How to SSH Into Your iPhone

How to SSH Into Your iPhone
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All About SSH

Jailbroken iPhone users may be familiar with the term SSH. The iPhone has the ability to receive incoming connections via Open SHSH.

Using these wireless connections, it is possible to access all aspects of the iPhone.

Photos, contacts, SMS and even call logs can be wirelessly backed up and restored. Applications can be loaded and remove as well. SSH is the primary method for installing many types of files on a Jailbroken iPhone. Using SSH it is even possible to install Game Center on the iPhone 3G.

Learning how to SSH into iPhone is a fairly easy process which can be accomplished using freeware tools. There are tools available for Windows, Mac and Linux. This guide will cover using two freeware tools, one for Windows and one for Mac. While the guide does not have a Linux tutorial, the process is generally the same.

The Windows Method

Windows users will want to follow this method to SSH into iPhone. Before you will be able to SSH into your iPhone, you will need to have Open SHSH installed on the iPhone. Open SHSH can be downloaded for free from Cydia or Rock.

Things you’ll need:

  1. Download WinSCP. Download WinSCP from the provided link. Install it or extract it to the desktop and launch WinSCP.
  2. Obtain iPhone IP. Open Settings on your iPhone. Tap Wi-Fi and click the blue circle (arrow) next to your network name. Locate the IP address on the screen.
  3. Login to your iPhone. Enter the IP Address you obtained in step two, into the Host name field in WinSCP. The User name is root and the password is alpine. Select SCP as the file protocol and press Login.
  4. Wait. Upon the first login, you may be prompted about caching the key. Choose yes and complete the login. Repeat this process every time you wish to SSH into iPhone.

The Mac Method

The Mac method to SSH into iPhone is very similar to the Windows method. The only major change is the freeware client used. You will need to have Open SHSH installed on the iPhone from Cydia or Rock before attempting to SSH into iPhone.

Things you’ll need:

  1. Download CyberDuck. Download CyberDuck and unzip it. Complete the installation and then launch CyberDuck.
  2. Obtain iPhone IP. Open Settings on your iPhone. Tap Wi-Fi and click the blue circle (arrow) next to your network name. Locate the IP address on the screen. This IP will be used in the next step to SSH into iPhone.
  3. SSH into iPhone. Select SFTP as the protocol type in CyberDuck. Enter the IP address obtained in step two into the Server field. Set the username to root and the password to alpine. Click Connect to SSH into iPhone.
  4. Wait. The first connection may take a little longer. Future connections will be much faster. Repeat this process every time you want to SSH into iPhone.

Additional Information

Learning how to SSH into iPhone is a great way to back up information and install new files. Using third-party music players, it is even possible to playback music that was transferred to the iPhone wirelessly via SSH.

If you are looking for a non-wireless method to SSH into the iPhone, read SSH Into the iPhone via USB. Also take a look at this article entitled iPhone Windows XP WiFi File Transfer.

For specific information on how to install and remove applications using SSH on the iPhone, read Installing and Removing .deb Files on iPhone.