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How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

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Re: How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

#121

I setup Samba share on my LAN. It works well enough for my purposes. It's not super smooth as not every app let's me open a file directly from the network and I need to make a copy first.

This has been my solution too. I have a vpn into my home on all my devices, so even away from home I can typically rely on it.

As a side note, for Android I've been using (and can't praise enough) Material Files [1]. It's the best simple file manager I've used that has built in samba support.

[1] https://f-droid.org/packages/me.zhanghai.android.files/

Re: How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

#122
I don't quite get it: What's the problem with Dropbox and co? Why this rule 1, to not use an account from an existing online service?

Because of privacy? Or principles? I don't think this is so much a problem for the average non-technical person.

If privacy is the reason, maybe encrypt it?

Re: How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

#123
post #102

Here's a thought: This article is exploring the wrong problem. The filesystem where my files reside should already be a fully-distributed filesystem covering all the devices I own, right from the moment I buy and enroll them. With that precondition, my file is already where I need, and any physical bit shuffling is just a detail managed by the OS, using whatever connectivity is already available (or prompting me to "…

What you describe is called Google Drive/OneDrive/iCloud.

Re: How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

#125

It's insane to me that this is a frustration I've had back maybe 20 years now and I still feel like there isn't a particularly great solution. My current iteration is just a "transfer" SyncThing folder that is on all my devices. It's not clean or convenient but at least its incredibly fast.

I hate how it's gotten progressively harder as the big platforms effectively declared war on local files. Tools like ES File Explorer and WinSCP used to work great, once upon a time.

> Tools like ES File Explorer

That one has no one but themselves to blame - the developers went for monetization by click fraud.

[1] https://www.slashgear.com/1010495/the-file-explorer-app-you-...

Re: How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

#127

Why don't we just put SSH scp on all devices?

SSH requires to have shell access on the receiving end, that renders it unusable in most situations. Rsync can in theory do anonymous file offerings, but it's not a shell one-liner to get it up and running either.

> SSH requires to have shell access on the receiving end

What makes you think that?

Re: How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

#128

Been using KDE Connect for years and it can do exactly that, along with clipboard sharing, SMS, and device notifications. https://kdeconnect.kde.org/

That's the #1 solution for devices under my control. For the rare cases, where I need to transfer personal data to/from corporate devices, I just use https://webwormhole.io/

Re: How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

#129
post #91

The best solution I have found to easily exchange files between devices so far is to use Telegram. It works perfectly for your own devices. You can have it on multiple devices at the same time (computers, phones,...), there is a special "saved messages" channel for files, it can easily accommodate small to reasonably big files (like GB files), and there is also a webclient that you can use in a few seconds if you are…

With the aforementioned Taildrop you do not have to trust Tailscale with your data.

Taildrop just solve a smaller part of the problem space.

For example, often the target might not be up or connected and you might want to have your file available to all your devices.

The closest competitor to Telegram in term of convenience is email I think.

Just a common use case, I will be at work, and will get a airplane eTicket pdf for a business trip.

I would connect through telegram web to drop it into my saved messages. Then, later I would be quite sure to have it available on any of my phones when being at the airport, and even being able to access it from my personal laptop later for a visa request for example.

Also, a moment later, I could suddenly share it with my girlfriend so that she have all the info to pick me up when I will come back.

In addition I can quite easily search such documents by keywords or date.

Re: How to copy a file between devices? (2022)

#130

Any hackers left here? Why no one mentions netcat? # send cat file | nc -l -p 8888 # receive nc IP-OF-SENDER 8888 > file this works as long as both computers are connected to the same network, for example the internet

Of course, this is a known way to do it for hackers. But the article clearly mentioned boundary conditions, among two are violated by the netcat trick:

* It needs to be useable for a non-technical person

* Its flow has to be consistent across platforms

Besides having access to a terminal, netcat must be installed and hosts accessible, ports open etc. Not what is usually the case and especially not advisable when you operate on the internet level and not on protected local networks.

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