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I've been successfully deploying, over-the-air, an iOS app that I developed for a client. I'm using my client's own Enterprise Developer credentials.

I've been doing tests from my own http server, housing all of the requisite files (.plist, .ipa, and of course the html page); and also from a combination of servers: a secure one holding the html, re-directing to another, un-secure, server holding the .plist and .ipa. All's well with all of this.

But I run into trouble when I move everything to a secure server. There, the html opens properly, but on attempt to download (by tapping on the same link that works on my un-secure server), I get a "Cannot connect to "

I've changed the URL in both the html and .plist to reflect the new actual https:// address at the secure site. The site certificate seems to be valid and recognized. Another tester has also had the same problem when trying this for me.

Does anyone have any idea what this might be about?

UPDATE - this problem can be expressed in a slightly simpler way. .ipa files will not download if they are placed on a secure (https://) server. Versions of iOS earlier than 7.1 don't seem to care if the html and .plist manifest files are on secure or un-secure servers. But 7.1 cares -- html and .plist MUST be on https. Why can't the .ipa be there too?

Craig
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  • possible duplicate of [Enterprise app deployment doesn't work on iOS 7.1](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/20276907/enterprise-app-deployment-doesnt-work-on-ios-7-1) – nhgrif Mar 14 '14 at 02:33
  • Not really, I think, because this failure is happening with MANY versions of iOS. But thanks. – Craig Mar 14 '14 at 02:35
  • I retracted the close vote, but please go through that page and make sure it doesn't solve your issue. – nhgrif Mar 14 '14 at 02:36
  • Thanks, again, nhgrif. I've done that and the accepted answer there is something I've tried (changing all URLs in the files to reflect the https address of the server in question). My problem is either deeper or more trivial! – Craig Mar 14 '14 at 02:39
  • Just another note, nhgrif: reading deeper at the question you directed me to, there MAY be an answer there. I'll test carefully and if problem is solved I'll close my question here -- with an answer for future readers. Ok? – Craig Mar 14 '14 at 02:45
  • I've traced the prob down to this: if the .ipa sits on a secure server the download fails. Doesn't matter where the .plist or html files sit: secure or unsecure. Still looking for ideas about this. – Craig Mar 14 '14 at 19:30

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This turns out to be an easy, but hard to find, solution. If the .ipa is served by Microsoft's IIS server software v6.0 or later, the MIME-type settings must include .ipa as 'application/octet-stream'. Otherwise no file is served. Apache servers are a little smarter -- they'll deliver in any event.

So this is not really a http - https issue. I was fooled because my https attempts were all happening on IIS servers that weren't set up properly.

Craig
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