Routing server communications through a nearby mobile device. In some embodiments, the method may include establishing a direct communication channel between the first mobile device and the second mobile device, determining which of the first mobile device and the second mobile device is currently a more efficient mobile device that is able to communicate with a server device more efficiently, sending a first server query from the less efficient mobile device to the more efficient mobile device over the direct communication channel, forwarding the first server query from the more efficient mobile device to the server device over the Internet, receiving a first server response at the more efficient mobile device from the server device over the Internet, and forwarding the first server response from the more efficient mobile device to the less efficient mobile device over the direct communication channel.