Last updated: 2026-05-25

PC Installation

Detailed guide to install hiterm and its dependencies on your PC.

Prerequisite: Tailscale must be installed and logged in.

Why These Tools?

HiTerm works by having your phone connect to your PC's terminal via SSH. For the best mobile experience, mosh and tmux are also needed.

Tool Purpose Why It's Needed Required?
sshd SSH server Lets your phone remotely log into your PC. This is the basic connection method. โœ… Yes
mosh Mobile-optimized SSH SSH drops when network switches (subway, elevator). Mosh keeps the connection alive. โญ Recommended
tmux Terminal session manager Persists your terminal sessions. Tasks keep running after disconnect, resume on reconnect. โญ Recommended

Analogy:

  • SSH = Phone call (drops on bad signal, need to redial)
  • mosh = Voice chat (switches networks seamlessly, auto-reconnects)
  • tmux = Voice recorder (keeps recording after hangup, resume later)

๐Ÿ’ก Quick start can skip mosh and tmux โ€” try the basics first, add them later if you like it.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, confirm:

  • Tailscale is installed and online

    tailscale status  # should show device online

  • System is up to date

    # macOS
brew update

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt update

  • Admin/sudo access

One-Click Install hiterm

curl -fsSL https://hiterm.yinbin.ink/install.sh | bash

The installer automatically:

  1. Detects your system architecture (OS + CPU)
  2. Downloads the binary from GitHub Releases
  3. Installs to ~/.local/bin/hiterm
  4. Checks if ~/.local/bin is in your PATH

After installation, if hiterm: command not found, restart your terminal or run:

export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"

Add this to your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc to make it permanent.

China Users

The installer automatically detects network conditions and uses a local mirror. For manual download:

https://hiterm.yinbin.ink/download

Install Dependencies

macOS

# 1. Enable sshd (remote login)
sudo systemsetup -setremotelogin on

# 2. Install mosh and tmux
# Option A: MacPorts (recommended)
sudo port install mosh tmux

# Option B: Homebrew
brew install mosh tmux

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt install -y openssh-server mosh tmux
sudo systemctl start sshd
sudo systemctl enable sshd

Linux (Fedora/RHEL)

sudo dnf install -y openssh-server mosh tmux
sudo systemctl start sshd
sudo systemctl enable sshd

Linux (Arch)

sudo pacman -S openssh mosh tmux
sudo systemctl start sshd
sudo systemctl enable sshd

Linux (Alpine)

sudo apk add openssh mosh tmux
rc-service sshd start

Verify Dependencies

# Check sshd
sshd -V 2>&1 || echo "โŒ sshd not found"

# Check mosh
mosh --version

# Check tmux
tmux -V

Pair Your Phone

Once dependencies are installed:

hiterm pair

hiterm pair automatically:

  1. Gets your Tailscale IP
  2. Checks all dependencies
  3. Configures tmux (enables mouse mode in ~/.tmux.conf)
  4. Installs AI tool notification hooks (Claude Code, Gemini CLI, etc.)
  5. Generates a QR code for your phone to scan

โš ๏ธ Note: QR codes expire after 10 minutes. Just re-run hiterm pair if it times out.

Login for Advanced Features (Optional)

hiterm login

Login unlocks:

  • ๐Ÿค– AI notifications: Get notified when Claude Code, Cursor, etc. finish tasks
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Auto IP sync: PC IP changes are pushed to your phone automatically
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Multi-device management: Manage all paired devices from the web

Without login, basic SSH still works fine.

macOS-Specific Notes

Security Warning

If macOS blocks the binary with "unidentified developer":

  1. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security
  2. Find the blocked item and click "Allow Anyway"

Or remove the quarantine flag:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine ~/.local/bin/hiterm

PATH Setup

If hiterm is not found:

# zsh (macOS default)
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

# bash
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Next Steps