[SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

fukawi2 · 2009-09-28 06:56:29

OK, so work got me a shiny new iPhone 3G S today. When I'm being paid to play with it, I'll give it a shot

Anyway, I've successfully paired the iPhone over bluetooth with Arch on my laptop, which creates the bnep0 network interface. If I run dhcpcd on this interface, the iPhone gives me a DHCP lease in the 192.168.20.x subnet, and after configuring the opendns nameservers, I'm successfully tethered to the iPhone with full network connectivity

Is there a way I can get Network Manager to do the 'dhcp' and 'nameserver' parts for me? In the nm-applet GUI, there's no option for specifying interfaces or anything just "wired" (eth0) and "wireless" (wlan0) as well as the VPN, 3G etc tabs.

Also (I know someone wants to mention this), I am already aware that bluetooth is going to be speed limiting, but this connection will generally only be used for SSH sessions back to the office, so I don't really care about that. I'm happy to use bluetooth to reduce the number of cables required - already have external mouse, external hard drive, power supply and serial cable when I'm at a client site, I don't really want a USB cable to the iPhone as well. Unless Network Manager can't do this over bluetooth, but it can over USB, then I'll concede on the extra cable.

Last edited by fukawi2 (2009-10-01 02:38:02)

Caboose · 2009-09-28 17:01:52

Here's instructions for Ubuntu, I doubt there will be many discrepancies between Ubuntu and Arch though. Just translate the apt-get crap with the appropriate yaourt or pacman command.
http://undulynoted.net/2009/06/tether-i … -required/

Ubuntu:
Why oh why does apple hardware suck so hard with linux. You will get constant disconnects if your phone is more than a few feet away from the computer. But alas, it is still faster than pdanet or iphonemodem2.
If you are not on a mac congratulations, you have had fewer headaches.
Open the terminal and type:
sudo apt-get install blueman bluez-compat
This will remove wcid which hopefully isn't a problem for most of you.
It will ask you to restart, please do.
Once Ubuntu is back up click on your bluetooth icon in the upper right (which is now managed by blueman)
IMPORTANT: Right click on the bluetooth icon and choose local services. Make sure to click the radio box that says "Network manager" instead of "blueman" under the network pane. This will allow Network Manager to take over the controlling of your connection (which is good). REBOOT AFTER THIS STEP!
Go to the bluetooth settings in your iphone (Settings > General > Bluetooth) and make sure they are on.
Hit the search button in blueman and you should see your iphone after a few seconds.
WARNING: This is where it gets flaky on the macbook pro. Best results I have has is to highlight the phone in blueman and hit "Bond"
Choose to auto generate a pass on the next option. Next. Now wait for the iPhone to ask you to type in the passphrase. Type in the 4 digit one that blueman gives you. VERY IMPORTANT. While they are joining eachother keep you eye on the computer. It will ask you if you always want to trust the iPhone (device name). Hit Always or else you will have trouble.
Always initiate the connection from the iPhone. In the bluetooth settings on the iphone you will now see your computer name listed and the words "not conencted" next to it. Click it. Wait a few and it will hopefully say connected. Look back to blueman and you will now see status bars on the iphone. Right click on your iphone in blueman. Choose "Setup". Network access point is click by default so just hit "Next".
Now head over to Network Manager and you should see "Auto benp0″. Click it to connect and give it a few to generate an IP. DONE enjoy surfing the internet through your data plan without jailbreaking. I have noticed quite a few speed gains over pdanet. Also, i noticed I got better results when i used openDNS's servers (208.67.220.220 and 208.67.222.222).
If you have done everything correctly and Network Manager won't take over the connection of you can see it and it says "not managed" or something of the sort you need to check out the following:
Open terminal and type: sudo gedit /etc/network/interfaces
see if you have bnep0 located there. if you do, comment out or delete that line. and reboot your machine.

venky80 · 2009-09-28 17:44:45

i heard iphone OS 3.1 locked it in US?

fukawi2 · 2009-09-28 22:21:21

Caboose wrote:

Here's instructions for Ubuntu...

Thanks...

Now head over to Network Manager and you should see "Auto benp0″. Click it to connect and give it a few to generate an IP.

This is where I'm stuck at the moment in my OP. Networkmanager doesn't "see" the bnep0 interface.

If you have done everything correctly and Network Manager won't take over the connection of you can see it and it says "not managed" or something of the sort you need to check out the following:
Open terminal and type: sudo gedit /etc/network/interfaces
see if you have bnep0 located there. if you do, comment out or delete that line. and reboot your machine.

Here's my solution, except obviously Arch doesn't have /etc/network/interfaces

fukawi2 · 2009-09-28 22:22:21

venky80 wrote:

i heard iphone OS 3.1 locked it in US?

What is "it" that is supposedly locked? Either way, no locking here in Aust, except carrier lock. Tethering is touted as a feature

greenfish · 2009-09-30 10:41:40

fukawi2 you did jailbreak it right? I'm already using my iphone 3gs to control my server

Congrats on your purchase!!!

fukawi2 · 2009-09-30 11:57:44

greenfish wrote:

fukawi2 you did jailbreak it right? I'm already using my iphone 3gs to control my server

No, it's not mine to jailbreak... Work paid for it, gotta look after it.

greenfish wrote:

Congrats on your purchase!!!

Again, I didn't pay for it. And I wouldn't, especially now that I've got one

Last edited by fukawi2 (2009-09-30 11:57:56)

my0pic · 2009-09-30 16:25:13

I came across those instructions awhile ago and it worked for me. In fact had to use tethering today as optus had gone down in our area. Other than a slight lag web browsing was quick through the bluetooth connection although a couple of times it dropped out. I dug around and found networkmanager stores its connection settings in /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections. Maybe if you create an Auto bnet0 file in that folder it might work?
Here's mine.

~ $ sudo cat /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/Auto\ bnep0
[connection]
id=Auto bnep0
uuid=78960c3d-b227-4c7d-8952-b9b051af72cd
type=802-3-ethernet
autoconnect=true
timestamp=0
[ipv4]
method=auto
ignore-auto-routes=false
ignore-auto-dns=false
never-default=false
[802-3-ethernet]
speed=0
duplex=full
auto-negotiate=true
mac-address=0:1f:e2:fa:b3:10
mtu=0

Change the mac address to that of your iPhone bluetooth mac address. Not sure about the uuid
I've found that to get tethering to work properly I switch off wifi and bluetooth on the iphone, then activate tethering and let that switch on the bluetooth. Also networkmanager likes a restart to get things going and lists "Auto bnep0" under wired connections in the gui.

fukawi2 · 2009-09-30 22:27:46

I think that file might be what I'm after. I'll have a play later today and see how I go. Thanks heaps

fukawi2 · 2009-10-01 02:37:49

Wow. I didn't need to add that. After rebooting, everything appears to be working OK now - bnep0 shows up in Network Manager after I connect via bluetooth and it all works.

That's weird. Linux is becoming like Windows? Needing to reboot to fix problems?

my0pic · 2009-10-01 03:58:37

fukawi2 wrote:

Wow. I didn't need to add that. After rebooting, everything appears to be working OK now - bnep0 shows up in Network Manager after I connect via bluetooth and it all works.
That's weird. Linux is becoming like Windows? Needing to reboot to fix problems?

Don't you love it when it all comes together?
I don't mind the odd reboot here and there under Linux. Takes less than 60 seconds to a full gnome/compiz desktop. Vista on my system takes forever in comparison.
I'm sure you would have already, but check out some of the ssh apps available for the iphone. A couple I use are touchterm (which is free) and iSSH ($5.99) which can tunnel a vnc server and an X server to the iphone!
Too bad you can't jailbreak it...there's a whole world of fun there

fukawi2 · 2009-10-01 04:56:25

Yeah, I've got iSSH but only use it in emergencies... Pain in the a$$ typing on the iPhone. Now this is working, I'll sooner boot the laptop, tether over BT and then SSH from there rather than use iSSH unless it's somethign quick and simple (like running 'uptime')

Last edited by fukawi2 (2009-10-01 04:57:04)

Arch Linux

#1 2009-09-28 06:56:29

[SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#2 2009-09-28 17:01:52

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#3 2009-09-28 17:44:45

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#4 2009-09-28 22:21:21

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#5 2009-09-28 22:22:21

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#6 2009-09-30 10:41:40

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#7 2009-09-30 11:57:44

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#8 2009-09-30 16:25:13

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#9 2009-09-30 22:27:46

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#10 2009-10-01 02:37:49

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#11 2009-10-01 03:58:37

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

#12 2009-10-01 04:56:25

Re: [SOLVED] Network Manager with iPhone 3G S

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