At least until the App Store launches, the only way to get native applications onto your Apple mobile device is through a jailbreak, such as the one offered by ZiPhone. The process of jailbreaking your phone has been monumentally simplified since the release of the device. Occasionally, however, in the process of installing or using programs, 3rd party apps require a less-than-user-friendly interface. This FTP tutorial is to help with that process.
FTP Tutorial
To use FTP, you will first need OpenSSH installed. If you used an all-in-one solution like ZiPhone, odds are very good it’s already installed. In fact, if you used the most recent version of ZiPhone, it’s guaranteed to already be installed. So, here’s the pertinent information.
1) Find out your iPhone’s IP address: There’s several ways to do this, and if you know a quicker one feel free to use it. This is the universal solution, however, since every iPhone user has the same Settings.app program.
- From your homescreen, tap on the Settings icon. Then, tap on WiFi.
- Select the network you are connected to, and tap the blue arrow for advanced settings.
- Jot down the IP address listed. You’ll need this to connect to your iPhone.
2) Initiate a FTP session: Again, there are a plethora of options available in the FTP client department. Just about anything will work, with one caveat: your client must support the SFTP protocol. If you get every setting right and fail to connect using SFTP, it won’t work. Trust me, I’ve been there. Personally, I use Panic Software’s Transmit, because I feel it’s appropriately pretty for my Mac and it’s always done well by me. So, you open up your FTP client, and enter this information in the appropriate fields:
- SERVER: [Your IP, found in the last step]
- USER NAME: root (all lower case)
- PASSWORD: alpine
- PORT: 22 (if needed, Transmit fills this in for me when I select my protocol)
- PROTOCOL: SFTP (Again, very important step. I spent about an hour pulling my hair out trying to figure this out.)
Now you’re connected to your iPhone! You can transfer files, reorganize or rename them, or simply back them all up. It also becomes handy for several applications to create folders or upload files you otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
So there you go! Easy as pie. Mmmm, pie. Enjoy! And remember, there are extraordinary few things you can do to your iPhone that a Firmware Update through iTunes won’t solve. You’ll have to reload your media and apps, but you won’t brick your device. Experiement! That’s what technology is there for.
Thanks
thanks your wicked man!
Very professional explanation.
I hope all the newbs can use this awesome reference!
-Eddie
dude how do i install an app using FTP, i have no wifi so i use itunnel & i want to install app using the ftp in it. can u help?
WOW THANKS!!! the SFTP note helped! I was bobbing my head trying to figuring i out too! I wish other ppl was as smart to note that little detail too.
Really thanks~!
PhotoUpLink for iPhone enables free muti-photo email, FTP and peer to peer photo sharing over WiFi networks. Generate an email quickly and easily by selecting the images and providing the email addresses. Photos are sent at full resolution via photouplink.net, eliminating the need to set up your own email server information. The FTP function works with most FTP servers, and WiShare lets you share photos with any PhotoUpLink enabled device running on the same WiFi network, or with iPhoto PhotoUpLink.
PhotoUpLink for iPhone functionality is grouped into four sections within the application. The first task for the user is to choose the photos for the operation. This is done using the Select button. The standard image picker appears, but you can select multiple images from it with PhotoUpLink just by touching each one. The total images selected appears next to the Select button title. To reset the image count, press Select again. Once images have been chosen, three operations are possible.
WiShare works with any other iPhone or iPod Touch on the same WiFi network that is also running PhotoUpLink at the time. These devices will show up in a list once WiShare is pressed, tap the name of the device you want to send the images to. The images will then appear in the other device Camera Roll if it is an iPhone or into Saved Images if it is an iPod Touch, without any blur or resizing. This feature also works with PhotoUpLink for iPhoto ‘09 – click Export -> PhotoUpLink -> iPhone and devices running PhotoUpLink for iPhone will be displayed as export targets.
FTP enables the upload of selected images to most FTP servers. Specify the FTP server destination and optional folder. That info, the username and password information are saved in application preferences for easy repeat use of the same FTP destination. Enter an email address if you want an email of links to the items on the FTP server sent after the transfer. As with all operations, the full resolution image is uploaded.
Emailing of multiple images is now freely available with PhotoUpLink for iPhone. Emails are sent using photouplink.net, so there is no need to set up mail server information, and the recipient should have photouplink.net on their allowed senders list. The generated email includes the full resolution image attachments, and an optional URL pointing to a map of the location where the images were sent from.
When you use a secure ftp protocol is it explicit or implicit?
is it possible to send a file from my mac book pro to my iphone FTP app for upload?
Did as instructed. SFTP Connection was refused. I’m using unlocked iphone 2g Macbook OS X 10.5.8 with the Transit software.
When you mention that OPenSHH is necessary does thet mean the computer of the iphone?
Everyone needs to just download ifunbox and go from there. It will be like using windows explorer.