Connect to iPhone using SSH
This tutorial is wrote assuming you have already jail-broken your iPhone. If you have not jailbroken your iPhone please read my earlier blog regarding this. I will also assume your iPhone is the 3g series with the 2.2.* software installed. This article is also aimed at Windows users rather than you apple guys out there. Also please ensure you are connected to a wifi network.
This blog will take you through step by step on how to log in to your iPhone from your PC using an SSH (secure shell) client. The use of SSH on a iPhone is to be able to change themes and add other such information to your iPhone directories which are hidden and locked to a normal user.
First of you will need to install SSH app on to your iPhone so that it is possible for you to log in to your phone. I recommend you use the application called OpenSSH (this will not install an icon but will run in the back ground) you can get this from Cydia or the Installer application.
Secondly you will need to install software on to your PC to allow you to connect. I opted for a graphical SSH client rather than a command line client as I can not be bothered with learning the commands and I personally feel that using a command line makes a simple task a lot harder.
The software package I opted for is simple to use and is called WinSCP you can download this here. Now once this is installed to connect all you need to enter is the IP address (h0st) of your iPhone (which you can find following the steps below) and the username and password which is pre-set on an iPhone.
Username: root
Password: alpine
Once connected you will see a window which some what resembles explorer. There are many directories on your iPhone and I do not recommend you delete random things. The directories in most cases are labelled well.
To find iPhone ip address follow these steps:
- Go to 'Settings'
- Select 'Wi-Fi'
- Select the blue arrow alongside the network connected to
- IP address will be shown
If you have any further questions please do contact me using the contact page or in the comments below. More than willing to help you guys out.
this really made me want the iphone alot more
If you can get one. Do it…well worth it. Jailbreaking is a must though.
and if im using a mac? ;/
If you are using a Mac this is pretty much the same process, you will however require to use a different SSH client.
I would recomend following this tutoial but replace the SSH client with rBrowser the URL is http://www.rbrowser.com/
If however you need further help let me know and I will help you out.
Great post! I’ll subscribe right now wth my feedreader software!
Hi, gr8 post thanks for posting. Information is useful!
after i enter ip address and try to login it does nothing and says session timed out???? HELP!!!!!!
Ensure you have the most up to date software on your iPhone and that you have ssh client installed on it.
I have to say, SSH was the best thing they ever came out with. You can’t beat its security nor its reliabilty.