MidpSSH development version 1.7.3 released
Thank you very much to the MidpSSH users who have provided bug fixes or assistance in tracking down bugs recently. The current development release attempts to fix the problems that Blackberry users have been having downloading and installing MidpSSH (thanks rivviepop). It also adds tentative Wi-fi support for Blackberry; fixes an SSH protocol error and connection drop when connecting to some SSH servers (thanks Stefan) and improves the security of the SSH implementation against rogue servers (thanks Aleksy). Thank you again for helping find and or fix these bugs.
I haven’t been able to respond to many of the emails I get about MidpSSH; I really appreciate the positive feedback, and I’m sorry I am not able to help troubleshoot problems. I haven’t had any time to dedicate to MidpSSH in a long time and I sadly don’t have time ongoing.
I think MidpSSH is pretty good at what it does. So my focus on MidpSSH is to fix the bugs that can be fixed, and some of them just don’t seem to be able to (bad phone software). I’m especially happy to apply patches for bugs that users have fixed! I’m not intending to add any new features to MidpSSH myself, however I do welcome your contributions. Download the source and have a go. Send me patches (unified diff against the latest svn preferred). If you would like to be involved and don’t know what to do? I can help with that.
On that note I have got some contributed code that I haven’t got around to including yet. Bluetooth support from both Alex Haan & Joel Jose… I’m going to try to review and include their work soon.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Good day! I’m excited to have stumbled upon this so soon after an update release!
I seem to be having trouble installing the Blackberry 4.x builds of MidpSSH 1.6.0 or 1.7.3 on a Blackberry 8703e running OS 4.1 … however the Blackberry 3.x builds install and work fine.
I get the “907 Invalid COD” message after trying to install the 4.x build OTA. If I try installing from the Desktop Manager Application Wizard, it ends with:
A fatal error has occurred while updating your device’s software. Please try again.
Unspecified error encountered [J:0x0000000A]
Googling around for this error gives some leads… I tried setting the browser content type to WML only, which didn’t help…
Haven’t had any issues using previous releases in the past… MidpSSH works great attaching to a gnu screen session (after setting “TERM=ansi”) This is probably my 4th most useful app on the Blackberry, just behind email, google maps, and the browser ;>
March 15th, 2008 at 7:56 am
Thanks for your comment. I have had one user with success with 1.7.3, I will find out what OS version they’re using. I compiled MidpSSH OS 4 release with version 4.3 of the BB build tools… maybe that is a problem and I should use an earlier 4 release…
March 15th, 2008 at 8:27 am
That user is on 4.2 so maybe this is a version problem. I’ll try downloading an earlier 4 release and rebuilding. Stay tuned.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Really keen to get ssh working on my BlackBerry. Grateful for all the work done by folks on this project so far, but… I’m having trouble getting midpssh to work on my new BlackBerry Curve 8310. But then I’m also having trouble getting idokorro mobile ssh to work, too. I think it’s because my BlackBerry is configured only to use BIS not TCP/IP or BES.
Idokorro works with BIS, it claims, but I get a connection error every time I try to connect. midpssh which I would prefer to use, always gives an error of “invalid url parameter”.
Anyone successfully got midpssh working on a Blackberry with O2 in the UK using BIS? Any ideas what else I can try?
Thanks,
Nick
March 20th, 2008 at 5:19 am
An update: Rove Tech Support say that while Idokorro works on BIS, the BlackBerry folks firewall all ports below 1024 apart from standard web ports. So if I reconfigure my ssh server to use a higer port then it should work. Could midpssh use the same techniques, do you think?
March 20th, 2008 at 6:54 am
Definitely, give it a go. That will be an interesting result.
March 21st, 2008 at 7:29 am
Hi Karl,
I now have Idokorro working, but not MidpSSH. As you can imagine, this disappoints me! Idokorro works to connect to my server using BIS to port 7070. MidpSSH seems to want either BES/MDS, TCP/IP or WiFi connection method, none of which I have on my BlackBerry at the moment, since O2 charge extra for TCP/IP routing.
Can I use MidpSSH over BIS?
Nick
March 22nd, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I upgraded OTA from 1.7.0 to 1.7.3, no problems at all so far (including the OTA upgrade from your server). I have yet to test the Wifi options - on my ToDo list. (8320, OS 4.2.2.184)
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Hi Nick, I’m sorry MidpSSH doesn’t support BIS. I’m sure it’s easy - I don’t have a Blackberry or BIS, but someone out there will have and will have some Java smarts… hoepfully someone will pick it up.
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
@rivviepop Great, thank you for your help sorting that out. That will make a lot of people happier!
March 24th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Hello,
I’ve just installed v1.6.0 (MIDP 2 Lite) on my phone (Nokia 6275i), and though it seems to work, it does not seem to use keyboard-interactive for some reason. I cannot enable password auth.
Any suggestions? Do I have to do something special to use keyboard-interactive auth?
Keilaron
March 24th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
@Keilaron Yep, keyboard-interactive isn’t in the lite version. Are you able to run the full MIDP 2 build?
March 25th, 2008 at 4:28 am
I can’t get ANY of the versions to install to my SGH-i607!
The install bombs out around 70% with an error “910 Application Authorization Failure”.
March 25th, 2008 at 7:41 am
@Duneflower sorry it sounds like your phone isn’t going to allow it. This may be your phone’s doing or your telcos, if they’ve put their own version of the phone software on. You may be able to Google for more information.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Strangely, no. I haven’t tried much to get it to work, though, to be honest; When I downloaded the full version on my phone (Nokia 6275i), it immediately said “Invalid application” with no details nor explanations as to why that is. It’s not a size issue (downloaded and ran Google Maps, a 500 kb app, just fine), it’s not a language issue as far as I know (MIDP2 Lite works, why wouldn’t MIDP2 full work?), and I don’t know what else to try. This isn’t the first application that my phone has done this to, and not just from downloads (I’ve tried placing some on the card, but it didn’t want to run *any* of them, so that may not be a fair trial; I also don’t have the USB cable yet, so I can’t try loading apps that way just yet).
I think my provider may be the cause, however, so I think I’m just going to have to wait for the USB cable to arrive.
March 31st, 2008 at 8:36 am
Thanks for the great product. 1.7.3 seems to work well. One problem I have in this version and past ones is that the I cannot backspace. I am telneting to an OpenVMS machine. Usually the backspace or delete key will work, but it doesn’t with MidpSSH. Do you have any ideas one what I could try to get it to work?
April 1st, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Hi Karl,
Installed MidpSSH 1.7.3 on Sony Ericsson k850i. Superb program & it works brilliantly under normal circumstances; but when I try to connect it to an SSH server on port 443. I get a Session Error: “Writer: java.lang.SecurityException”.
Any suggestions?
Cheers
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:46 am
@Joss That’s a Sony Ericsson security restriction, you can’t connect to an SSH server on 80 or 443 or any other ports that SE have restricted. Those ports are only allowed for HTTP traffic.
April 3rd, 2008 at 1:19 am
Fair enough - thanks for getting back to me.
April 4th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Hi. Thanks for the app.
I just tried installing 1.7.3 (MIDP 2.0 full) via OTA on my 8820, but get an error: “907 Invalid JAR Error!: control flow verification information too large” I’ve used 1.6.0 before with this carrier, also on an 8820. This is a replacement device. What would you recommend?
April 4th, 2008 at 7:41 am
@Ken Please try 1.6.0 again, it is still available for download. It will be an interesting result if it works where 1.7.3 doesn’t.
April 5th, 2008 at 3:19 am
I am getting an ‘invalid url parameter’ error message when trying to connect using version 1.7.3 on my blackberry curve with UK t-mobile. Not sure I know how to find/change the ports, either on my phone or computer. Can anyone help? This would be so great
April 5th, 2008 at 8:25 am
@rosie Can you please try the other versions available and report back as to whether they work?
April 6th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Karl,
I’m having the same error with version 1.6.0. I tried a hard reboot, and still have the problem.
April 6th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
I use it on the E90 and i could even have 1 more larger fontsize but 8×16 is good enough.
What i liked to see improved is 2 things: First that i am always default in Type mode. (Input mode really slows you down).
And i have a full qwerty keyboard so i just want to type directly not through a input screen for everything i type.
But the second thing is that type mode is soo slow. If i compare it to putty it is so much slower it is constantly lagging behind and i am testing over wifi so it has to be pretty fast. If this could be improved then that would be really great.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Is there a way to use a different port instead of 22 for connections ? We use on a few servers another port for security reason.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
found the qay to use different ports ! I use your tool on an blackberry 8800. It works great. Thanks for the work !
April 9th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
I am using MidpSSH 1.7.3 Enterprise only version on a blackberry 8310 and I am unable to select keyboard interactive authentication. Is that normal? I see in the session settings where the option should be but it isn’t there. Is that normal for this version?
April 11th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Another 8703e user with OS 4.1 stuck with ‘Invalid COD’ after downloading the latest dev build (1.7.3).
1.7.0 works fine.
Any luck trying the other SDK?
Thanks!
April 11th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Could these BB problems be because I’m using the 4.3 package to make the builds? That sounds reasonable… I’ll get hold of the 4.0 and try again and we’ll see what happens…
April 17th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Hi, I also cannot install 1.7.3 ota from the wap download link, I get an “invalid cod” message. Upgrading from 1.6 to 1.7 worked fine using Blackberry Build OS 4 but cannot upgrade to 1.7.3.
Model: 8707
V: 4.1.0.378 (Platform 3.2.0.9)
I know this doesn’t help in regard to your question about the build tools but thought I’d post to help build a pattern.
The OS 3.x install of 1.7.3 works fine.
Thanks
April 25th, 2008 at 5:47 am
I am using 1.7.3 and I love it, especially now that the “end” key sends it to the background. Great work!
Would it be possible to add an option inside midpssh to override BB’s behavior for capitalizing the first letter of a sentence? I would like my BB to retain capitalizing the first letter of a sentence in emails and such, but it would be helpful to have an option in midpssh to disable this because, obviously, unix commands are case sensitive.
Thanks, and keep up the great work!
May 1st, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I think this project is very cool. For the past few days I’ve been desperately trying to get it to work.
I get an ‘ok’ on connect but it hangs there regardless of what size my key is or that I prefer ssh v1. I never even see it attempt to negotiate, I have all security permissions for this app set to allow. I’ve tried both 1.60 & 1.73 for OS4 (Enterprise only versions also). I have a BB 8830 v4.2.2.176, platform 3.0.0.79, cryptographic Kernel v3.8.4.47.
May 1st, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Sometimes I get a
“Session Error
Reader: Connection timed out: connect”
I have the servers set with: LoginGraceTime 5m
I just tried version 1.70 with the same results…
May 2nd, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Hi Karl, still love the program!
The only issue I have is that irssi doesn’t redraw well (and running it in screen seems to add another layer of difficulties).
I guess I should try out this new version sometime, just don’t have the time to hack my bluetooth support into it for a while :).
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:21 am
Is there a way for this software to remember full ssh login when direct root login is disabled?
I login this way via ssh (custom port)
wheel user
wheel pass
su -
root password
I want it to remember all of this and save the sessions. Is this possible?
May 5th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Alex: I had this same problem and solved it with:
settings -> network -> terminal type = “ansi”
May 6th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Andy: … just O.O
I wish I had known that ages ago. Thanks a lot!
May 14th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I had to use port 5190 to get through Verizons firewall, I’m able to get this to work using Rove’s mobile ssh, using BIS for connection method. I still can’t get it to work with midpssh though. I can get
“Connecting to server:5190…ok”, but nothing more, it never begins to negotiate, I just get a “Session Error Reader:Connection timed out: connect”.
Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks!
May 16th, 2008 at 8:15 am
I have a Blackberry 8310 with AT&T (former cingular customer). Version 1.60 would not work with my blackberry (I would get the “Session Error, Writer invalid url” error). I tried to mess with the TCP settings on the blackberry to see if that was the cause, but nothing would fix it. 1.7.3, however, works perfectly (with the TCP settings set back to what was on there when i got it)
May 18th, 2008 at 3:34 am
I think midpssh is great - thank you so much.
For me there is one missing feature - SSH compression. Especially on a mobile device, often bandwidth is poor and/or you have to pay per kilobyte, so compression is especially valuable. I wish I could code otherwise I’d help add it.
May 21st, 2008 at 10:54 am
Anyone know what
“Session Error
“Writer: Open tunnel - max timeout”
means? Does it mean I’m about there? Also 8310 on AT&T.
Thanks.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:36 am
I’ve been trying 1.7.3 again and when I use tcp/ip for the connection type and try to connect, I get:
Session Error
Writer: Malformed Address. Returning null connection
Any ideas?….
Thanks,
Matt
June 1st, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Hey there, I’m running 1.7.3 BB OS4 version on a BB Curve 8320. In general it works great except I can’t get the macros to work. There’s no “run” option or maybe I’m just completely misunderstanding how midpssh is supposed to work.
Also, my beep causes the handheld to vibrate. Very annoying especially when doing command line completion.
Anyway, the main issue is not being able to run macros. Any ideas?
Thanks!
~pop
June 1st, 2008 at 5:51 pm
interesting, the BB OS3 version works just fine… !?!
June 5th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Blackberry Curve 8300, BIS only.
As you maybe already know, it doesn’t work.
I didn’t know that is not supposed to work with BIS.
Hoping for the future…
June 5th, 2008 at 7:08 am
(I’m sorry, the email address of my previous msg was wrong. This is the good one.)
June 7th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Just wanted to say thank you very much for your work (donation sent
). I just installed 1.7.3 version on my BB os 3.x - works fine. I had an issue with “Writer: cannot open tunnel…” but got that sorted by changing my phone APN settings - as a result I’ve added Vodafone UK settings to your main site wiki.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:39 am
First, thanks so much for making this software free. I just can’t justifty the expense of the commercial offerings for a 2-man web shop, but love the ability to “unbork” my servers from my pockets.
I am using 1.7.3 on a Blackberry 8830 on Verizon, no BES.
About half the time connecting will fail some place between ‘OK’ and getting the prompt on the remote system.
The times that it does connect I generally get disconnected within 3-4 minutes, and quite often within the first 1-2 minutes.
In all cases, I get “Session Error Reader: Connection Closed”
Any ideas?
June 25th, 2008 at 3:47 am
I have just tried the development version on the HTC TYTN II where it runs fine. It connects fast and the fonts are quite nice.
But..
The input method is counterproductive on the TYTN II as it has a nearly full keyboard already. It, however, does not have seperate keys for the numbers 0 to 9, including * and #. To enter a line of text:
Fn-U (enter Type mode, 2 keypresses)
some text
Left-button (exit Type mode, 2 keypresses)
Fn-K (2 keypresses, to simulate the Enter button. The “Return” key is ignored)
MidpSSH could offer a more advanced input mode, allowing direct input from the keyboard of the device. The TYTN II lacks many special keys, even on the on-screen keyboard, making the keys in MidpSSH menus very nice to have.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:30 am
Hey Ken,
I love this program but unfortunately I’m unable to get it to work on the new Sprint Instinct (SPH-M800). Are there any plans to support this phone in the future? It does load fine, but I’m unable to input any text most likely because of its “virtual onscreen keyboard”.
Thanks!
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:31 am
Sorry, last comment was to Karl not Ken..
July 7th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Hello Karl,
I recently exchanged my Samsung Instinct for a Blackberry Pearl, just to be able to run midpssh. I love the program and it works wonderfully. I was wondering though, would it be possible to allow multitap from the command line? Right now when I press a key, only the first letter on the key is typed. All the commands I enter I have to type from the Input test box, and that’s a pain because most of the time it capitalizes the first char of every “sentence”.
Thanks for this awesome program!
Rene
July 26th, 2008 at 6:59 am
I have a couple of suggestions for the blackberry build:
1. In the menus you select before connecting, you can’t merely click the pearl (or blackberry wheel-click on the older 87xx series), or press enter, you always have to press the “make a dropdown menu appear” button and select the first option in the dropdown menu. This makes the interface clunky and awkward, and should be changed to have a default action for “click” or “enter”.
2. When in “type” mode, pressing the “SYM” (Symbol) button should bring up the typical symbol prompt so the user doesn’t have to enter “input” mode to type something like this: “export TERM=foo” because of the ‘=’ character.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Hi again Karl. I just came up with a feature request, in case you got working on MidpSSH again.
It would really help me out if the ‘text input’ box had a ‘command history’. Thus that above whatever the terminal provides. Especially on simple devices (cellphones) without a full qwerty keyboard that could save a lot of time. It would only have to remember them during a session.
If I had the time I’d look into it myself, but I’ve got so many things going on now (I guess that sounds familiar for you).