Run/install/debug Android applications over Wi-Fi?

Question

I thought there was a way to test your applications in development over Wi-Fi. Is this possible?

I\'d love to be able to untether my phone and develop wirelessly.

Answer 1

For Windows:

Step 1. Make a batch file with the below commands and call the file w.bat.

Step 2. Copy the below contents in w.bat, and save it in any of the folders which are in %path% of your Windows system

echo ***Get phone in Wi-Fi mode***
echo ***Get phone in Wi-Fi mode***

adb devices
echo ***Remove cable from the phone now***
adb tcpip 9000

adb connect 192.168.1.1:9000
adb connect 192.168.1.2:9000
adb connect 192.168.1.3:9000
adb connect 192.168.1.4:9000
adb connect 192.168.1.5:9000
adb connect 192.168.1.6:9000

//<-- Till here -->

Step 3. Connect your phone and PC with a cable

Step 4. Ensure the phone is in Wi-Fi mode

Step 5. Remove the cable when the batch file tells you to

Step 6. Type w.bat on the Windows prompt (start -> run -> type CMD, press Enter) (black screen is Windows DOS prompt), if you copied it in one of the path folders then you can run from anywhere, else run from the folder where you created this file.

The output of the batch file will be something like this:

C:\Windows\System32>w

C:\Windows\System32>echo ***Get phone in Wi-Fi mode***
***Get phone in Wi-Fi mode***

C:\Windows\System32>echo ***Get phone in Wi-Fi mode***
***Get phone in Wi-Fi mode***

C:\Windows\System32>adb devices
List of devices attached
d4e9f06 device

C:\Windows\System32>echo ***Remove cable from the Phone now***
***Remove cable from the Phone now***

C:\Windows\System32>adb tcpip 9000
restarting in TCP mode port: 9000

C:\Windows\System32>adb connect 192.168.1.1:9000
unable to connect to 192.168.1.1:9000:9000

C:\Windows\System32>adb connect 192.168.1.2:9000
connected to 192.168.1.2:9000

C:\Windows\System32>adb connect 192.168.1.3:9000
unable to connect to 192.168.1.3:9000:9000

C:\Windows\System32>adb connect 192.168.1.4:9000
unable to connect to 192.168.1.4:9000:9000

C:\Windows\System32>adb connect 192.168.1.5:9000
unable to connect to 192.168.1.5:9000:9000

C:\Windows\System32>adb connect 192.168.1.6:9000
unable to connect to 192.168.1.6:9000:9000

Note 1: Find this in the output, (ignore all ->unable to connect<- errors)

connected to xxx.xxx.x.x:9000

If you see this in the result, just remove the cable from PC and go to Eclipse and run to install the app on the device; that should be it.

Note 2: DISCONNECT OR TO SWITCH WIRELESS MODE OFF: Type the below command. It should say restarting in USB mode - at this stage PC and computer should NOT be connected with a cable:

C:\Users\dell>adb usb
restarting in USB mode

Note 3: Steps to find the IP address of the phone (taken from Stack Overflow)

Find IP address of MY PHONE:

a. Dial *#*#4636#*#* to open the Testing menu.
b. In the Wi-Fi information menu: click Wi-Fi Status
c. Wi-Fi status can be blank for the first time
d. Click Refresh Status
e. In the IPaddr: <>

Note 4: My Phone Wi-Fi connection IP address range typically is as the mentioned IP addresses below,

192.168.1.1

192.168.1.2

192.168.1.3

192.168.1.4

192.168.1.5

192.168.1.6

Note 5: if you get any other sequence of IP addresses which keep getting reassigned to your phone, you can just change the IP address in the w.bat file.

Note 6: This is a brute-force method, which eliminates all manual labor to keep finding IP address and connecting to Eclipse / Wi-Fi.

SUCCESS Note 7: So in short, the regular activity would be something like this:

Step 1. Connect PC and Wi-Fi via a cable
Step 2. Start CMD - to go to Windows DOS prompt
Step 3. Type "w"
Step 4. Find connected command in the output
Step 5. Success, remove cable and start using Eclipse