iSH Python Proxy Server for iPhone

A lightweight Python-based HTTP/HTTPS proxy server designed to run inside iSH on an iPhone or iPad.

Mainly an experiment set up to see if this was a viable solution to using mobile data on untethered devices without using hotspot data. It works. This allows another device on the same local network (such as a MacBook, Windows laptop, or tablet) to route browser traffic through the iPhone by connecting to a proxy hosted inside iSH.

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What It Does

This project runs a local proxy server inside iSH using Python.

It supports:

• HTTP proxying
• HTTPS tunneling via CONNECT
• Multiple simultaneous clients using threaded handling
• Running entirely on an iPhone/iPad through iSH
• Use from another device over Wi-Fi

Example architecture:

Laptop Browser
     ↓
Proxy Settings → iPhone IP:8888
     ↓
Python Proxy in iSH
     ↓
iPhone Internet Connection
     ↓
Website

Use Cases

• Learn how HTTP proxies work
• Route browser traffic through an iPhone-hosted proxy
• Network experimentation using only an iPhone
• Lightweight local proxy lab
• Educational socket programming project

Requirements

iPhone / iPad

• iOS device
• iSH installed
• Same Wi-Fi network as client device

Software

Install Python inside iSH:

apk add python3  

Installation

Copy the proxy script to iSH as:

text proxyISH.py

Run:

sh python3 proxyISH.py 

Expected output:

Proxy listening on 0.0.0.0:8888 

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How To Use From Another Device

Step 1: Find iPhone IP Address

On iPhone:

text Settings → Wi-Fi → tap connected network

Example:

192.168.1.80 

Step 2: Configure Proxy On Client Device

Use:

Server: 192.168.1.80 
Port:   8888 

macOS

text System Settings → Wi-Fi → Details → Proxies

Enable:

• Web Proxy (HTTP)
• Secure Web Proxy (HTTPS)

Firefox

text Settings → Network Settings → Manual Proxy Configuration

Set:

HTTP Proxy: 192.168.1.80
Port: 8888 

Check:

Use this proxy server for all protocols

Testing

HTTP Test

sh curl -x http://192.168.1.80:8888 http://example.com 

HTTPS Test

sh curl -x http://192.168.1.80:8888 https://example.com 

Features

HTTP Support

Handles normal browser traffic such as:

GET http://example.com/

HTTPS Support

Supports browser TLS tunneling using:

CONNECT google.com:443 

Logs

Client requests appear in terminal:

('192.168.1.150', 50216) "CONNECT one.one.one.one:443 HTTP/1.1" 200 -

Notes

iSH Limitations

This runs inside a user-space Linux environment on iOS.

Because of iOS restrictions:

• Performance is lower than native proxy servers
• Background execution may pause
• Large sustained traffic may be unstable
• Best for experimentation / light use

This Is Not A Full Router

This project is a proxy server only.

It does not:

• Perform NAT routing
• Replace hotspot mode
• Transparently route all apps automatically
• Handle all UDP traffic
• Bypass hotspot data limitation

Security Warning

This proxy has:

• No authentication
• No encryption between client and proxy
• No access controls

Use only on trusted local networks.

Troubleshooting

Proxy Refusing Connections

Ensure:

python3 proxyISH.py 

is running.

DNS Errors

Inside iSH:

sh echo "nameserver 1.1.1.1" > /etc/resolv.conf echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" >> /etc/resolv.conf 

Cannot Reach iPhone

Verify both devices are on same Wi-Fi network.

Example Workflow

1. Launch iSH 
2. Run python3 proxyISH.py
3. Connect MacBook to same Wi-Fi
4. Set proxy to iPhoneIP:8888
5. Browse normally

License

MIT License

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Disclaimer

For educational and personal experimentation purposes only.

Use responsibly and only on networks/devices you own or control.