HTTP Proxy Authentication and iPhone Apps

Question

Level 1

1 points

HTTP Proxy Authentication and iPhone Apps

Hi everyone,

In order to access the Internet via the campus Wifi network at my University, I need to use a HTTP proxy with username and password authentication. This works fine with my iPhone running 2.0.2 when browsing websites via Safari and checking mail, however, none of the applications that use Internet resources (whether the built-in ones, such as Finance or Maps) or 3rd party ones (like Facebook) work when connected via the proxy. In order to use the apps, I actually have to disable Wifi so that the data goes over the 3G network instead.

Everyone else at my University with an iPhone has experienced the same problem, and it does not seem to matter whether we use an auto-configuration URL for the proxy or enter the settings manually - the issue still occurs. I've done some testing and it seems that, upon launching an app, the iPhone is making a request to iphone-wu.apple.com via the proxy, but is not sending the username and password along with this request as it should. It has no problems sending these authentication credentials when web browsing via Safari, however. Of course, as it is not sending the username and password, the apps just time out and cannot be used.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? I'm wondering if it's a known bug in the current iPhone software.

Cheers,
Giancarlo

Posted on Sep 4, 2008 5:36 PM

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Answer 1

cmadon

Level 1

40 points

Sep 4, 2008 6:01 PM in response to salamagd

I've got a problem as well. When I try to launch an application it closes to the home screen.

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Answer 2

deggie

Level 10

167,177 points

Sep 4, 2008 6:04 PM in response to cmadon

How is your problem related to the original post?

Go here: http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1278
look at the top left and post your own topic.

Reset your iPhone before you go there (hold down the sleep and go buttons, ignore the power off slider, wait for the Apple Logo and let go.

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Answer 3

deggie

Level 10

167,177 points

Sep 4, 2008 6:05 PM in response to salamagd

Is it possible your university IT is blocking the ports required for these apps? You might check with them.

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Answer 4

salamagd Author

Level 1

1 points

Sep 4, 2008 7:10 PM in response to salamagd

As far as I can tell, the apps are just using standard web services (port 80), so there shouldn't be any issues with port blocking. Someone with more knowledge on the iPhone App SDK and its network implementation might be able to provide further info?

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Answer 5

deggie

Level 10

167,177 points

Sep 5, 2008 5:22 AM in response to salamagd

Not sure, but do you have a local place with free WiFi available? Try your iPhone apps there and if they work it is almost a certainty that they are being blocked at your university.

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Answer 6

Sep 5, 2008 5:36 AM in response to salamagd

I suspect deggie is correct, and that the issue is with your University's IT settings. I'm connected to a an authenticated proxy server at work, and some apps work fine (Maps, Stocks, BofA, SportsTap), but others are blocked (IM-type apps, mail) - clearly, port blocking for those. Some web services use 8080 instead of 80, though, and that may be blocked on your WiFi network.

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Answer 7

Alfafa

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2008 4:31 PM in response to salamagd

I'm also having similar problems both on my school and work. On both of them, there's an authenticated proxy. Safari always asks for login and password for the server, but most of the other apps don't do it and can't get access. The exceptions are iTunes Store and AppStore, but here in Brazil the iTunes Store recirects to the AppStore, so they're just one thing.
The proxy settings are OK, I've double checked then. Also, the username and password are included on the wifi configuration. Just to make sure, I've connected via a non proxyfied wifi connection and assured everything was OK.
Interestingly, when I had firmware 1.1.4 on it, I couldn't connect to my school's wifi due to WPA Enterprise security (only supported on 2.x firmwares), but everything worked well on my work's wifi (WEP security)!
Anyone else has a clue on this?

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Answer 8

Alfafa

Level 1

0 points

Sep 24, 2008 6:24 PM in response to salamagd

Still nothing about it. I've also posted to another threads with similar problems:
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8165122#8165122
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8165120#8165120
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8165118#8165118
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=8149758#8149758
As I said before, while I've had OS 1.1.4, everything was normal. It began when I upgraded to 2.0.2 and after to 2.1. I also double checked if the TI here changed the policies, and they assured me they don't.
Several other users with 2.x are also reporting the same trouble. As far as now, I've came across a post suggesting me to install a local http proxy on the phone, but I don't think it's gonna work.
Let's keep this thread alive!

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Answer 9

cmadon

Level 1

40 points

Nov 11, 2008 8:18 AM in response to Alfafa

This is very frustratin, anyone got a fix yet?

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Answer 10

Dec 8, 2008 5:31 PM in response to cmadon

Not fixed with firmware 2.2

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Answer 11

Kamic

Level 1

0 points

Jan 7, 2009 6:19 AM in response to dnsstaiger

still have the issue here.

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Answer 12

Jan 7, 2009 7:26 AM in response to salamagd

Same issue under corporate proxy. Everything works at home or public wifi. In the office, Safari and Mail work, Finance, weather and all apps that access web don't work.

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Answer 13

phreak3

Level 1

4 points

Jan 11, 2009 5:38 AM in response to Daniel Stone1

After some tests i found out that:
Stocks and weather are able to use a proxy, but not an authenticated one.
Youtube and mail are not able to use a proxy at all and ignore its settings.
Definitely a problem on apple's side.. i hope they can solve it soon.

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Answer 14

Jan 11, 2009 2:11 PM in response to phreak3

I noticed that the App Store works fine with an authenticated proxy (i.e. I can download new apps and update current ones).

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Answer 15

moukkis

Level 1

0 points

Jan 15, 2009 12:30 AM in response to dnsstaiger

We're experiencing similar problems.

We're working on a solution, however. I believe the problem indeed is that some applications ignore the proxy settings and try to establish direct connections, that are blocked by the network. For instance no connection attemtps are being made to Gmail's secure ports (e.g. 993) via the proxy, which leads me to believe that the applications are ignoring the proxy settings for anything except http-protocols.

Many apps however are able to establish connections, e.g. twitterrific, Feeds etc.

And although it is possible to make purchases in both app and music stores (which I hope Apple is very happy about), you are not able to get streaming content, e.g. song previews (...not so happy about), Youtube (...not so happy about) and of course BBC iPlayer.

The immediate solution could be to set up an alternative SSID in the hotspots and unblock non-proxy traffic for that VLAN, but that obviously needs some other form of protection, e.g. MAC-address filtering.

So, this is just to echo, that the problems are widespread. Obviously, it would be helpful to have a software fix for this...

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