Have you ever wanted to share your internet connection with other devices on your network? Perhaps you have a limited data plan on your mobile device and want to use your computer's internet connection instead. Or maybe you want to monitor the network traffic of all devices connected to your network. Whatever your reasons may be, setting up a proxy server with Fiddler on Windows can help you achieve these goals.

Fiddler is a free web debugging proxy that can capture HTTP and HTTPS traffic. It is commonly used by developers and network administrators to inspect and debug web traffic. However, it can also be used to set up a proxy server for network sharing. In this blog post, we will walk through the steps to set up a proxy server with Fiddler on Windows.

Step 1: Download and Install Fiddler

The first step is to download and install Fiddler on your Windows computer. Fiddler is available for download from the official website (https://www.telerik.com/download/fiddler). Once downloaded, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install Fiddler on your computer.

Step 2: Configure Fiddler as a Proxy Server

After installing Fiddler, launch the application. By default, Fiddler acts as a local proxy server, capturing traffic from the computer it is installed on. To configure Fiddler as a proxy server for network sharing, go to Tools > Fiddler Options > Connections and check the box next to "Allow remote computers to connect." This will enable Fiddler to accept incoming connections from other devices on your network.

Step 3: Configure Network Settings

Next, you will need to configure the network settings on the devices that you want to share the internet connection with. On each device, go to the network settings and set the proxy server address to the IP address of the computer running Fiddler and the port number used by Fiddler (by default, this is 8888). This will route all network traffic through the Fiddler proxy server.

Step 4: Start Capturing Traffic

Once the proxy server is set up and the network settings are configured on the other devices, Fiddler will start capturing all incoming and outgoing network traffic. You can use Fiddler to monitor the traffic in real-time, inspect HTTP requests and responses, and even manipulate the traffic if needed.

Step 5: Troubleshooting and Security Considerations

While setting up a proxy server with Fiddler for network sharing can be useful, it is important to consider security implications. All network traffic will be routed through the proxy server, so it is crucial to ensure that Fiddler is running on a trusted and secure computer. Additionally, it is recommended to use HTTPS encryption for secure web browsing when using a proxy server.

In conclusion, setting up a proxy server with Fiddler on Windows can be a powerful tool for network sharing and monitoring. Whether you want to share your internet connection with other devices or monitor network traffic for debugging purposes, Fiddler provides a user-friendly solution. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can easily set up a proxy server with Fiddler and enjoy the benefits of network sharing on your Windows computer.