Setting up Apple Configurator and Charles to Proxy an Apple TV

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This article will guide you through the steps to proxy HTTP traffic from your Apple TV using Configurator. Configurator is a tool used to add configuration profiles to Apple devices. 

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Prerequisites

1. You must use the Apple Configurator to setup your profile.
2. You must use version 3.10 and higher of Charles Proxy. 

Charles Proxy Setup

Configuring Charles Proxy

1. Open the Proxy > Proxy Settings... menu.
2. Enter "8888" on the Proxies tab in the HTTP Proxy Port field.

   

3. Open the Proxy > SSL Proxying Settings... menu.
4. Check the Enable SSL Proxying on the SSL Proxying tab .

   

5. Go to Help > SSL Proxying > Install Charles Root Certification a Mobile Device or Remote Browser... 

    The IP address listed will be used later in the Apple Configurator setup. Be sure to write this down.

   
   
6. Go to charlesproxy.com/getssl to download the SSL certificate.
   

    Please note the download location of the certificate.

Exporting the Charles Certificate

1. Open Keychain Access
2. Go to File > Add Keychain and select the certificate downloaded in step 6 above
3. Select the Charles Proxy Custom Root Certificate
4. Select File > Export Items and export the certificate as a .cer file to a location on your local drive, noting the location.

Apple Configurator Setup

Creating a configuration profile using Apple Configurator

1. Go to Open > New Profile
2. Enter a name and unique identifier for this profile
3. Select Global HTTP Proxy from the left menu and enter the IP address and port from Configuring Charles Step 5 above.
   
4. Select Certificates from the left menu and select the .cer file you previously exported via Keychain Access.
5. Select File > Save to save the profile to your Mac, noting the location of the file.

Apple TV Setup

Installing a configuration profile on Apple TV

1. Connect the Apple TV to your Mac via USB.
2. The Apple TV will show up under All Devices in Configurator.
3. Select the Apple TV and click the Add button in the top menu.
4. Select Profiles and find the SSL certificate downloaded in Step 6 above. This will copy the configuration profile to the Apple TV.
5. Traffic from the Apple TV will now be proxied through Charles.

Removing a configuration profile from Apple TV

After debugging you must remove the profile from the Apple TV to stop proxying. To do so: 

1. Doubleclick on the device in Configurator
2. Select Profiles from the left menu 
3. Choose your configuration profile and select Edit > Delete