Advanced · Optional

Using Fiskos over the internet

Fiskos is built for people who are together. But if you want to use it with someone far away, you can bridge your phones so they behave as if they're on the same Wi-Fi.

First, the honest bit. Fiskos has no servers — it connects phones directly on the same local network. That's the whole point, and it's what keeps it private. This guide doesn't change that. Instead, you set up a free virtual LAN (a tool called ZeroTier) that makes two phones on the internet look like they're on one network. Fiskos then works over it exactly as it would at home. The virtual network is something you run — Fiskos still never sees your data.

What you'll need

Two Android phones with Fiskos installed.
A free ZeroTier account (one person creates the network; the other just joins).
The ZeroTier app on both phones.
About 10 minutes, once.

Why ZeroTier

It's the modern version of the old “virtual LAN” tools people used to play LAN games over the internet. Two people join one network (by an ID), the network's owner approves each device, and everyone gets a private address (like 10.147.20.5) on a shared virtual network — no shared account needed, and it looks like a normal home network to Fiskos.

Set it up

Create a network. One of you signs in at my.zerotier.com, clicks Create A Network, and copies its 16-character Network ID. Share that ID with the other person.
Install ZeroTier & join. Both phones install the ZeroTier app (Google Play), tap ＋, paste the Network ID, and join. Allow the VPN permission it asks for.
Approve both phones. Back on my.zerotier.com, open the network and tick the Auth? checkbox next to each device so it's allowed in.
Check the connection. On each phone, the ZeroTier app should now show a Managed IP (something like 10.147.20.x). That means the two phones can now reach each other over the internet.
Tell Fiskos your overlay address. On each phone, open Fiskos → Settings → Advanced → Connect over VPN, and enter that phone's own ZeroTier Managed IP from the step above (e.g. 10.147.20.5). Save — it should now show On.
Pair in Fiskos. Now pair the way you normally would — one phone shows its QR, the other scans it, and you confirm the safety emoji.
You're connected. That's it. Fiskos remembers the ZeroTier address and reconnects over it automatically from now on, even after you switch networks.

Not connecting? Run through this:

Both devices show Auth ✓ and a Managed IP in the ZeroTier console/app?
ZeroTier is actually running on both (its VPN key icon is on)?
In Fiskos → Settings → Advanced → Connect over VPN, does each phone show On with its own ZeroTier IP entered (not the other phone's)?
Still stuck? Remove each other in Fiskos and pair again, now that the overlay address is set on both.

Good to know

This needs internet — obviously. Fiskos's real magic is working with none; this is just a bonus for staying in touch with someone far away.
Still end-to-end encrypted. ZeroTier only moves the (already encrypted) traffic between your phones. Neither ZeroTier nor Fiskos can read your messages.
It's your network. You run the ZeroTier network; you can remove devices any time. Fiskos stays serverless.
Battery: keeping a VPN and Fiskos active in the background uses a little more power. Turn ZeroTier off when you don't need the remote link.