How Internet Connections Work on DroidDesk

DroidDesk provides remote access to real Android smartphones with real internet connections.

We do not use proxies, VPNs, or other methods to artificially replace or mask the device's IP address. When you connect to a phone through DroidDesk, websites and apps access the internet through the connection that the device is actually using.

What types of connections does DroidDesk use?

There are two main types of devices in the DroidDesk catalog. The connection type is always shown next to the device.

Dynamic IP — 5G/LTE mobile connection

If a device is marked Dynamic IP, the phone is connected to the internet through a mobile network. A SIM card is installed in the device, and the phone uses a regular 5G/LTE connection from a local mobile carrier — just like the internet on a normal smartphone using mobile data.

Websites and apps see the connection provided by the mobile carrier to that device. DroidDesk does not replace it with its own IP address and does not route the traffic through additional network services.

Wi-Fi devices

Devices marked with the Wi-Fi icon use a regular Wi-Fi network at the physical location of the phone. In most cases, this is a standard home or local internet connection — the phone connects to a Wi-Fi router just like any normal smartphone at home.

In this case, the internet connection and public IP address are provided by the local Internet Service Provider.

We do not use proxies or VPNs

DroidDesk does not create an artificial network environment around the phone. We do not use:

The phone uses its own internet connection. On a Dynamic IP device the traffic goes through its SIM card and mobile carrier; on a Wi-Fi device it goes through the local Wi-Fi network and Internet Service Provider.

How does the IP address change on Dynamic IP devices?

On devices marked Dynamic IP (5G/LTE), the IP address is refreshed by rebooting the phone. Simply click Reboot on the DroidDesk connection page — after the reboot, the phone reconnects to the mobile network.

When the device restarts, its current mobile internet session is closed. Once the phone turns back on, it registers with the mobile carrier again and establishes a new mobile data session. At that point, the carrier assigns an IP address from its mobile network pool.

The entire process happens on the mobile carrier's side. DroidDesk does not artificially rotate the IP address and does not replace it through a proxy or VPN.

What happens with IP addresses on Wi-Fi devices?

Wi-Fi devices work a little differently. The public IP address belongs to the internet connection provided by the local Internet Service Provider, and it may change automatically depending on the provider's network settings and policies.

DroidDesk controls the phone itself, but not the home router or the ISP's equipment. That is why IP refresh through the Reboot function is specifically relevant to Dynamic IP devices using a mobile network.