iPhone USB Ethernet Driver

The iPhone USB Ethernet Driver is a handy tool for Linux users. It allows you to utilize your iPhone's internet connection via a USB cable without the need to jailbreak your phone or use third-party apps!

Important Updates

Keep in mind that the ipheth kernel module was incorporated upstream on April 21, 2010, for kernel version 2.6.34. While the instructions below may work for older kernels, a pairing program is still essential for proper functionality. You have the option to pair your device using tools from libmobiledevice.

Device Compatibility

This driver has been tested with iPhone models such as the 3G and 3GS running firmware 3.0 or newer. In the case of the iPhone 2G, applying some patches should enable it to function seamlessly.

What You Need

For everything to work smoothly, you'll need both the kernel driver and a user-space program. The user-space program is crucial as it establishes the handshake between your iPhone and computer, ensuring seamless operation.

Getting Started

To kickstart the process, simply fetch the repository onto your local machine by executing:

git clone git://github.com/dgiagio/ipheth.git

Building the Driver

If you're ready to construct the kernel driver, you'll only require the kernel source from your distribution. The pairing program is coded in C and utilizes libraries from the iFuse project's libiphone.

Pulling Source Code

* Begin by grabbing the source:

diego@eeepc:~$ git clone git://github.com/dgiagio/ipheth.git

* Then proceed with compilation and installation:

cd ipheth/ipheth-pair

    make

    sudo make install

Loading Everything Up

* Following that, load your module:

sudo insmod ipheth.ko

* Now connect your iPhone and verify functionality by typing:

dmesg

If all goes well, you'll receive notifications indicating your iPhone is recognized as a new Ethernet device!

Your Final Setup Step

A new Ethernet interface should appear on your computer, like mine showing as eth1. To wrap things up, a DHCP client is all you need. Many recent Linux distributions include NetworkManager, simplifying the process significantly.