6 ms·

IPhone. Single. Looking to make friends on any network.

37 points by polo 15y ago

jpxxx 15y ago
This is what Bonjour (nee Rendezvous aka Zeroconf) does in life, and Windows machines do the same thing. Hostnames are not private otherwise why would you need a name in the first place?
- dchest 15y ago
  How do you change your hostname in iOS?
  - cleverjake 15y ago
    In itunes, just plug in your phone, and on the left navbar under devices, click the name and change it. Make sure to sync it afterwards
    - tmgrhm 15y ago
      Or, if on iOS 5, just go into Settings > About and change it in there.
    - dchest 15y ago
      It changes the name of the device that I see in iTunes in addition to hostname, isn't it?
  - jpxxx 15y ago
    Apple -> System Preferences -> Sharing To confirm it kicked in, open Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal and type 'hostname'. This is what anyone else on the same network sees you as. You'll also see your machine on other Macs in Finder under the 'Devices' sidebar. (the whole story surrounding hostnames is moderately more complicated than this, but the Sharing panel on System Preferences is what informs the Bonjour local network name and that's good enough for 95% of user-facing things) Edit: I misread, thought you were talking about OSX.
- Umofomia 15y ago
  This brings up an interesting question; since by default on iOS the hostname is based on the user's name, what will happen when two people with the same hostname (e.g., john-smith-iphone.local) both connect to a public WiFi network? Is there automatic conflict resolution?
  - alexdias 15y ago
    From what I can see on my Macbook Pro, yes, there is. One of the hostnames (the one that connected after the original) is automatically changed (in my experience it either appends a number to your current hostname or it completely changes your hostname, to something based on the network). PS: I'm guessing here that the iOS behaviour when it comes to hostnames is similar to Lion's.
  - paxswill 15y ago
    According to Apple's Bonjour documentation [1], there is automatic resolution for the `local` domain. [1] http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/NetServices/Articles/domainnames.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40002460-CJBDIAHA http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/C...
kennystone 15y ago
It's a great feature, isn't it? Apple's products automatically connect your devices to each other, and once they have authenticated, are allowed to easily sync and transfer files.
wingo 15y ago
Sounds like a business opportunity for a "who is around you that is within 3 degrees of you on linkedin" app. There probably is one already.
- benmccann 15y ago
  Too bad the LinkedIn API only lets you see one level deep into your network.
nyellin 15y ago
On a tangential note, apps like HandsOff and LittleSnitch aren't effective at sandboxing malicious software. (This should be obvious, but it apparently requires saying.) The easiest way to bypass HandsOff/LittleSnitch is by temporarily replacing a trusted executable with another binary - there is no mechanism in place to verify that the binary itself hasn't changed since it was granted permissions. http://natanyellin.com/2011/11/03/bypassing-little-snitch/ http://natanyellin.com/2011/11/03/bypassing-little-snitch/
- WiseWeasel 15y ago
  If you're running as a non-administrator, like you should be, that would prompt an admin login request.
  - nyellin 15y ago
    Nope. OS X binaries are usually installed by dragging them to the /Applications/ folder. They are user-owned.
    - polo 15y ago
      That's why I prefer Hands Off! I agree that neither is fool proof but HO allows me to control disk access as well as network access. If I've just downloaded a new app, I'll have it ask for permissions for every disk access it needs. After a few runs I'll start giving it permanent access to the dirs I'm OK with it using. No app gets to write to /Applications. It's a little painful to deal with the pop-ups but I like to know what my apps are up to :-)
    - WiseWeasel 15y ago
      That's incorrect. Maybe you don't notice it if you're running as an admin, but the /Applications directory is admin-owned; since I'm running as a regular user, I need admin credentials to move items to that directory. I also get asked for admin credentials to perform any file operation in the /Applications directory, including those affecting apps I put there under my non-admin account (with admin credentials). You can make a ~/Applications directory for user-owned apps, and you won't need admin privileges to change that, but it would be less secure.
akg 15y ago
Sounds like a great way to break the ice with that pretty girl you've been eyeing. If their hostname has their name, you can even play the psychic ;-)
- slig 15y ago
  > you can even play the psychic ;-) Or the creep.
  - true_religion 15y ago
    I think that people who give flirting advice should be forced to include a disclaimer like lawyers or stock tippers. For example: I am not a playboy. I do not offer personalized dating advice, or comment on the suitability of any individual statement to potential romantic partner. Remember, poor flirting can cause total loss of social credibility and you should always consult with your conscience before flirting or beginning a romantic relationship.
- Tharkun 15y ago
  Or you could just talk to her like a normal person, instead of some little stalkery douchebag.
joss82 15y ago
To a lonely girl obviously waiting for her date in a public place: "You must be <name snatched from her ipod/ipad>?" "Yes?" "He's not coming." Very big security problem, indeed.

37 points by polo 15y ago

jpxxx 15y ago

This is what Bonjour (nee Rendezvous aka Zeroconf) does in life, and Windows machines do the same thing. Hostnames are not private otherwise why would you need a name in the first place?

dchest 15y ago
How do you change your hostname in iOS?
- cleverjake 15y ago
  In itunes, just plug in your phone, and on the left navbar under devices, click the name and change it. Make sure to sync it afterwards
  - tmgrhm 15y ago
    Or, if on iOS 5, just go into Settings > About and change it in there.
  - dchest 15y ago
    It changes the name of the device that I see in iTunes in addition to hostname, isn't it?
- jpxxx 15y ago
  Apple -> System Preferences -> Sharing To confirm it kicked in, open Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal and type 'hostname'. This is what anyone else on the same network sees you as. You'll also see your machine on other Macs in Finder under the 'Devices' sidebar. (the whole story surrounding hostnames is moderately more complicated than this, but the Sharing panel on System Preferences is what informs the Bonjour local network name and that's good enough for 95% of user-facing things) Edit: I misread, thought you were talking about OSX.
Umofomia 15y ago
This brings up an interesting question; since by default on iOS the hostname is based on the user's name, what will happen when two people with the same hostname (e.g., john-smith-iphone.local) both connect to a public WiFi network? Is there automatic conflict resolution?
- alexdias 15y ago
  From what I can see on my Macbook Pro, yes, there is. One of the hostnames (the one that connected after the original) is automatically changed (in my experience it either appends a number to your current hostname or it completely changes your hostname, to something based on the network). PS: I'm guessing here that the iOS behaviour when it comes to hostnames is similar to Lion's.
- paxswill 15y ago
  According to Apple's Bonjour documentation [1], there is automatic resolution for the `local` domain. [1] http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/NetServices/Articles/domainnames.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40002460-CJBDIAHA http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Cocoa/C...

kennystone 15y ago

It's a great feature, isn't it? Apple's products automatically connect your devices to each other, and once they have authenticated, are allowed to easily sync and transfer files.

wingo 15y ago

Sounds like a business opportunity for a "who is around you that is within 3 degrees of you on linkedin" app. There probably is one already.

benmccann 15y ago
Too bad the LinkedIn API only lets you see one level deep into your network.

nyellin 15y ago

On a tangential note, apps like HandsOff and LittleSnitch aren't effective at sandboxing malicious software. (This should be obvious, but it apparently requires saying.) The easiest way to bypass HandsOff/LittleSnitch is by temporarily replacing a trusted executable with another binary - there is no mechanism in place to verify that the binary itself hasn't changed since it was granted permissions. http://natanyellin.com/2011/11/03/bypassing-little-snitch/ http://natanyellin.com/2011/11/03/bypassing-little-snitch/

WiseWeasel 15y ago
If you're running as a non-administrator, like you should be, that would prompt an admin login request.
- nyellin 15y ago
  Nope. OS X binaries are usually installed by dragging them to the /Applications/ folder. They are user-owned.
  - polo 15y ago
    That's why I prefer Hands Off! I agree that neither is fool proof but HO allows me to control disk access as well as network access. If I've just downloaded a new app, I'll have it ask for permissions for every disk access it needs. After a few runs I'll start giving it permanent access to the dirs I'm OK with it using. No app gets to write to /Applications. It's a little painful to deal with the pop-ups but I like to know what my apps are up to :-)
  - WiseWeasel 15y ago
    That's incorrect. Maybe you don't notice it if you're running as an admin, but the /Applications directory is admin-owned; since I'm running as a regular user, I need admin credentials to move items to that directory. I also get asked for admin credentials to perform any file operation in the /Applications directory, including those affecting apps I put there under my non-admin account (with admin credentials). You can make a ~/Applications directory for user-owned apps, and you won't need admin privileges to change that, but it would be less secure.

akg 15y ago

Sounds like a great way to break the ice with that pretty girl you've been eyeing. If their hostname has their name, you can even play the psychic ;-)

slig 15y ago
> you can even play the psychic ;-) Or the creep.
- true_religion 15y ago
  I think that people who give flirting advice should be forced to include a disclaimer like lawyers or stock tippers. For example: I am not a playboy. I do not offer personalized dating advice, or comment on the suitability of any individual statement to potential romantic partner. Remember, poor flirting can cause total loss of social credibility and you should always consult with your conscience before flirting or beginning a romantic relationship.
Tharkun 15y ago
Or you could just talk to her like a normal person, instead of some little stalkery douchebag.

joss82 15y ago

To a lonely girl obviously waiting for her date in a public place: "You must be <name snatched from her ipod/ipad>?" "Yes?" "He's not coming." Very big security problem, indeed.