Requirements
- Jailbroken iPhone with Cydia installed (this will void your warranty on your iPhone, I do not recommend doing this)
- iPhone SDK (Mac computer, latest version of Xcode installed, etc)
- iPhone app project to test with
End result
After following this guide, you will be able to install and debug iPhone applications wirelessly. From my experience, remote debugging is very slow, but I’m sure someone will find a use for this.
On with the guide!
Install Wi-Fi Sync
- Install Wi-Fi Sync on your iPhone through Cydia (costs $10)
- Install Wi-Fi Sync on your Mac (free)
- Set up Wi-Fi Sync by following the instructions at http://www.getwifisync.com
For more information about Wi-Fi Sync, please visit http://www.getwifisync.com/
Install and Configure Backgrounder
- Install Backgrounder on your iPhone through Cydia (free)
- Set up Backgrounder with the following settings (what I recommend for best possible battery life)
Global Settings
- Backgrounding method -> Native (this will run all apps as they have run in the past)
- Badge -> On (this shows a badge on the app icon on your home screen if it is running in the background, I like knowing which apps are running in the background to preserve battery life)
Overrides
- Add Wi-Fi Sync
- Modify Wi-Fi Sync settings
- Backgrounding method -> Backgrounder
- Enable at Launch -> On
- Stay Enabled -> On
- Badge -> On
- Status Bar Icon -> On
Configure iTunes
- Open Wi-Fi Sync on your phone and on your Mac
- Open iTunes on your Mac
- Select your connected device in iTunes
- Uncheck “Open iTunes when this iPhone is connected” (Wi-Fi Sync will automatically start iTunes and sync every time you open it unless you turn this off)
- Close iTunes
- Return to the home screen on your iPhone and ensure that Wi-Fi sync is running in the background
Configure Xcode
- Open Xcode on your Mac
- Open the Organizer window in Xcode: Window -> Organizer
- Ensure that your iPhone is connected over Wi-Fi (Make sure that there is a green light next to your iPhone in the “Devices” list)
- Open your test project
- Build and debug!
Common Issues
If you are unable to connect to your iPhone over Wi-Fi, I would recommend force closing Wi-Fi Sync. To do this, open up Wi-Fi Sync and press and hold the Home and Lock buttons until the application closes, saying “Backgrounding Disabled”. After that, open Wi-Fi Sync again and try again.
Also, keep in mind that the creator of Wi-Fi Sync did not intend for people to use his software for remote debugging, so it’s very buggy.