iPhone communicating with VM on local machine

minotour

Hey,

A networking question so perhaps in the worng forum?

Im trying to get my iPhone to talk to a bunch of services i run on a local VM. The obvious answer of course is to connect it via a wireless router and bridge Host/Guest machines. Thats fine but it seems to me that this can be achieved via tethering either USB or bluetooth without the need for the wireless AP, right?

Well its not working, I've invested almost a day now trying different methods and its at the point that its annoying me. There's a network ping app for the iphone if anyone is interested.

Anyway, before i throw in the towel i thought id see if any of you folk have an idea? The point is to create a demo sandbox for times when a public web connection is unavailable.

Any input appreciated but rest assured ai have tried all the common sense methods.

Cheers
Col

paulhardman

Hi Col

The tethering of which you speak through USB or Bluetooth is rather the 'other way', in that the phone is providing the internet connection to the host PC. Firewall rules in the phone would correctly block the phone from accessing the services on the attached PC, whether they are VM or hosts own services.

The obvious answer is for me the only one that would actually work; attach the host to a wireless router and do the same for the phone.

You also speak of creating a demo sandbox - are your VM services running on a laptop or desktop? If a laptop, you might be able to create an ad-hoc wireless network and attach the phone that way, assuming that you don't need internet access.

Hope that helps

Paul

minotour

HI Paul,

Thanks for the response. i was suspecting firewall rules on the phone side alright. Removing the VM from the scenario, i had setup the adhoc network but again couldnt even talk to the local PC from the fone, confirming the presence of firewalls within the fone.

Looks like ill have to make do with the wireless router setup and lug it around with me on top of all the other crap i carry to demos.


..............having said that i might spend an hour trying to circumvent the firewalls also, sure you have to try.

Blazer

You should be able to tether your iphone to a VM via usb..
I've done mine with a mac VM I run on my desktop and it can connect fine...just make sure that you allow VM access to USB devices...that way your main pc won't see them (memory sticks /iphone etc) but the VM will detect them.
I'm using VMware workstation 7 btw

kjl

Hey minotour

You can create an ad hoc network on the pc that is running the vm server and then bridge the vm connection to the ad hoc, or set up the vm as another ip on the ad hoc network.

although, I don't really see the point unless its connected via Ethernet.

kjl

Sc@recrow wrote: »

You should be able to tether your iphone to a VM via usb..
I've done mine with a mac VM I run on my desktop and it can connect fine...just make sure that you allow VM access to USB devices...that way your main pc won't see them (memory sticks /iphone etc) but the VM will detect them.
I'm using VMware workstation 7 btw

I see what you are saying here, but I don't think this is what he is after.

minotour

Thanks lads, forget it, Ive gone out and picked up a wireless router in the meantime. Put it down to more Apple proprietary behaviour bull****.

Cheers anyway.

Blazer

kjl wrote: »

I see what you are saying here, but I don't think this is what he is after.

yeah..I wasn't sure either