Easytether on VoidPup64 - Internet to your computer through your phone

[mouldy]

Ok, it makes no sense to non-Americans why anybody would use an IPtunnel app with phone in debug mode. They will tell you just use the native Android tethering/hotspot app on your phone. Well unless they remember back in early Android phones where there was no native tethering app, they dont understand American phone companies are GREEDY and much less regulated far as consumer protection.

Well in good ole USA, phone companies charge extra for tethering and have phones they sell with native tethering app LOCKED. The work around (without rooting the phone) is to use an app that does an IPtunnel with phone in debug mode. Two that work with linux, the venerable Azilink. Azilink.apk installs on any Android phone. But on computer side, you need some version openvpn and adb installed on any tethered computer. If your ONLY INTERNET is tethering to phone, this maybe chicken and egg situation, painful to download correct bits and install them offline. I will mention current Manjaro comes with both adb and openvpn preinstalled. So if you are desperate with no way to download stuff, might want to start with Manjaro. Azilink is open source but hasnt been maintained in maybe ten years. Works cause openvpn is backwards compatible. Here is good description how to set it up in linux, it can work with windows and mac too, anything with adb and openvpn. https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Android_tethering

Now the other is Easytether. Its a commercial product, the full version sells for $10, thats the app for your Android phone, the software for computers and one kind router is free download. They offer a free trial version but it cant do https, only http, which in 2022 is pretty limiting. If you are desperate, probably a cracked full version somewhere, but leave you to track it down and gamble its clean. Easytether is pretty easy to make work on windows. The linux versions.... can be problematic. Manjaro and Fedora 35 its pretty much install, then plug and play. You might have to unplug cable from phone and replug it to get it going. Its fairly easy with Ubuntu and Bodhi, but not automatic, you install, then you have to restart systemd.service or something like that. Debian, seriously I never could get Network Manager to use the generated tun-easytether interface. I had to statically define it in /etc/network/interfaces and then use ifup. Wicd also works but newer version that works with python3 isnt available yet.

And now Puppy. I tried the Debian version in Fossapup, nope, when I run "easytether-usb" it says tun-easytether aquired, then imediately "easytether: unknown". It fails. A search and only mention of this was from a Manjaro forum participant who updated and answered his own question six years ago, he got the wrong version easytether. Downloaded the one specifically for his Manjaro and it worked fine. HINT!. Obviously the Debian/Ubuntu version not working in Puppy. Oh it works in BusterDog and SparkyBonsai, they are basically just mini Debian. But not real Puppies.

So was thinking there is an official VoidPup64. Try the Void version easytether. Really amazing they offer a Void version, but??? Ok I was apparently clueless using Void package manager so just unarchived it, the Void is bundle of different easytether for different versions Void 32bit, 64bit, etc. It generated a /usr/bin directory with the three little easytether apps, one for usb, one for bluetooth, etc. Merged it using ROX.

I run easytether-usb and it wants libcrypto.so.43. Not something required in Debian versions. So find the Void package for libcrypto.so.45 online and download it. Again just unarchived it and copied the library files statically. Then created a simlink of it for libcrypto.so.43. Next time I run easytether-usb it wants adb key. Well I remember that from Debian version, so just statically copy the /etc/easytether directory from MX. You can also unarchive the Debian version of easytether freshly downloaded from the easytether website to get this directory. Ok, this time it runs and creates tap-easytether interface. Yea in Debian its tun-easytether. Now to activate it.

The easy way is to use Puppy's internet connection wizard, choose the ethernet option and Dougals. Dougal sees the tap-easytether and uses DHCP to activate. Check /etc/resolv.conf and if empty or filled with commented out gabage, clear it and declare a nameserver of your choice. You should be able to surf. Now if you dont want to deal with DHCP playing games with nameserver, you can use static option in Dougal or define it in /etc/network/interfaces. Only define it. Ifup can get confused easily if you leave anything else, doesnt always ignore commented out items. Also VoidPup uses busybox version ifup. This is kinda messed up. I found it worked better copying the version from MX statically to /usr/sbin. Couldnt find way to disable the one in Busybox but if you call /usr/sbin/ifup, then you get the real one.

I would assume this also work with Fossapup64 and maybe the others, except maybe Slacko, it may have older libraries. The Void version easytether seems to be most compatible with official Puppies. And maybe I need to read more about Void package manager. Its the reason I like Debian, apt-get is very friendly. But mostly just getting used to something different.

[mouldy]

Ok, even with interface defined statically, something occasionally overwrites /etc/resolv.conf

So I made a simple script to bring up the easytether connection. Shortcut on desktop calls the script.

Here are the commands in the script.

ifdown tap-easytether
easytether-usb
ifup tap-easytether
rm /etc/resolv.conf
cp /etc/phillip.txt /etc/resolv.conf

When using ifup, you really need to use ifdown when shutting down computer so if you forget, first line takes care of that. Second line calls easytether-usb and creates the tap-easytether interface. Third line activates it, this also will sometimes overwrite /etc/resolv.conf So after trying several things, seem blunt force trama is most reliable. Remove /etc/resolv.conf Then I have nameserver I want in file called phillip.txt. So copy phillip.txt to /etc/resolv.conf, recreates resolv.conf with contents of phillip.txt.

So click the shortcut and assuming you have your phone set up properly with developer debug and box ticked in the easytether app, you are good to go. Oh Puppy doesnt have /etc/network/interfaces. I created it and defined the tap-easytether interface statically there.

Contents of which:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

auto tap-easytether
iface tap-easytether inet static
address 192.168.117.2
broadcast 192.168.117.255
dns-nameservers 1.1.1.1
gateway 192.168.117.1
netmask 255.255.255.0

I personally like using ifup for the easytether, makes life easier. And in other linux that use NetworkManager in some form, this bypasses that, NetworkManager usually ignores any interface defined in /etc/network/interfaces. But like I mentioned before, you can do this with Dougal network wizard once you run easytether-usb to create the tap-easytether interface. Just more steps. One click verses several.

[mouldy]

Ok, I read how to use Void package manager. To install Void package locally, its "inst-xbps /path_to_package" without the quotes. And first time you use it, complains of missing /var/cache/xbps. So create a sub directory in /var/cache named xbps. Leave it empty.

Now no problem installing the Void package for libcrypto.so.45 this way. I then manually made the sim link for libcrypto.so.43. But then installing the Void easytether package, it wouldnt recognize the sim link and insisted it needed libcrypto.so.43. Also insisted it needed libbluetooth. Yea easytether can connect to phone via bluetooth. But I dont use it. Its just an arbitrary dependency for the easytether package if you dont need bluetooth connection. Computer i am using is old desktop and doesnt even have capability to use bluetooth. And without being online, package manager cant look for way to meet these dependencies.

However you do it the way I described earlier, you unarchive the Void easytether pkg and manually merge the created /usr directory to Puppy /usr using ROX. I am not sure why but the Void package doesnt seem to have the /etc/easytether directory. As I mentioned you can manually extract it from the easytether DEB package. Merge generated /etc directory into Puppy with ROX. In all this its the /etc/bin/easytether-usb from Void package that is important. Its different than the one from the DEB package. The /etc/easytether stuff is universal in all the packages, its just the adbkey.

Now if you do have another way to connect and update the Void repositories and let the package manager do what it has to do to be happy, then you can probably sucessfully use the Void package manager to install easytether. But what lot of the geniuses that come up with this stuff seem not to understand that if you dont have an existing supported ethernet or wifi connection, you cant magically use the package manager in ANY distribution to download and install stuff. It has to be done manually and thats a PITA if lot dependencies. Used to be that way with dialup too, though puppy always friendly to dialup users cause Barry used to be one. He included all the linux dialup modem drivers he could find. But there were distributions that didnt include even marginal support for dialup, just assumed everybody had ethernet.

[mouldy]

Ok, figured I had to actually try getting Easytether working in FossaPup64 v9.5 too. Enough to make one want to bang head against nearest rock. But I finally got it to work.

First the "easytether-usb" from the Void package simply wont run in FossaPup. Matter of fact for whatever reason FossaPup wont even recognize it exists. NO SUCH FILE! I still have no idea why, its a 64bit executable and both are 64bit systems. Should at least give some error or something, but just says no such file.

Ok, so I install the DEB package, just right click and do you want to install. Yes. It installs. Now when I run "easytether-usb" I get tun-easytether aquired, but then immediately "easytether: unknown"

Now thanks to a post from 2016 on the TinyCore forum I found recently, yes Google found it, Duck didnt, some guy got it working in TinyCore. So I used two lines from his recipe.

addgroup -S easytether
adduser -S -G easytether -h /var/lib/easytether/empty -H -s /bin/false easytether

Yea this guy lot brighter than me. I never would figured this. Thats what it took in TinyCore.

So did that.

Now when I run "easytether-usb" get "tun-easytether aquired" And for real as easytether fades to background.

ifconfig show the interface tun-easytether.

Now I add /etc/network/interfaces file and define it like I did before only with tun-easytether rather than tap-easytether.

And "ifup tun-easytether" and manually add "nameserver 8.8.8.8" in the resolv.conf file. I bring up Palemoon and I can surf. Course like I did in VoidPup, can make that convenient little script and shortcut on desktop to call it with one click of the mouse, convenient plus makes sure /etc/resolv.conf has nameserver I want.

[rockedge]

And first time you use it, complains of missing /var/cache/xbps. So create a sub directory in /var/cache named xbps. Leave it empty.

I think you can solve this by performing as the very first step before using xbps-install. This command run in a terminal should set up the cache:

Code: Select all

xbps-install -S

[mouldy]

I have probably beat this topic into the ground. But I was curious. Booted into a fresh VoidPup64 instance with nothing installed. Just put the easytether DEB package in /root/my-documents. Left clicked the DEB package. Do you want to install. Yes....

It installed. Try running "easytether-usb" Get "tun-easytether aquired" "easytether: unknown". Run the two lines I used in FossaPup. Try again with "easytether-usb" and "tun-easytether aquired" then connected and fades to terminal prompt Now create /etc/network directory and the interfaces file inside the directory, then define the tun-easytether connection on the interfaces file. Now run "ifup tun-easytether" and edit /etc/resolv.config file declaring a nameserver. Bring up Light browser and here I am.

Sad but if one is trying to tether for that first connection in VoidPup and you dont have any other connection to help set things up...., the DEB package is way to go, dont need libcrypto.so.43 with DEB version, only with the Void version. Dont need to use the Void package manager and dont need to unarchive Void packages and statically install the pieces. So two options, whatever seems best to you, both work. But for the DEB version to work, you do need to run those two lines exactly as written. Kinda odd you need to addgroup and adduser in DEB version but not in the Void version. But Void version needs libcrypto.so.43 added and the DEB verson fine with whatever libcrypto already there.

And I will point out once again, I like ifup/ifdown way connecting tun-easytether but Dougal connection wizard built into Puppy works fine if more comfortable with gui interface, it will see tun-easytether or tap-easytether and then run DHCP to connect. Ifup/ifdown was old manual commandline way that has hung around, you understand how it works and its as simple as it gets. Its great for computers that have one unchanging connection, like a desktop, not so great if you have laptop that has to do many temporary wifi connections. Thats why lot distributions went to network-manager to automate this. I recently took laptop to library that still had old version Lubuntu on it. Network-manager automatically looked and found like 30 possible connections. Most were private and password protected. But library one there too. Now network-manager on especially Debian based distributions has heck of time with tun-easytether.

[rockedge]

to test out scrcpy on a Void Linux based distro I tried it out in KLV-Airedale installed using a terminal with:

Code: Select all

xbps-install -Sy scrcpy

I put my phone into USB debug mode and started scrcpy via a terminal with:

Code: Select all

scrcpy

Started immediately and works.

Screenshot_2022-04-17_10-35-57.png (354.36 KiB) Viewed 3506 times

[mouldy]

Small update. In Debian Dog Bookworm you do have to do the addgroup, adduser thing. Oh it will complain about some bluetooth file it wants not included. And will offer to uninstall easytether. Select no and it will leave it in place. It works fine without bluetooth dependency unless you want to use easytether with bluetooth connection.

Now the option flags available have changed for these. No more -S or -G. Here is what currently works:

addgroup --system easytether
adduser --system --group easytether

Has nothing to do with Puppy/Dog/Easy, but in Fedora35, go hunt down the latest easytether offering for Fedora (rpm will be for older Fedora) and use that. Dont try to use the files from the Debian version.

[OldPcer]

I hate to be late to the party and stumped but I am.
I have a fresh frugal install of fossapup64 9.5.
I downloaded and installed easytether_0.8.9_amd64.deb .

from terminal I ran the following

Code: Select all

easytether-usb

Code: Select all

addgroup -S easytether
adduser -S -G easytether -h /var/lib/easytether/empty -H -s /bin/false easytether

then I ran

Code: Select all

easytether-usb

, it dropped root ect and faded to the background.

I added the namespace to resolv.conf.
and created the phillip.txt file with the namespace for overwriting the resov.conf

then I created the script with the contents

Code: Select all

ifdown tun-easytether
easytether-usb
ifup tun-easytether
rm /etc/resolv.conf
cp /etc/phillip.txt /etc/resolv.conf

when I run the above script "run in terminal" I get

Code: Select all

ifdown: interface tun‐easytether not configured

from terminal I can run

Code: Select all

easytether-usb

, then

Code: Select all

 ifdown tun-easytether 

then

Code: Select all

 ifup tun-easytether

.
this connects to the internet from my phone which is how Im posting here right now.
my question is where do I put the

Code: Select all

ifdown tun-easytether
easytether-usb
ifup tun-easytether
rm /etc/resolv.conf
cp /etc/phillip.txt /etc/resolv.conf

script so that it will work. I am setting this up for my daughter and would like a plug the phone in and click a button solution. I feel I am missing some simple linux rule of where to put scripts so they have access to things that I am unaware of.

thanks for any help.

[rockedge]

@OldPcer Hello and to the kennels!

In Fossapup64 any script that is executable placed in /root/Startup will automatically be run during system start up.

This script (to be a one-click solution) could be placed in /root/my-applications/bin which is included in the $PATH environment variable for the shell to find executable programs.

Place your script in /root/my-applications/bin and drag & drop to the desktop from a Rox window and assign it an icon.When clicked on will run your script.

Make sure to assign permissions to execute to the script.

[OldPcer]

Thanks for the fast reply. I tried it right away and could not get it to work. I gave up and haven't had time to try it till today. Followed the instructions above including yours and voila it works!! Easy Tethering was last thing I needed windows for but not now.

[mouldy]

Small update, on BookwormPup64 you will need to install libssl1.1. I just keep a copy around. You may need to look for it in an older version 64bit Debian. Buster? Or older Puppy. The easytether people havent updated anything since like 2018. Its quite a popular app so not sure why. But other than few small things like needing an older library, still works fine.