NetConfiger Guide: Share a Windows Proxy Connection with Other PCs

NetConfiger is a LAN network distribution tool for Windows. It turns one already-connected host into a reusable HTTP / SOCKS5 exit for the local network: the host connects to the target network through a business client you control, NetConfiger opens a proxy entry on that host, and other PCs, VMs or browser workstations on the same LAN simply point their proxy-aware software at that address — reusing the environment the host already established, without installing the original client again.

This guide walks through the real interface screen by screen. Every screenshot is a genuine capture from NetConfiger v1.5.0.

How do you share an existing Windows connection with another PC?

Quick answer: On a Windows host that already has an authorized working network connection, NetConfiger can provide an HTTP or SOCKS5 proxy listening on an accessible LAN address. Configure a second PC's proxy-aware applications with that address and port, then verify that requests reach the intended destination through the selected exit. This is explicit proxy sharing, not full-device routing or a transparent gateway.

This practical guide covers Windows network sharing, Windows VPN sharing and LAN proxy configuration using real NetConfiger screens. For ICS and other approaches, see three ways to share a Windows VPN connection.

1. Interface Overview

The window is titled NetConfiger v1.5.0 with the subtitle "Windows LAN Network Distribution", split into a header, a function tab bar, a content area and a status bar.

Figure 1　Main interface. Header and licence badge on top, six function tabs in the middle, live status bar at the bottom.

The six tabs are Network Distribution (all HTTP / SOCKS5 settings and start/stop), Device Management (view and admit LAN devices), Licence, Log, Route (egress NIC and upstream proxy), and About.

2. IPv6 and DNS: Preventing Unintended Bypass

Figure 2　Network Distribution · HTTP page. The Network safety group at the top holds the IPv6 toggle; the amber line below is the leak warning.

NetConfiger includes a “Disable system IPv6” option under Network Security. If your selected egress or upstream proxy is IPv4-only, disabling IPv6 may reduce the chance of certain applications using a native IPv6 connection. However, disabling IPv6 alone does not prevent DNS leaks, and it is not required for every setup.

Verification checklist

1. Confirm whether your selected egress supports IPv4, IPv6 and the DNS method you intend to use.
2. Check whether each relevant application honors the system proxy or needs its own proxy configuration.
3. Test IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity separately, and check DNS resolution behavior.
4. Keep IPv6 enabled if your environment requires it unless you have assessed the effect of changing it.

These screenshots illustrate settings; they do not by themselves demonstrate complete traffic or DNS isolation.

3. Selecting an Egress Adapter: Requirements and Routing

Lab example: the required network is available only through a Windows client

Some corporate or proprietary services supply a Windows sign-in application rather than a router-ready configuration. Your host may show both an Ethernet adapter for reaching other devices and a separate virtual adapter for the authorized connection. The listening address tells client machines where to connect; egress selection affects where subsequent proxied requests go. These are separate settings.

First confirm the target works on the host, then test a real proxied request from a client. A visible virtual adapter alone is not proof that the upstream service permits forwarded traffic. More background: reusing a Windows-only network client.

The egress adapter selector can list both physical and virtual network interfaces. Selecting an interface does not by itself guarantee that traffic uses it: the destination route, gateway reachability, interface metrics and upstream service must also work correctly.

The following interfaces were observed on the test host. Their presence alone does not verify end-to-end forwarding across both paths:

When to switch the egress adapter

Figure 3　Route page. The egress adapter is a dropdown that lists physical and virtual adapters alike; templates and upstream proxy sit below.

Basic usage

The page states: select an egress NIC and add a route. 0.0.0.0/0 means the default egress; with no gateway it falls back to direct routing.

Common ways to use the egress settings

Four route templates

Upstream proxy: hand the egress to a local proxy service

When the host already runs the original client's proxy, use Upstream proxy to forward outbound traffic to it and let NetConfiger redistribute it across the LAN.

4. Start the Proxy Service and Check Its Status

This is the single most important — and most commonly missed — step. Filling in the settings is not the same as having the service running. You must click Start HTTP and confirm the status bar turns to Running.

Status reference

Start-up steps

1. Open the Network Distribution tab and stay on the HTTP sub-tab
2. Tick Enable HTTP
3. Tick Allow LAN access (required for other machines)
4. Set Bind to NIC to All NICs (0.0.0.0) or a specific physical/virtual adapter
5. Leave the listen port at 8080 (does not clash with 1080, so both can run)
6. Click the orange Start HTTP button
7. Wait a few seconds and confirm the status bar reads Service status: Running with the HTTP dot lit
8. Verify on the command line that the port really is listening

   netstat -ano | findstr :8080

   Seeing LISTENING is the real confirmation

If it fails to start

Open the Log tab and look for these:

Note: The application interface is in English, but existing log messages may still appear in Chinese depending on the component that generated them.

Figure 4　System log. Filters and auto-refresh on the left, four actions on the right — "Copy log" sends the whole thing to support in one click.

5. Connecting a Second PC

Practical example: another workstation or virtual machine needs the host's connection

Suppose a Windows workstation can access a private test API through a corporate client, while a second PC or a virtual machine cannot. If the consuming tool supports an explicit HTTP or SOCKS5 proxy and can reach the host, configure the host address and NetConfiger listening port in that tool. Verify the target API from the client environment, not just from the host.

For a VM, check the VM's network mode, host reachability and firewall policy first. Docker containers and WSL2 applications may require their own proxy and DNS settings. A successful TCP connection to the proxy port does not by itself establish that the application uses the intended egress.

5.1 Confirm the client can reach the host listening address

The client must be able to reach the host’s listening address over the network. The machines do not strictly need to share a subnet: routed subnets can also work when routing, firewalls and access controls permit the connection. The same LAN is simply the easiest starting point.

Topology used for this guide (values taken from the real host and the real second PC):

The host has auto-discovered 19 devices on the LAN (192.168.2.2, 192.168.2.3, 192.168.2.4, 192.168.2.5, 192.168.2.7, 192.168.2.8 and more); the second PC appears in Device Management where it can be given an alias.

5.2 Host side: note three values

1. Listen port — HTTP 8080, SOCKS5 1080 by default
2. Host LAN address — shown at the bottom of the Route tab; this machine is 192.168.2.6 (Ethernet, physical adapter)
3. Service status — must read Running

5.3 Second PC: test reachability first

Open a command prompt on the second PC and confirm it can reach the host:

ping 192.168.2.6

Replies mean the two machines see each other. If not, check the firewall, the subnet, and whether you are on a guest network with AP isolation.

Then confirm the port is listening:

Test-NetConnection -ComputerName 192.168.2.6 -Port 8080

TcpTestSucceeded : True means the port is reachable. This step immediately separates "network unreachable" from "service not started".

5.4 Configure the Windows System Proxy on Another PC

Set the Windows system proxy to the host’s HTTP listening address. Applications that honor these settings may use the proxy automatically. Other applications, background services and some UDP traffic may not; test each application that matters.

Option A — GUI (recommended)

Figure 5-1　Turn on Use a proxy server and fill in the address and port. An English-locale Windows 10 capture — the fields read exactly as labelled here.

Figure 5-2　Confirm the settings and save.

Option B — Command line (fast, scriptable)

In an administrative command prompt, switch the system proxy on:

netsh winhttp set proxy 192.168.2.6:8080
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v ProxyEnable /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v ProxyServer /t REG_SZ /d "192.168.2.6:8080" /f

To revert (turn the system proxy back off):

netsh winhttp reset proxy
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v ProxyEnable /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Option C — Per-application proxy

Protocol: HTTP  (or SOCKS5 if using the SOCKS5 entry)
Address:  192.168.2.6      ← the host's physical LAN address
Port:     8080             ← HTTP default; SOCKS5 default is 1080

5.5 Verify the Proxy Connection and Egress

Visit an IP lookup site. If the exit IP shown is the host's exit rather than the PC's own public IP, the proxy is working.

curl -x http://192.168.2.6:8080 https://api.ipify.org

The returned IP is the proxy exit IP. A timeout means going back to step 5.3.

6. Configure the SOCKS5 Proxy

Some applications only speak SOCKS5. Switch to the SOCKS5 sub-tab — same logic as HTTP, fewer fields.

Figure 6　SOCKS5 entry settings. Port and authentication mode are the essentials; any adapter can be bound here too.

7. Device Management

Figure 7　Device management. Overview and actions on top, client device table below.

Table columns: No., Device, Alias, IP address, MAC address, Connect time, Online duration, Status, Actions.

Actions: Refresh devices, Allow access, Edit name (readable aliases so the team can tell machines apart), Disconnect device, Clean firewall, and Auto refresh for long-running observation.

8. Licensing

Figure 8　Licence page. All licence fields plus five action buttons.

Five buttons: Import licence (pick a .lic), Remove licence, Refresh status, Buy licence, Website.

9. About NetConfiger and Supported Features

Figure 9　About page. The product's own capability list, usage recommendations, and contact details.

1. HTTP / SOCKS5 local gateway with multi-NIC listening
2. Route page to add or remove routes, supporting gateway and direct NICs, with Metric tuning; session routes are cleaned up on exit
3. Built-in templates for office LAN, WG private networks and private-range default routes, reducing manual configuration
4. Upstream proxy (advanced) to forward outbound traffic to an existing local SOCKS / HTTP service
5. Multi-NIC entry: the host IP and port are shown and the entry adapter can be chosen from a list

Usage recommendations: ordinary users can start from the office-LAN or WG private template; advanced users may customise subnet, egress NIC and Metric (NICs without a gateway fall back to direct routing); the upstream proxy only stores gateway settings and the service must already be running locally; routes added in a session are removed on exit.

10. FAQ

Why can I connect to the proxy port but not the target API?

Check these separately: host-side target access, the client's explicit proxy configuration, proxy protocol support, the selected route or upstream interface, and DNS handling. A reachable port proves only that the listener is reachable.

Will every application in a VM, Docker container or WSL2 use this proxy?

No. Each application or environment must support and correctly configure the proxy. System proxy settings do not cover all software or protocols, and some UDP or non-HTTP traffic needs a different network solution.

The second PC cannot connect — what do I check first?

In order: ① is the host status bar Running; ② is Allow LAN access ticked; ③ did you enter the host's outbound-facing adapter address. Only then look at firewall rules.

The UI opens but the service will not start?

Usually licensing. A log line containing http 服务Unlicensed says exactly that — import a valid .lic file on the Licence tab.

Do I really have to disable IPv6?

Must IPv6 be disabled? No. Consider changing IPv6 only when your upstream or applications require IPv4-only connectivity and you have assessed the impact. Check DNS resolution, IPv4/IPv6 connectivity and the actual egress separately; disabling IPv6 does not guarantee that DNS requests follow the proxy.

Port 8080 is already in use

Change the listen port to a free one and update the clients to match.

Do clients need the original client installed?

No. Downstream devices only need proxy-aware software. Eliminating that repeated installation is the core value of this product.

My licence broke after changing PCs

The machine code changed; submit the new one and have the licence file reissued.

Over the device limit?

Device Management shows usage. Remove idle devices, or move to a higher tier.

11. Usage Notes

Product home: netconfiger.com