ProxyGambit is a 2015 networking proof of concept by Samy Kamkar that routes a connection through a Wi-Fi network near a remote device. It can make that remote network the apparent exit point, but its author calls it “an insecure, bare bones proof of concept” and warns of “many risks.” The project does not establish that it can reliably protect anyone’s identity.
What ProxyGambit is
Kamkar published ProxyGambit in July 2015 as an open-source project related to his earlier ProxyHam concept. Its aim is to separate the network a user connects from from the Wi-Fi network through which traffic exits. The project is a historical prototype, not a current retail product or a validated privacy service. Kamkar’s project README and his project index describe its goal and design.
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In simplified terms, a device near a remote Wi-Fi network relays traffic so that the remote network, rather than the user’s immediate connection, appears to be the exit. ProxyGambit describes two ways to reach that remote device: a direct point-to-point radio link, or a reverse TCP tunnel carried over a GSM/GPRS connection.
How the two connection methods differ
Point-to-point radio
The README describes a direct wireless link between the user-side equipment and the remote exit device. Kamkar claimed a line-of-sight range of 10 km or more and speeds of “150Mbps+.” These are the project’s 2015 claims, not independently verified operating results; actual performance would depend on equipment, installation, terrain, interference, and other conditions.
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Reverse TCP tunnel over GSM
For longer-distance connectivity, the documented design uses a 2G GSM/GPRS connection. The microcontroller creates a serial connection over a reverse TCP tunnel and connects it to the Raspberry Pi’s UART. The README says the FONA library opens an outbound TCP connection because the SIM800 cannot open listening sockets. A Raspberry Pi image bridges network traffic and communicates with the microcontroller over serial; at the remote end, traffic exits through nearby Wi-Fi.
Hackaday’s July 2015 report describes a two-ended arrangement with two FONA boards, two Arduinos, and two Raspberry Pis, each Pi acting as a network bridge. That is the contemporary article’s summary; it should not be mistaken for evidence of an independently tested, turnkey assembly. The README’s explanation and Hackaday’s two-ended description are useful context, not present-day build verification.
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Hardware in the 2015 documentation
The README names these parts for its historical design. The list documents what the project specified at the time; it does not confirm current availability, compatibility, or suitability for a new build.
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- Raspberry Pi 2 Model B or Model B+.
- An ATmega328-based device, such as an Arduino Nano, plus an Adafruit FONA GSM board using a SIM800 chip and a FONA antenna.
- For the radio-link option, a pair of Ubiquiti NanoStation LocoM2 or LocoM5 devices.
- A Wi-Fi adapter, with Edimax and Alfa AWUS036NH given as examples.
- A SIM with 2G service, an SD card, a powered USB hub, and a small 3.7 V lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery.
- A voltage divider or logic-level converter between serial hardware.
The software notes are equally dated: the README specifies a Raspberry Pi image based on Wheezy dated 2015-05-05. Its 2G dependency is particularly time- and location-sensitive. Whether 2G remains available depends on the country and carrier, and current operator support is not established here.
Why the project is not a dependable anonymity measure
Changing the apparent network exit is not the same as proving anonymity. The project materials do not establish that ProxyGambit hides a user’s identity from a capable observer, prevents traffic correlation, protects the user’s devices, or has passed a modern security audit. In its 2015 coverage, Hackaday likewise cautioned that it “should not be used by anyone who actually needs anonymity.”
That warning matters because the design adds equipment and network links without demonstrating what threats they withstand. A remote Wi-Fi exit may change which network is visible as the source of traffic, but that alone does not show that other identifying information or relationships between connections are concealed. The README’s own description of the project as insecure and bare-bones is the appropriate way to frame it.
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How to interpret the speed and range claims
The README’s “150Mbps+” and “10km+” figures refer to its claimed direct, line-of-sight radio link. Hackaday described the distance in rounded terms as “10km (6 miles).” These are claims reported in 2015, not results from a documented independent test, and they should not be treated as guaranteed range or throughput. The “2G” figure identifies the GSM generation in the tunnel design; it is not evidence that a usable 2G network is available now in a particular place.
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ProxyGambit is useful as an example of a networking idea: route traffic to a remote relay, then let it leave through Wi-Fi there. It also illustrates how a proof of concept can combine radio hardware, embedded serial links, cellular connectivity, and a small computer. It does not provide a supported modern build, a current compatibility guide, or evidence that the setup offers reliable anonymity.
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VPNs, Tor, phone tethering, and a remote hardware relay involve different trust assumptions, infrastructure, and complexity. The available project and contemporary coverage do not provide a validated head-to-head security comparison, so they do not support naming one as a universal winner.
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