How best to transfer files between android and Fedora Gnome?

Ask Fedora
1

Tried various tools but most are buggy or won’t work, perhaps because I have VPN on both devices.
I want a way to transfer files between Fedora Gnome laptop and Google Pixel phone running Android.
Any tips appreciated!

2

Have you tried Localsend? Works pretty well in my experience. The VPNs might be an issue though, since localsend is designed to transfer files over local networks. Letting localsend bypass the VPNs might be ideal.

OnionShare is designed to transfer over the Internet rather than a local network. I don’t know if VPNs are an issue here.

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3

Thank you! Local Send rings a bell, but forgot about it.
Will try that .
Onion Share appears to be not getting updates and not working now.

I found a workaround :slight_smile:
Wormhole app on Android and Warp app on Fedora - work nicely together to share over the web. But also want something for sharing over the LAN. Will try LocalSend, great thanks

4

If instead of doing transfers you would like (an almost) seamless peer-to-peer file synchronization between devices, have a look at Syncthing, available in the Fedora repos. From what I’ve read, there’s also an Android app, fork of the discontinued official app, called, well, Syncthing-Fork (available on F-Droid).

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5

In addition to the above recommendations, you can also try KDE Connect on your phone with the GS Connect gnome extension on your computer.

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6

I actually found KDE Connect first, Even tried to install it (not knowing if it would work on Gnome instead of KDE).
Couldn’t get the app to even open on Laptop so gave up!
II will have another look. Do you know if it requires both devices to be on the same WiFi connection?

7

They need to be on the same LAN, but not necessarily the same WiFi connection.

I use it to connect my phone to my desktop PC, which only has a wired Ethernet connection.

8

Gotcha. thanks very much

9

For the GS Connect extension to work you must not install KDE Connect. It is all good on its own and the developer themself says that if you install KDE Connect, GS Connect won’t work.

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10

So what do I install. GS Connect (not kde connect) on Fedora, as an extension. Good so far, but what do I install on Android to make the other end of the connection?
thanks

11

You can install the “KDE Connect” app, available on (at least) Google Play and F-Droid.

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12

I use a shared Google Drive.

13

No Google in my life!
Thanks though