspot will not have the VPN connection.

      The security and privacy of my parent’s home connection is exactly the issue… there is none!

      • unitedwithme@lemmy.today
        3·
        17 hours ago

        Idk about PostmarketOS. I use Lineage though, and my VPN app works just fine as does hotspot.

        I use a 3rd party VPN for privacy (Proton 2 custom profile).

        I meant at your place if you’re using a VPN to for network. Then you could take advantage of a Pihole that you already use.