diff --git a/src/cliproxy/remote-proxy-client.ts b/src/cliproxy/remote-proxy-client.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c4c8a321
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cliproxy/remote-proxy-client.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,236 @@
+/**
+ * Remote Proxy Client for CLIProxyAPI
+ *
+ * HTTP client for health checks and connection testing against remote CLIProxyAPI instances.
+ * Uses native fetch API with aggressive timeout for CLI responsiveness.
+ */
+
+import * as https from 'https';
+
+/** Error codes for remote proxy status */
+export type RemoteProxyErrorCode = 'CONNECTION_REFUSED' | 'TIMEOUT' | 'AUTH_FAILED' | 'UNKNOWN';
+
+/** Status returned from remote proxy health check */
+export interface RemoteProxyStatus {
+  /** Whether the remote proxy is reachable */
+  reachable: boolean;
+  /** Latency in milliseconds (only set if reachable) */
+  latencyMs?: number;
+  /** Error message (only set if not reachable) */
+  error?: string;
+  /** Error code for programmatic handling */
+  errorCode?: RemoteProxyErrorCode;
+}
+
+/** Configuration for remote proxy client */
+export interface RemoteProxyClientConfig {
+  /** Remote proxy host (IP or hostname) */
+  host: string;
+  /** Remote proxy port */
+  port: number;
+  /** Protocol to use (http or https) */
+  protocol: 'http' | 'https';
+  /** Optional auth token for Authorization header */
+  authToken?: string;
+  /** Request timeout in ms (default: 2000) */
+  timeout?: number;
+  /** Allow self-signed certificates (default: false) */
+  allowSelfSigned?: boolean;
+}
+
+/** Default timeout for remote proxy requests (aggressive for CLI UX) */
+const DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS = 2000;
+
+/**
+ * Map error to RemoteProxyErrorCode
+ */
+function mapErrorToCode(error: Error, statusCode?: number): RemoteProxyErrorCode {
+  const message = error.message.toLowerCase();
+  const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code?.toLowerCase();
+
+  // Connection refused
+  if (code === 'econnrefused' || message.includes('connection refused')) {
+    return 'CONNECTION_REFUSED';
+  }
+
+  // Timeout
+  if (
+    code === 'etimedout' ||
+    code === 'timeout' ||
+    message.includes('timeout') ||
+    message.includes('aborted')
+  ) {
+    return 'TIMEOUT';
+  }
+
+  // Auth failed (401/403)
+  if (statusCode === 401 || statusCode === 403) {
+    return 'AUTH_FAILED';
+  }
+
+  return 'UNKNOWN';
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get human-readable error message from error code
+ */
+function getErrorMessage(errorCode: RemoteProxyErrorCode, rawError?: string): string {
+  switch (errorCode) {
+    case 'CONNECTION_REFUSED':
+      return 'Connection refused - is the proxy running?';
+    case 'TIMEOUT':
+      return 'Connection timed out';
+    case 'AUTH_FAILED':
+      return 'Authentication failed - check auth token';
+    default:
+      return rawError || 'Unknown error';
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create a custom HTTPS agent for self-signed certificate support
+ */
+function createHttpsAgent(allowSelfSigned: boolean): https.Agent | undefined {
+  if (!allowSelfSigned) return undefined;
+
+  return new https.Agent({
+    rejectUnauthorized: false,
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check health of remote CLIProxyAPI instance
+ *
+ * @param config Remote proxy client configuration
+ * @returns RemoteProxyStatus with reachability and latency
+ */
+export async function checkRemoteProxy(
+  config: RemoteProxyClientConfig
+): Promise<RemoteProxyStatus> {
+  const { host, port, protocol, authToken, allowSelfSigned = false } = config;
+  const timeout = config.timeout ?? DEFAULT_TIMEOUT_MS;
+
+  const url = `${protocol}://${host}:${port}/health`;
+  const startTime = Date.now();
+
+  try {
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), timeout);
+
+    // Build request options
+    const headers: Record<string, string> = {
+      Accept: 'application/json',
+    };
+
+    if (authToken) {
+      headers['Authorization'] = `Bearer ${authToken}`;
+    }
+
+    // For HTTPS with self-signed certs, we need to use native https module
+    // Bun's fetch doesn't support custom agents
+    let response: Response;
+
+    if (protocol === 'https' && allowSelfSigned) {
+      // Warn about security implications
+      console.error('[!] Allowing self-signed certificate - not recommended for production');
+
+      // Use native https module for self-signed cert support
+      response = await new Promise<Response>((resolve, reject) => {
+        const agent = createHttpsAgent(true);
+        const reqTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
+          reject(new Error('Request timeout'));
+        }, timeout);
+
+        const req = https.request(
+          url,
+          {
+            method: 'GET',
+            headers,
+            agent,
+            timeout,
+          },
+          (res) => {
+            clearTimeout(reqTimeout);
+            let data = '';
+            res.on('data', (chunk) => (data += chunk));
+            res.on('end', () => {
+              resolve(
+                new Response(data, {
+                  status: res.statusCode || 500,
+                  statusText: res.statusMessage,
+                })
+              );
+            });
+          }
+        );
+
+        req.on('error', (err) => {
+          clearTimeout(reqTimeout);
+          reject(err);
+        });
+
+        req.on('timeout', () => {
+          req.destroy();
+          reject(new Error('Request timeout'));
+        });
+
+        req.end();
+      });
+    } else {
+      // Standard fetch for HTTP or HTTPS without self-signed
+      response = await fetch(url, {
+        signal: controller.signal,
+        headers,
+      });
+    }
+
+    clearTimeout(timeoutId);
+
+    const latencyMs = Date.now() - startTime;
+
+    // Check for auth failure
+    if (response.status === 401 || response.status === 403) {
+      return {
+        reachable: false,
+        error: getErrorMessage('AUTH_FAILED'),
+        errorCode: 'AUTH_FAILED',
+      };
+    }
+
+    // 200 OK = healthy
+    if (response.ok) {
+      return {
+        reachable: true,
+        latencyMs,
+      };
+    }
+
+    // Non-200 but connected
+    return {
+      reachable: false,
+      error: `Unexpected status: ${response.status}`,
+      errorCode: 'UNKNOWN',
+    };
+  } catch (error) {
+    const err = error as Error;
+    const errorCode = mapErrorToCode(err);
+
+    return {
+      reachable: false,
+      error: getErrorMessage(errorCode, err.message),
+      errorCode,
+    };
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Test connection to remote CLIProxyAPI (alias for dashboard use)
+ *
+ * This is an alias for checkRemoteProxy() for semantic clarity in UI contexts.
+ *
+ * @param config Remote proxy client configuration
+ * @returns RemoteProxyStatus with reachability and latency
+ */
+export async function testConnection(config: RemoteProxyClientConfig): Promise<RemoteProxyStatus> {
+  return checkRemoteProxy(config);
+}
diff --git a/tests/unit/cliproxy/remote-proxy-client.test.ts b/tests/unit/cliproxy/remote-proxy-client.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61022c11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/cliproxy/remote-proxy-client.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+/**
+ * Unit tests for remote-proxy-client module
+ */
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'bun:test';
+import type { RemoteProxyClientConfig, RemoteProxyStatus } from '../../../src/cliproxy/remote-proxy-client';
+
+// We test the module's type exports and error handling logic
+// Actual HTTP calls are not mocked in this unit test - use integration tests for that
+
+describe('remote-proxy-client', () => {
+  describe('type exports', () => {
+    it('should export RemoteProxyClientConfig interface', () => {
+      // Type-level test - ensure the interface shape is correct
+      const config: RemoteProxyClientConfig = {
+        host: 'localhost',
+        port: 8317,
+        protocol: 'http',
+        authToken: 'test-token',
+        timeout: 2000,
+        allowSelfSigned: false,
+      };
+      expect(config.host).toBe('localhost');
+      expect(config.port).toBe(8317);
+      expect(config.protocol).toBe('http');
+    });
+
+    it('should export RemoteProxyStatus interface', () => {
+      // Success case
+      const successStatus: RemoteProxyStatus = {
+        reachable: true,
+        latencyMs: 50,
+      };
+      expect(successStatus.reachable).toBe(true);
+      expect(successStatus.latencyMs).toBe(50);
+
+      // Error case
+      const errorStatus: RemoteProxyStatus = {
+        reachable: false,
+        error: 'Connection refused',
+        errorCode: 'CONNECTION_REFUSED',
+      };
+      expect(errorStatus.reachable).toBe(false);
+      expect(errorStatus.error).toBe('Connection refused');
+      expect(errorStatus.errorCode).toBe('CONNECTION_REFUSED');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('RemoteProxyErrorCode', () => {
+    it('should define expected error codes', () => {
+      const validCodes = ['CONNECTION_REFUSED', 'TIMEOUT', 'AUTH_FAILED', 'UNKNOWN'];
+
+      // Type-level test - ensure error codes can be used
+      const status1: RemoteProxyStatus = { reachable: false, errorCode: 'CONNECTION_REFUSED' };
+      const status2: RemoteProxyStatus = { reachable: false, errorCode: 'TIMEOUT' };
+      const status3: RemoteProxyStatus = { reachable: false, errorCode: 'AUTH_FAILED' };
+      const status4: RemoteProxyStatus = { reachable: false, errorCode: 'UNKNOWN' };
+
+      expect(validCodes).toContain(status1.errorCode);
+      expect(validCodes).toContain(status2.errorCode);
+      expect(validCodes).toContain(status3.errorCode);
+      expect(validCodes).toContain(status4.errorCode);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('config validation', () => {
+    it('should require host and port', () => {
+      const minimalConfig: RemoteProxyClientConfig = {
+        host: '127.0.0.1',
+        port: 8317,
+        protocol: 'http',
+      };
+      expect(minimalConfig.host).toBeDefined();
+      expect(minimalConfig.port).toBeDefined();
+      expect(minimalConfig.protocol).toBeDefined();
+    });
+
+    it('should allow optional fields', () => {
+      const config: RemoteProxyClientConfig = {
+        host: '127.0.0.1',
+        port: 8317,
+        protocol: 'https',
+        authToken: 'secret',
+        timeout: 5000,
+        allowSelfSigned: true,
+      };
+      expect(config.authToken).toBe('secret');
+      expect(config.timeout).toBe(5000);
+      expect(config.allowSelfSigned).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should accept http and https protocols', () => {
+      const httpConfig: RemoteProxyClientConfig = {
+        host: 'localhost',
+        port: 8317,
+        protocol: 'http',
+      };
+      const httpsConfig: RemoteProxyClientConfig = {
+        host: 'localhost',
+        port: 8317,
+        protocol: 'https',
+      };
+      expect(httpConfig.protocol).toBe('http');
+      expect(httpsConfig.protocol).toBe('https');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('health check URL construction', () => {
+    it('should construct correct health check URL pattern', () => {
+      const config: RemoteProxyClientConfig = {
+        host: '192.168.1.100',
+        port: 8317,
+        protocol: 'http',
+      };
+      const expectedUrl = `${config.protocol}://${config.host}:${config.port}/health`;
+      expect(expectedUrl).toBe('http://192.168.1.100:8317/health');
+    });
+
+    it('should construct HTTPS URL when protocol is https', () => {
+      const config: RemoteProxyClientConfig = {
+        host: 'secure.example.com',
+        port: 443,
+        protocol: 'https',
+      };
+      const expectedUrl = `${config.protocol}://${config.host}:${config.port}/health`;
+      expect(expectedUrl).toBe('https://secure.example.com:443/health');
+    });
+  });
+});