Using CE on Laptop to simulate cellular networks

I need to simulate cellular networks in a lab environment. I would like to connect the cellphones via WiFi to a laptop running CE and then over the Internet to a remote server. I saw a note in the forum explaining that you cannot bridge over a WiFi connection. Can I use a USB to Ethernet adapter as a second NIC connected to a wireless access point?

Please advise.

Thanks,
Kevin

Yes, you can. It could be connected like this and then you bridge the USB Ethernet card and the built-in one (using the CE's bridging feature):

Andrew,

Thanks for the quick reply and good news.

Best regards,
Kevin Struthers

Andrew,

In the configuration you shared, how would you recommend that I install a proxy server to inspect traffic from the cellphones?

Thanks again

It may be easier to install Wireshark and sniff traffic on either interface. Or you can simply use the Capture tab in CE to log data to a file and then analyse it with Wireshark:

Andrew,

Thank you for your reply. I need to use the proxy server because the traffic is encrypted with SSL. I should have mentioned that in my earlier question. I am planning on using the Charles proxy server. Could the proxy server and CE coexist on the laptop or would you recommend a separate computer for proxy server?

I am sorry that I did not give you all of the details in one post.

Thank you for the Wireshark tip. That will be helpful with some other tests I will be doing.

Best regards,
Kevin Struthers

As far as I understand, you will specify the proxy server's IP address in the actual cellphone, right? If so and you are running Windows 7 or Windows 8, the setup could be simpler:

1. Turn the laptop's WiFi card into an Access Point.
2. Install the Charles proxy and CE on this laptop.
3. Now a cellphone should be able to access the Internet through the laptop directly, or through the proxy if specified in the cellphone's settings.

Andrew,

Thank you for all of the advice and quick replies.

Best regards,
Kevin Struthers