Turn any PHP host into a gateway to your local network with host2gateway

Ever wanted to turn a simple PHP host into a gateway for your local network?

I built host2gateway to do exactly that.

ProfiDE / host2gateway

Uses a PHP host or web server to create a gateway that securely allows access to clients through it.

host2gateway

host2gateway is a tool designed to provide access from a web server (Gateway) to a client without requiring static IP addresses, port forwarding, changing firewall rules, or other complex configurations. It is written in PHP and can be deployed on most hosting provider environments.

Features

• No need for static IP or port forwarding: There is no requirement to modify your firewall or router settings.
• Platform-independent: Works anywhere PHP 8.2 or higher is supported, making it suitable for most shared hosting services.
• Lightweight and simple: Minimal dependencies and easy deployment.
• Strong encryption built-in: Uses a powerful encryption mechanism that secures all communication, even if SSL/TLS is not available on the hosting provider. Your data is protected at all times, regardless of your environment.

How It Works

The client establishes an outbound connection to a Gateway server that is accessible from the internet (a PHP-enabled web host). Both sides communicate…

View on GitHub

🔥 What is host2gateway?

It's a lightweight tool that transforms any server running PHP into a gateway that can route traffic, manage requests, and act as a bridge between your local network and external services.

No heavy dependencies. No complex configs. Just PHP, Cron and a network interface.

🧠 Why I built this

Most gateway solutions are bulky, written in Go or Rust, and require root access and system-level changes. But what if you only have:

• A shared hosting account
• A basic VPS with PHP enabled
• A Raspberry Pi running a PHP server

host2gateway fills that gap. It gives you gateway-like capabilities using the tools you already have.

🛡️ Use cases

Use Case	Description
Local network bridge	Connect isolated parts of your network
Traffic inspection	Log and monitor requests passing through
Development tunneling	Expose local services through a PHP host
Learning networking	Understand how gateways work with readable PHP code

🔗 What you need to know

• Written in pure PHP
• Works with PHP 7.4+
• No database required
• Compatible with Linux and any system that runs PHP-CLI

🚀 Ready to try it?

I won't bore you with setup steps here — everything is documented in the repository.

👉 GitHub: github.com/ProfiDE/host2gateway

Inside you'll find:

• Installation instructions
• Configuration guide
• How to contribute (good first issues available!)

🤝 Open Source Needs You

host2gateway is still young. If you're into:

• PHP
• Networking
• Cybersecurity
• Or just love tinkering

...come take a look. Open an issue. Submit a PR. Or just star the repo ⭐

Every contribution helps.