Most Android smartphones nowadays can tether or become a Wi-Fi hotspot i.e., share internet data with other Wi-Fi enabled devices. Android tethering is helpful in situations where you have some work on your PC/laptop, and there is no dedicated Wi-Fi available.
However, sometimes it could be the other way around. The system might be getting excellent internet speed, but somehow, your Android phone couldn’t connect to the network.
That is where Gnirehtet comes in — an open-source app that allows users to share a laptop’s internet with an Android device, aka reverse ‘tethering’ (try spelling it backward).
Before we move ahead, Windows 10 and macOS both offer to become a Wi-Fi hotspot, but there is no harm in knowing another useful way to share your PC’s internet connection with Android devices.
Besides, sharing Wi-Fi from MacBooks comes with a lot of limitations, and Linux doesn’t have a streamlined method, so Gnirehtet would be an excellent option to share the internet from laptop to mobile.
How to Reverse Tether With Gnirehtet?
Prerequisites
– USB Debugging turned on
– Download and extract the Gnirehtet package
– ADB tools installed
– A USB cable
ADB tool is a bit tricky; nevertheless, our Scrcpy article compromises a step-by-step process of installing it on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Scrcpy is another open-source project from the same developer that enables users to share Android screen to PC.
In the Gnirehtet package, you will find executable files for macOS and Windows. Connect your Android device to your PC via a USB cable and double click on the “gnirehtet-run.cmd” for Windows or “gnirehtet” Unix executable file for macOS. Linux users can navigate to the directory in the terminal and type “./gnirehtet run.”
On an Android device, install the Gnirehtet APK file located in its package. A connection request will prompt after running it for the first time. Tap OK and you will see a VPN icon on the status bar of your Android device.
 Users will now be able to run the PC’s internet on their Android device. Of course, the device still needs to be connected via the USB cable.
While users can share the internet from PC to mobile via WiFi with the help of a few ADB commands, expect a drop in Internet speeds.
