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I have a question that needs clarification from the chat room regarding Android smartphone in a separate network? I’m not a tin-foil hat kind of guy, but I want to know why should my Android smartphone be in a separate IoT network from my network with Linux server and my Linux desktop? I want to get away from the “Big Brother is watching you” jokes and I wanted something that is more technical. Sure, I have my NVIDIA Shield, HDHomeRun, and all home automation devices in a separate network. I don’t have any home automation devices that require connection to the Internet except for Home Assistant.
What if I buy a Pinephone and install PostmarketOS or Ubuntu Touch? Is a Pinephone an IoT device? Because Pinephone can run either Phosh, Plasma Mobile, or Ubuntu Touch, can those devices act similar to Android and scan my entire network as well?
I am very cautious regarding how I use my smartphone and if the only comment is “Big Brother is watching you,” then I will back off from this tin-foil hat trolling and move on with my life. I would like to have proof that my Pixel 3a XL smartphone is scanning my network for my computer and laptop.
I saw this article, but it does not go too deep into detail regarding why my Android smartphone is watching what I am doing in my computer. I am very security-conscious and have a good security hygiene, so I have never had any security problems for the last couple of years. And it’s been 10 years since I’ve owned an Android smartphone.
It’s about trusting the device, if you trust it to be on the same network as your other systems then have it there.
I have my phone and Roku devices on the same network so they can talk because I want them to. Most everything else is on a guest network. In my house it’s guest network by default and the guest network only has access to the internet with pfSense providing DNS, DHCP, and NTP. If that doesn’t work then I start looking for solutions like what I am doing with the phones. Often this is an IoT network or video camera network with my clients.