Blocking OTA download through router.

[E2EK1EL]

iOS doesn't download a dictionary. It comes with the IPSW. The only thing mesu.apple.com blocks is the OTA updates. If you block applednl.apple.com you can prevent or block a large amount of Apple downloads and blocking that subdomain is not recommended.

Screenshots - Blocked iOS 6 Dictionary Downloads WiFi

 

[E2EK1EL]

Screenshots - Unblocked iOS 6 Dictionary Downloads WiFi

 

[Intell]

I'm not sure what to say to that. The built in iOS dictionary lives and has always lived on the read only partition under /Library/Dictionaries/ and is included with the IPSW.

 

[E2EK1EL]

This brand new IP4S, 19 days old got the iOS 7 Update Notifications alerted last night.

1)Router Blocked
2)Charging w/ WiFi OFF (WiFi Never been on w/ charging anywhere)
3)Software Update never been searched or entered in the Settings app

 

[Mrbobb]

After a full day I finally took back the stolen space and got rid of the "goiter." Had to reset to new and re-configure though, merely restore doesn't get rid of the goiter. Blocked mesu only. Been 4 days now, knock on wood. #^*~£ Apple.

 

[oplix]

anyone noticing the router block not sticking? Mine started coming back now.

 

[Sonicmojo]

anyone noticing the router block not sticking? Mine started coming back now.

Working perfectly here. You should clarify exactly what you mean by "Mine started coming back now"

Your "what" started coming back now?

You cannot get rid of the "badge" or the fact that the OS keeps telling you there's an update. That comes from a different server.

VP

 

[Intell]

You cannot get rid of the "badge" or the fact that the OS keeps telling you there's an update. That comes from a different server.

The badge and notification comes from mesu.apple.com and is generated by iOS parsing a XML file.

 

[KhunJay]

Thanks for this solution.

I blocked the 2 urls provided by the OP via my router settings and so far my 'other' storage is at 547mb or so. No download or badges.

Just wanted to clarify how I can keep it this way.

1. Turn off wifi or activate airplane mode while charging with usb.
2. Is it confirmed that the download only happens when the ipad is connected to wi-fi and a power source simultaneously?
3. If I connect to wifi in the office (where I cannot block the 2 apple urls), will it still download the update if I am not connected to a power source?

Thanks

 

[Chris1W]

Don't forget to keep your storage space less than the total space required by the download and the extracted installer (3.5GB)

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=18200709#post18200709

If you do it, you don't have to worry about turning off WiFi when charging

 

[Mrbobb]

Still no badge on my phone, there is a notification in iTunes but that doesn't bother me.

I block mesu only and this is an alpha block, meaning I tell my firewall anything in the LAN requesting "mesu*," no go. Blocking IP only does not work as the mesu site changes IP.

At work I go WIFI no problem but when I plug in to charge I make sure it's on airplane mode.

I do not (want to) bother keeping the free space small. So far so good. This is only needed if blocking FW does not work, u do not want, can't do this route.

 

[KhunJay]

Luckily my router allows blocking according to device so I block the mesu and appldnld...but only for iPad.

I find the act of filling up my device with useless stuff just to ward off a download a bit unusual...but for most people that may be the only solution.

----------

At work I go WIFI no problem but when I plug in to charge I make sure it's on airplane mode.

Any difference between enabling airplane mode and just turning off wifi?
Both take the same amount of effort.

 

[numlock]

my mom is getting a family members old iphone 4 and im thinking how to set it up for her. i guess i should be able to fill it up enough so there arent more than 3gb available. they already took out her ipad 3.

has apple ever answered for this pathetic and insecure tactic? wasnt there a some guy with a lawsuit?

personally i think this is deplorable and there should be a huge asterisk when they brag about ios adoption rate

 

[Mrbobb]

Both take the same amount of effort.

In my 6.3.1, Airplane mode requires 1 less button push. Am Mr. electrician, the less I have to do, the better.

But both will be fine folks. Go ahead disable your WIFI if you cannot be off cellular not even for a little while.

 

[Chris1W]

Most people don't always have control over nearby router(s) (like in workplace); Or let's say you set your girlfriend's (or some other non technie relatives) router to block the update server and tell her to do all the precautions while charging, one day she could just have a sleepover on a friend's house which has "unprotected" router, and charge her iPad/iPod/iPhone without enabling Airplane mode or turning off WiFi

So IMHO adding an extra layer of protection is better, because you (and/or your non techice acquintances) only need to be "off-guard" 1 time to have the enhancement shoved into your device

I rarely have problem filling my 32GB iPad with non junk stuffs, there are so many interesting/good that apps become free, 0.99, or 1.99 everyday on the app store (but perhaps one is not interested/don't have time to try out new apps)

personally i think this is deplorable and there should be a huge asterisk when they brag about ios adoption rate

+1, the 79 or whatever adoption rate of iOS7 must at least contains a sizeable portion of people who still regret "downgrading" but can't go back

 

[zBoost]

Blocking OTA download through router.

I unblocked mesu and as soon as I plugged the device to charge 7.04 update started downloading. It's taking exactly 2GiB when deployed

 

[E2EK1EL]

I was on my Christmas Vacation in Boston last week, my friend's place I stayed at did not block the two URLs and I was quite careful when I charged my IP5 by making sure my WiFi was turned off.

One night I went out for a smoke; left the WiFi on the IP5, and as soon I came back into range of my friend's WiFi network, WiFi reconnected automatically ... bamm I got the notification.

Once I returned home to Toronto, Erase All Data and Settings and resynced a clean back up, the Notification never came back.

 

[E2EK1EL]

Its too bad we can manually mod a file to void the update from any router.

 

[Intell]

Its too bad we can manually mod a file to void the update from any router.

Edit the hosts file on a jailbroken device to block mesu.apple.com. Works 100% of the time.

 

[curiosity]

Is there anything else that could be downloaded onto a fresh iPhone 4 but iOS 7 when plugged in? I blocked both servers, but the phone definitely downloaded a few hundred MB before I switched off Wi-Fi. I wouldn't have noticed this if my internet speed (on the iPad) didn't suddenly drop. Then I checked my router and saw the traffic. I compared the iPhone's storage loss to a screenshot I had made just a few hours ago. More than 500 MB are lost and nowhere to be found.

 

[curiosity]

Edit the hosts file on a jailbroken device to block mesu.apple.com. Works 100% of the time.

Would it be enough to just use the following line?
0.0.0.0 mesu.apple.com

Or do one have to be more specific and also block www.mesu.apple.com, for example? Which I think would not be covered by just mesu.apple.com in a hosts file.

I'm also wondering if connecting to iTunes on a computer could tell the iDevice there's an update so that the badge appears and the download starts during the next charging, which would start because we blocked just mesu.apple.com but not any download servers.

 

[curiosity]

I found a jailbreak tweak called "Software Update Killer". It's among Cydia's recommendations. Judging from its description it just removes badges and the ability to manually download OTA updates. But some people say it does even more. Does anyone know for sure if it also deletes partially downloaded OTA updates and prevents future automatic downloads?

 

[Intell]

iTunes doesn't tell the iOS device an over the air update is available. The proper line to enter into the hosts file is "127.0.0.1 mesu.apple.com", without the quotes.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Hopefully this feature will make it to 7.1:

http://appadvice.com/appnn/2014/01/...anually-delete-over-the-air-ios-install-files

 

[curiosity]

If your device somehow managed to fully download the iOS 7 installer, but you wouldn't install it, instead you would go to "Settings - General - Reset - Erase All Contents and Settings", would iOS 7 get installed?