Connecting to iPhone Applications via Peer-To-Peer Networking

I recently found myself wanting to copy some documents to the AirSharing application on my iPhone but I was not able to connect to a Wi-Fi network at the time.

As it turns out, this is really easy to do using peer-to-peer wireless networking, enabling applications like AirSharing or the Apple Remote to connect to your machine regardless of if there is an available wireless network.

Note: This can be done on Windows as well, however, I will only be covering the process on a Mac.

1. First you need to create a new network on your Mac by selecting your AirPort menu item and choosing "Create Network...".
   
   
   
2. Choose a name for your network, and optionally require a password (I would suggest adding a password to restrict access to your machine).
   
   
   
3. On your iPhone, tap Setttings then Wi-Fi.
   
   
   
4. Your phone should find the network you just created, tap it and enter your password if you chose to set one up.
   
   
   
5. Now open AirSharing.
   
   
   
6. Back on your Mac, from the Finder menu, select "Connect to Server..." (this can also be opened by pressing Command+K on your keyboard).
   
   
   
7. Enter the address specified by AirSharing for connecting and click "Connect".
   
   
   
8. A finder window will open with the AirSharing share and a mounted disk will appear on your desktop.
   
   
   
   

As I mentioned above, this tip is not limited to the AirSharing application.  Any iPhone application that uses wireless connectivity to interface with your machine, such as the Apple Remote, should work with this method.