Why do I get "unable to download" at the end of a wireless iOS app distribution? [closed]

Question

I'm developing an iOS app for iPhone and iPad. It runs great on the simulators and actual devices. It installs without error using both iTunes and the iPhone Configuration Utility. I cannot, however, seem to get wireless distribution to work properly.

Sanity checks:

1. I have an Apple developer license.
2. I have a valid developer certificate from the Provisioning Portal.
3. I have added my device's UDID in the Provisioning Portal.
4. I have created a valid AppID in the Provisioning Portal.
5. I have created a distribution provisioning profile. Developer profiles don't seem to work for this.
6. I have clicked the proper aforementioned device to be active for the given provisioning profile.
7. I have downloaded and installed the certificate and provisioning profile.
8. A release build installs perfectly with both iTunes and the iPhone Configuration Utility.
9. For wireless distribution, I have followed Apple's instructions: I have proper .ipa, .mobileprovision, and .plist files setup and hosted on a LAMP web server (with the proper MIME types added per Apple's instructions).
10. The .plist file is properly formatted.
11. The URLs to the .mobileprovision and .plist files are correct.
12. The .mobileprovision file downloads and installs properly via an iOS device's Safari browser.
13. The iOS device's Safari browser properly processes the .plist file, finds the .ipa file, and prompts for install with a message "[my domain name] would like to install '[my app name]'". I click the "Install" soft button.
14. Installation commences with the typical grayed version of the application icon and blue progress bar that proceeds from left to right. The icon's text is at first "Loading", and then changes to "Installing". After several seconds of "Installing", an alert is displayed: "Unable to download '[my app name]'". I am prompted with "Done" and "Retry" soft buttons. "Retry" of course just repeats the process and fails again. "Done" exits installation, and after a moment, the app icon disappears.

Just to be clear, this installs PERFECTLY via iTunes and the iPhone Configuration Utility. I have read countless blogs and articles on how to get this working, but no one seems to have definitive answers. Is there ANYONE that can think of what is going wrong here??? Thanks in advance. Pulling my hair out.

Triacid

Do you need to be a corporate developer? – Zuckerman

I hadn't thought of that. I have the $99/year developer account, not the enterprise developer account. I have seen anything that explicitly states that an enterprise account is needed for wireless distribution, but it kind of makes sense; wireless distribution is mostly suited for enterprise apps. However, my case is that I want to put a proof of concept in the hands of my client, WITHOUT them needing to use iTunes or iPhone Configuration Utility. It would be ideal to just send them a link to a page that has the provisioning profile and the app. I'll need to investigate further. – Triacid

Have you tried plugging your device to your Mac, and looking at the logs in XCode Organizer, as you attempt to do this? – Churr

I use MonoTouch and MonoDevelop, so no XCode here. I will be able to report back soon, once I get the Enterprise license established and then test my theory. – Triacid

Well, one likely mistake is that when you create the IPA/Plist file you have entered the wrong URL. You should enter the full URL to the IPA file in the PLIST. – Churr

You don't need an enterprise license. You seem to have everything right. Clutching at straws, does you app have the Entitlements.plist in it? – Strephonn

I see you got it resolved, but just FYI: you do not need to put the provisioning file on your web server. I did that in the beginning until I accidentally created one WITHOUT the provisioning file. I just had a link to the .plist and it worked. I made sure to delete all provisioning files from the device to make sure it works, and it does. I later found that the provisioning file is included in the .ipa file. Try it out next time. :) – Housework

Agreed, I found the same thing with MonoDevelop: the provisioning profile is automatically packaged into the app bundle, even with a ".app" bundle, not just ".ipa". This is using MonoDevelop. – Triacid

Hi, friend i have corporate developer account but still i facing same issue "Unable to download '[my app name]'". Please help me out – Cumulate

Check, double-check, and triple-check all of your provisioning profile stuff. Maybe even start from scratch with a brand new one. – Triacid

Answer 1

I think it wound up just being a provisioning profile issue. Never REALLY got to the bottom of the exact issue, but I found a great tool that makes the whole process SUPER easy for me: Beta Builder

Triacid

Answer 2

NovaJoe -- I was pretty discouraged to review your link as it does appear to read that you need Enterprise Developer license...

I think I figured it out. Read the first paragraph and first bullet point: http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#featuredarticles/FA_Wireless_Enterprise_App_Distribution/Introduction/Introduction.html

This would explain why all wired deployment methods work, but Wireless Distribution always fails. Enterprise developer account is required, it seems. >.<

But, this is not the case! I was able to successfully deploy by completing the following:

1. removing app archive from xcode organizer
2. in the xcode project: clean/clean all targets, then build and archive with the developer development certificate
3. in organizer, select the re-added application archive, and select Share...
4. For Identify, pick the Same Development Cert used to build the app and 'save to disk'

You now will have an .ipa file that will work, but in order for the remote-install to register, you will still need the plist file that is generated (and pointed to the new .ipa) for the process to initiate.

So to summarize -- follow enterprise process, then replace generated enterprise .ipa with non-enterprise .ipa

Guenna

Ahhhh...very interesting! I will need to replicate this process in the MonoDevelop realm. I will report back once I do. – Triacid

This is not true. You can distribute wirelessly using AdHoc profiles (up-to 100 devices) using the Standard Developer account. – Housework

Indeed you are correct, only standard account is necessary. I think I just had a whole bunch of crap wrong at once and it was tough to diagnose. Now, I use Beta Builder to simplify AdHoc deployments. I know some folks using TestFlight, but I prefer Beta Builder. – Triacid

Tried your way and it worked! Just got rid of USB way of testing now! – Schedule