SSH on iPhone

[MacRumors]

WebShell is a web-based AJAX interface for the Apple iPhone.

It requires users to install the Python application on the server they would like to access via SSH. They will then be able to access the server through a web browser.

For security reasons, they do recommend the use of https SSL/TLS if you are accessing your machine remotely.

[Analog Kid]

sftp? I want file transfer...

I guess I could set up a secure domain and open my entire file system up to the browser, but I'm really not comfortable doing that even with TLS or anything else enabled. I'd have to be damned sure I have rock solid authentication.

[JloR]

I've been waiting for news like this. This is all I missed from the iPhone.

And Analog Kid.. If you use SSL/TLS over your webserver and access that through the iPhone browser, you are as secure as you are if you SSH in directly through the sshd. It's the same encryption. It is as likely that there is a bug in the webservers way of handling SSL/TLS as it is there is a bug in sshd's way of doing it.

And I don't see what you'd need sftp for - the iPhone doesn't have the fastest network anyway.. The speedtests I've seen was pretty pathetic for a wifi network..

[mavherzog]

Nice. I used to be able to SSH from my blackberry...good to know that I will have this same option on the iPhone.

[GekkePrutser]

Wasn't there a 5-second runtime limit on javascripts shown on the iPhone? (Edit: link). I wonder if this will still work then. 5 seconds is not enough to do anything useful

It would be great though! I juse SSH sometimes on the road with my Nokia E60 (Symbian PuTTY) and external keyboard, but the screen is so small I have to have it in front of my eye to read everything The iPhone has a much bigger screen. The keyboard on this WebShell takes up a lot of screen space though Wouldn't make it much better.

[dr_lha]

Wouldn't it be nice if Apple just included a SSH app in the iPhone themselves. Further reason why they should allow 3rd party apps on the thing, because although this is a neat solution, its clunky at best and most sysadmins wouldn't allow people to install it.

[arkmannj]

Originally Posted by dr_lha

Wouldn't it be nice if Apple just included a SSH app in the iPhone themselves. Further reason why they should allow 3rd party apps on the thing, because although this is a neat solution, its clunky at best and most sysadmins wouldn't allow people to install it.

Totally what I was thinking, there are so many situations I could think of where it is just best to have an app directly on the device.

I know there are security concerns, etc. but how does the Treo (Palm) and other "smart phones" do it ? If I am going to buy a iPhone it needs to be able to replace my PDA+iPod+Phone and for me 3rd party apps that are not only runnable from someone else's web server are critical in that equation.

Web based apps were always 'a given' from the day they announced the iPhone had Safari on it. what we need to be able to have are real apps. what if I need to SSH something on my local network and don't want to have web services running on those machines to do it ?

Sorry for the rant, I just really was hoping the iPhone could replace my PDA+iPod+Phone. maybe in Rev. 2

My iPhone wishlist for iPhone 2 (or iPhone 1.5)
* Ability for local 3rd party apps (SDK)

* External storage (SD card slot preferred)
or some creative little door/slot that I could slide a ipod shuffle in, then they sell some extra shuffles with their iPhones.

[JPyre]

Originally Posted by GekkePrutser

Wasn't there a 5-second runtime limit on javascripts shown on the iPhone? (Edit: link). I wonder if this will still work then. 5 seconds is not enough to do anything useful

Script runtime, not total run time. Its been my impression that almost nothing in JS takes more than .05 of a second, even complex pages. For reference Firefox has a 10 sec limit, so whatever you can do for 10sec in there will most likley work on iPhone.

[jellomizer]

If the iPhone kicks off it will be a great push for Web Applications in general. Ajax coding it more powerful then people give it credit for. Forcing people to develop for it will make them realize what they can do on their own websites.

More Web Based application and less system based applications makes choice of Operating Systems more and more relivlant. If I like OS X ill use OS X and use the apps I like. If I like Windows then I can use the same Apps. If I like FreeBSD Linux,.... Same thing. The only group that will not gain from this is Microsoft, and I am not shedding any tears over that. Needless to say it wont kill MS. But just make competition a bit more fare.

[brooker]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

WebShell is a web-based AJAX interface for the Apple iPhone.

This is totally great. Definitely one of the apps that i was missing. I agree with the other posters, AJAX is way more capable than people recognize. Just watch the app list grow! There will be many surprises, i'm sure.

[jamesarm97]

Originally Posted by brooker

This is totally great. Definitely one of the apps that i was missing. I agree with the other posters, AJAX is way more capable than people recognize. Just watch the app list grow! There will be many surprises, i'm sure.

That is great. I was looking for SSH and something like VNC or pcAnywhere / Remote Desktop / Terminal Service. I looked and found a few web based VNC viewers but they were all flash. pcAnywhere has a java client but it is not javascript.

Still hoping for an eWallet replacement to store important numbers / accounts encrypted.

- James

[rdrr]

Originally Posted by arkmannj

Totally what I was thinking, there are so many situations I could think of where it is just best to have an app directly on the device.

I know there are security concerns, etc. but how does the Treo (Palm) and other "smart phones" do it ? If I am going to buy a iPhone it needs to be able to replace my PDA+iPod+Phone and for me 3rd party apps that are not only runnable from someone else's web server are critical in that equation.

I don't know how treo does it, but it is probably something like the Idokorro solution. A third party $$h app, that can be installed on your blackberry, nokia S60/70, motorola, and SE phones. They also have a citrix client, remote file manager, and remote desktop application. Pretty much a well rounded SysAdmin suite of tools.

http://www.idokorro.com/products/ssh-features.shtml

[rdrr]

Since it is a version of OSX Apple may have an undocumented way to use ssh, kinda like how they by default hide the terminal in applications/utilities.

Wait and see I guess.

[dr_lha]

Originally Posted by brooker

This is totally great. Definitely one of the apps that i was missing. I agree with the other posters, AJAX is way more capable than people recognize. Just watch the app list grow! There will be many surprises, i'm sure.

It still requires installing software on the server side though, which is hardly likely to happen in a corporate environment. Its a neat work around, but its far from "AJAX being way more capable than people recognize", its really a hack to get functionality on the iPhone which should be a relative breeze to get.

I'm hoping that we'll see iPhone "hacks" soon after launch that allow people to add things like shells etc.

[twoodcc]

cool i guess. i'm just ready for the iPHone to get here

[yg17]

Originally Posted by arkmannj

I know there are security concerns, etc. but how does the Treo (Palm) and other "smart phones" do it ? If I am going to buy a iPhone it needs to be able to replace my PDA+iPod+Phone and for me 3rd party apps that are not only runnable from someone else's web server are critical in that equation.

How do they do SSH? The right way. On my BlackBerry, I had an SSH program installed, I believe it was called MidipSSH or something like that. Now, on my Windows Mobile phone, I have PuTTY (the mobile version) installed. I can SSH into any server I want without having to worry about whether or not I have some stupid HTML page on the server or not.

[dr_lha]

Originally Posted by yg17

How do they do SSH? The right way. On my BlackBerry, I had an SSH program installed, I believe it was called MidipSSH or something like that. Now, on my Windows Mobile phone, I have PuTTY (the mobile version) installed. I can SSH into any server I want without having to worry about whether or not I have some stupid HTML page on the server or not.

Exactly. I had a SSH client on my Palm 5-6 years ago. The apologists can think what they want, but its a simple fact that AJAX web apps can't fill every niche.

[mpw6]

While it is certainly not feasible to setup this python app on all the servers you might wish reach via ssh, I feel it's important to point out you would only need it setup on one server. Once you authenticate there, you should be able to ssh from there to anyplace else.

[cjewby]

hooray. My vpn connection at school needs ssh... woot.

[qualleyiv]

Originally Posted by arkmannj

I know there are security concerns, etc. but how does the Treo (Palm) and other "smart phones" do it ?

Not well.

I believe that many of the people who are complaining about this have never had the "luxury" of installing a bad app (or any app for that matter) on a device such as the Treo. As SJ said, making phone calls "IS the killer app." That is completely true and it's one thing that obviously doesn't occur to many Palm developers. I have installed very few applications on my POS Treo 650, but I have managed to install at least two applications which significantly affect the responsiveness of the device while answering a call. Have you ever had your phone restart when answering a call? I have. MANY times.

Now, I don't know about Symbian or MS phones, but I do know that Palm's piss-poor OS implementation on the Treo is the case in point for why 3rd party apps should be cordoned off in a web-browser sandbox.

[Object-X]

Anyone know of an Ajax Terminal app?

[RnSK]

Originally Posted by yg17

How do they do SSH? The right way. On my BlackBerry, I had an SSH program installed, I believe it was called MidipSSH or something like that. Now, on my Windows Mobile phone, I have PuTTY (the mobile version) installed. I can SSH into any server I want without having to worry about whether or not I have some stupid HTML page on the server or not.

Have a job or something?

Trolling here daily about the iPhone cannot POSSIBLE pay that well, jesus.

I'm just askin'.

I don't think a single user left on MacRumors is unaware of your distain for the thing...what exactly are you trying to accomplish?

[chillywilly]

That's pretty cool. Currently using SSH on my Treo 650 (using TuSSH). Good to know if I decide to jump for the iPhone, I can at least get to my clients without having to break out my MBP

[FunkyELF]

Seriously, how sad is that on a handheld computer you need to involve Python, a web server, javascript, XML and all that other bull **** just to get something like SSH working. If Apple had a decent SDK for the phone it could be done natively.

[BornAgainMac]

I am wondering if Apple does make this a native iPhone app, how would they show this to the average user? For example, you see icons for YouTube, Calendar, Clock, iPod, SSH? It doesn't really belong on the main screen and it will just baffle and confuse the average person. Perhaps a Shell icon or Advanced features option. What do you all think?