The proxy is utilizing network X.
The proxy is utilizing network X.
I recently ran some tests and was pleasantly surprised by the results. My laptop is running Ubuntu 20.04 with a VPN active. I opened a port on the VPN, choosing port 55555 for this example. On the laptop, I allowed that port with "sudo ufw allow 55555" and then configured it as a SOCKS5 proxy using "ssh -f -N -D 0.0.0.0:55555 localhost". It functions correctly online as a proxy, with the VPN handling the connection. My main concern is whether the traffic goes directly through the VPN server or via my home internet connection. I see everything on the laptop in terms of IP addresses, but I’m unsure if it’s routing through my home IP or the VPN server. Since I can observe all activity in "iftop," I hope this clarifies my understanding. If anyone wants to try this, I also tested it in a virtual machine and it worked identically—I’m happy to walk through the steps if needed.
Checking the VPN is straightforward. Simply visit https://ipleak.net/ to verify whether your VPN or ISP's IP address appears.