A step-by-step guide to installing Alpine Linux on old, low-powered hardware and configuring it as a mobile backup gateway using Android USB tethering. Covers BIOS quirks, disk identification, NAT/iptables setup, and hotplug automation with mdev.

Turn an old, dusty PC into a reliable 4G/5G backup internet gateway using Alpine Linux and Android USB tethering — no expensive hardware required.

Repurpose Your Old PCs: How To Install Alpine Linux on Them

A step-by-step guide to setting up an Alpine Linux box as a backup WAN gateway for your home or small business network, using Android USB tethering as the mobile data source. Includes a failover script and full network configuration.

Turn an old PC or mini box running Alpine Linux into a backup WAN gateway using your existing Android phone's USB tethering — no extra SIM, no extra plan, no extra cost.

Tag: Iptables

Tag: Iptables

Repurpose Your Old PCs: How To Install Alpine Linux on Them

Create a Backup Mobile Data WAN for Your Small Business / Home Network