Introduction
The VPN Share Tool is a cross-platform distributed utility designed to safely and easily share remote or local network resources across multiple devices on the same local network.
The Problem
When working in teams, developers often connect to corporate VPNs or staging networks to access internal testing sites, staging environments, databases, or APIs. However:
- Connecting multiple devices (e.g., test mobile devices, tablets, additional testing laptops) to the same corporate VPN simultaneously can be restricted, expensive, or complex.
- Sharing a temporary resource hosted on a developer's localhost with another local testing machine is tedious.
The Solution
The VPN Share Tool solves this by allowing one machine—which has access to the VPN or local resource—to serve as a localized proxy.
- It exposes the resource securely over the local network using HTTP/HTTPS.
- Other devices on the same network can access the shared resource without needing to run the VPN client themselves.
- It automatically handles URL rewrites and captures debug traffic.
Key Features
- Zero Configuration Discovery: The client application automatically discovers the registry server on the local subnet without manual IP input.
- HTTPS and SSL/TLS Support: Connections to discovery and shared proxies are secured with custom certificate authority (CA) certificates.
- Embedded Request Debugger: Built-in web dashboard at
/debug/to view and inspect all proxied HTTP requests and responses in real-time. - Anti-Phishing & Content Rewriter: Rewrites hyperlinks, absolute assets, redirects, and injects customized client-side helpers (like CAPTCHA solving hooks) so proxied resources render correctly.
- Auto-Reconnecting Live Logs: Real-time traffic log streams to a centralized admin registry.