Remote ADB Shell

説明 Remote ADB Shell

Site Editorial Commentary：Connect to ADB running on another Android device over the network

Remote ADB Shell is a powerful terminal application that grants you the ability to connect to the ADB shell service of other Android devices remotely over a network, enabling the execution of terminal commands. This is invaluable for remote debugging of Android devices, allowing you to run essential tools such as top, logcat, and dumpsys directly from your mobile device. It efficiently supports multiple simultaneous connections to different devices and maintains these connections even when the app operates in the background, enhancing your workflow.

Notably, this application doesn't require root access on either the host or target device. However, having root privileges on the target devices can simplify the configuration process. For unrooted target devices, initial configuration necessitates the use of a computer with the Android SDK and Google USB drivers, as detailed below.

The app functions as a wrapper around the shell exposed via ADB, ensuring seamless integration. It maintains a command history of the 15 most recent commands, accessible through a long press on the command box. A long press on the terminal display provides options to send a Ctrl+C command, toggle auto-scrolling, or terminate the current terminal session.

It replicates the functionality of the "adb shell" command used on a computer. By utilizing a native Java implementation of the ADB protocol, it eliminates the need for root access on either device or any third-party applications on the target device. The devices communicate using the same protocol they would use with a computer running the ADB client from the Android SDK.

IMPORTANT: Devices running Android 4.2.2 and later versions employ RSA keys for ADB connection authentication. Testing indicates that devices running Android 4.2.2 require an initial connection to a computer (from each device with this app installed) to display the public key acceptance dialog. You must accept this dialog and select "Always allow from this computer." Devices running Android 4.3 and 4.4 generally display the dialog without a computer connection, suggesting this workaround is specific to Android 4.2.2.

To configure a standard, unrooted target device, connect it to a computer with the Android SDK installed and exeCute "adb tcpip 5555" from the Android SDK's platform-tools folder. This command initiates ADB listening on port 5555 on the target device. After this setup, the device can be disconnected and will remain configured until it is rebooted.

For rooted devices (though not mandatory), you can use readily available "ADB WiFi" applications to enable the ADB server to listen over the network. Certain custom ROMs may include an option to enable ADB over the network within the Developer Options pane in Settings. Either method will properly configure ADB for network access with this app. Keep in mind that the extra step for 4.2.2 is still required for the initial connection.

To connect to your remote Android device, enter the device's IP address and the port number (e.g., 5555) in Remote ADB Shell. Tap Connect to initiate the connection and start the terminal.

developers: The custom Java ADB library developed for this app is open-source and available under the BSD license at https://github.com/cgutman/AdbLib

The source code for this app is open-source under the Apache license: https://github.com/cgutman/RemoteAdbShell