How to run an ssh session in the background and use safari??

[zither99]

At my institution we are able to log on to a wireless network, but we have to authenticate through an ssh client (we use putty on windows), after logging in we must keep the window open or minimize it (can't close). On the iphone i was able to authenticate but as soon as I press the home button to access safari, the terminal session closes...

How do I keep this session open so i'm able to use the web??

Please help!

[unclear]

I'm really not sure if it will work, but you could try using Dock to launch MobileSafari from inside of MobileTerminal (without pressing the home button) it might just do the trick..

[zither99]

I tried launching, /Applications/MobileSafari.app/MobileSafari but it didn't work... otherwise it did

and i tried dock (the sunburst in the corner) as well and it shuts it off...

[psifertex]

Try using screen. It's built to allow you to disconnect from a terminal and come back later. Might slow down MobileSafari a bit though.

I think it's included in binutils by default. Open terminal, type screen and then enter. Press space to get past the welcome message, do whatever you need to do. When ready, just switch to safari, screen will automatically detach.

When you come back to the terminal, use screen -d -r (the -d is optional in this case but a good habit to be in) to detach and re-attach to the session. Should be right where you left it.

[Top-Fuel]

will try this at school for sure and get back to you, thanks for the posts!

[jedinight]

no on terminal on iphone .

[Top-Fuel]

Okay I can't try this now because I'm at home but I just want to confirm the procedure:

1. Open up terminal
2. Type: screen (then hit enter)

# # screen
2007-10-02 22.35.17.317 screen [214:d03]
SummerBoardLoader: SummerBoardService available.
Please set a terminal type.
# #

3. Type my authentication login/password for my putty campus
4.Press home button (after authentication is verified)
5. Open Safari
6. Press home button
6. Click back on terminal app (to re-open)
7.Type:

screen -d -r

Or do i just type screen -d (to just detach??)

Okay I just tried it an unsuccessful.

Got to step 3 and once terminal said i was authenticated

I pressed the home button and opened up safari and still nothing, my campus's authentication screen popped up on safari saying i needed to authenticate myself....

[zither99]

Same here, it doesn't really help, because as soon as you press home the ssh session is closed, and when you're loading a page in safari, the ssh session has to be running, even after bringing up the screen back in the ssh session, u still have to press home to go to safari, and of course, as you press home it shuts down the session...

[Vid]

I have exactly the same problem. To work around it, I start screen at boot time, and then reconnect to it from the terminal. This way the screen process continues running after I hit the home button to switch to another app.

To do this, add a script to /etc/init.d on the iPhone

echo "/usr/sbin/screen -dm" > /etc/init.d/screen.sh

After a reboot (power down and back up), you should be able to connect to your `persistent' screen process from MobileTerminal. Good luck!

[db9s]

any progress? can someone write a full guide for noobs? Possibly with screen shots?

[Top-Fuel]

thing is that i think will be the problem is that once i authenticate myself through terminal, it won't let me type anything else afterwards as if it locks terminal for me so i cannot make any more commands. therefore i can't even type "screen -d" (to detach) after i authenticate myself.

[brady8]

I had the same problem, and I believe I've figured it out. Check out http://www.bradybouchard.ca/iphone-auth.html for a tutorial. Let me know if it works for you... it works for me

[zither99]

Cool thanks, thats actually the school I attend... heh

[zither99]

I had the same problem, and I believe I've figured it out. Check out http://www.bradybouchard.ca/iphone-auth.html for a tutorial. Let me know if it works for you... it works for me

Its great that I can finally go online with my iPhone at school but I would like to know more on how this whole thing works and what exactly is "screen", what else is possible/what is its use?