First time, when I installed the midpSSH client and configured it on my BlackBerry Curve 8520 and tried to connect to the remote Linux server, it was giving an error message “Writer: could not open tunnel – failed”. Later, I checked it in detail in order to replicate and resolve the problem and I found the port 22 is not opened on EDGE enabled BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry Internet service by Airtel (as we know that the firewall only permits access to the SSH Server via port 22).
When I came to know that SSH works on GPRS enabled phone — it gave me a clue that the port 22 must be opened on GPRS enabled phone. So I asked my BlackBerry service provider – Airtel India support guys to activate the GPRS service on my phone and as it got enabled and tried to connect the remote Linux Server using midpSSH, it started working on my BlackBerry smartphone – WOW 
.
- Image by morrissey via Flickr
For Linux developer guys, it is essential that you connect to the remote Linux server from anywhere. I found having a SSH client on my BlackBerry 8520 smartphone is very convenient for a quick status check and troubleshooting.
MidpSSH is a SSH and Telnet client for mobile device [It's open source software - so you can modify it too as per your requirement.]
Here’s step-by-step guide on how to connect to a Linux server from BlackBerry 8520 phone using MidpSSH software.
1. Download MidpSSH on BlackBerry Phone
From the blackberry browser, go to http://www.xk72.com/wap and click on ‘Latest Development Release (v1.7.3)’. This will display several download options for blackberry phone. Select the BlackBerry Build OS 4.x.
* SSH1 Build
* SSH2 Lite Build MIDIP 2.0 MIDIP 1.0
* SSH1 Lite Build
* BlackBerry Build OS3.x OS 4.x
* BlackBerry Enterprise Only build
* No Obfuscation Build
When you select download, you may get a warning message — “The application does not contain a signature. It might not be from a trusted source. Do you want to proceed?”. Select ‘Yes’. This will start the download automatically as shown below.
2. Install MidpSSH on BlackBerry Phone
After download, it will automatically install the application and give you the following installation successful message. Click on ‘OK’, which will display the MidpSSH icon on the blackberry home screen as shown below.
3. Create a new SSH Client session and connect to Linux Server from your BlackBerry Phone
Create a SSH client connection by giving the ip-address of the Linux server you would like to connect to from your blackberry phone as shown in the Fig below.
| * Alias – Enter the connection name. * Host – Enter the ip-address of the server. * Type: SSH, Telnet. Select SSH. |
For example:
| Alias: Dev DB Host: 208.67.222.222 Type: SSH Authentication: Username: blackberry Password:******** Connection Type: Default |
Once the session is created, select the session using the trackball, which will give the option to connect, for me SSH Client session ‘Dev DB’, you need to go to the ‘Dev DB’ client session and right click on ‘Dev DB’ and select ‘Connect’ to connect to the remote Linux server . This will prompt the message — “The application MidpSSH has attempted to access a low-level network connection. Would you like to allow this?.” Select “Yes” for this message, which will connect to the remote Linux server.
Note: As we know, the firewall only permits access to the SSH Server via port 22. If even you have Rs. 899 unlimited Airtel BlackBerry Internet service plan on your BlackBerry phone, you can’t connect to Linux Server from your BlackBerry Phone – it gives an error message “Writer: could not open tunnel – failed”. Because, by default for Airtel users with using EDGE (enabled) BlackBerry smartphone, port 22 is not opened (first, I tested it on BlackBerry Curve 8520 locked phone with Airtel).
You must need to enable GPRS service on your BlackBerry phone if you want to use SSH on your smartphone. So as the GPRS service is enabled on your phone, the SSH will work and you would be able to connect to the remote Linux server.
Happy SSH on BlackBerry Curve 8520!!
Note that the default font size on the SSH client is very small. This makes the Linux prompt really tiny and practically not readable even with a 20/20 vision. The solution is simple — increase the font size.
Later, I had also tested the midpSSH on BlackBerry 9530 Storm Touch, Blackberry 9000 Bold and BlackBerry Curve 8900 (including BlackBerry Curve 8520) with Blackberry Internet service and GPRS enabled and it worked for me on these Blackberry smartphone models.
If you will have any problems related BlackBerry SSH — just let me know by posting your comment here.
Read original story: Midpssh Blackberry SSH Tutorial
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2 Comments
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