11 ms·

LocalSend: Open-source, cross-platform file sharing to nearby devices

447 points by alexzeitler 3y ago

andrewSC 3y ago
Devil’s advocate: why would I choose this over Syncthing?
- earthling8118 3y ago
  Upon first look this doesn't appear to serve the same purpose as syncthing. It sends files individually instead of keeping a folder synced.
- lknuth 3y ago
  This is really more like AirDrop, where Syncthing is more like DropBox. Not to say they have no overlap, I use both. LocalSend is nice to quickly send that one picture from my Android to my MacBook
  - factormeta 3y ago
    So it requires lan network? Can it work over bluetooth? Like Briar https://briarproject.org https://briarproject.org
    - LittleFreak 3y ago
      it can't, Bluetooth has a very limited datarate anyway
      - tjoff 3y ago
        That's why many only use Bluetooth to create an ad-hoc wifi network and do the transfer on that instead. Airdrop even requires bluetooth.
        fddrdplktrew 3y ago
        why not do straight up ad-hoc wi-fi?
        pastage 3y ago
        It is easy to do Bluetooth discovery between apps on Android/ios. I have not seen the same for wifi.
        fddrdplktrew 3y ago
        that's because Google actively won't implement it... not sure why but there was issues with "thousands" of comments requesting it (because it is part of WiFi standard). Not sure about Apple. https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/36904180 https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/36904180 (won't fix, obsolete, according to these mofos) https://i.imgur.com/xei98fy.png https://i.imgur.com/xei98fy.png (who the fuck knows how many more comments it would have got if they didn't block commenting) It was implemented once on Cyanogenmod thought... A lot of the posts about this have been de-indexed from Google Search too.
  - masklinn 3y ago
    I assume localsend can’t buffer files? That’s what I’d really like when sending stuff between my devices because my most common use case is I see or think of something work-related when I’m off and don’t want to dig out the company laptop to make note of it, or the other way around see a personal interest or a nerd snipe while at work and want to stash it for off-the-clock. I usually sling mails between devices, less commonly stash something in iCloud (or similar), but those are pretty noisy and high overhead workflows.
    - lknuth 3y ago
      No, that doesn't exist. I'm also not sure if this is what they went to support. I usually use Firefox Sync to send myself tabs.
- atlas_hugged 3y ago
  This isn’t really competing with syncthing it doesn’t look like. This is more of a cross-platform AirDrop. Syncthing is more for, well, syncing.
- Saris 3y ago
  Completely different use cases, this is for quick transfers of a file or several.
anotherhue 3y ago
Some CLI alternatives if you don't need the GUI: Croc: https://github.com/schollz/croc https://github.com/schollz/croc Magic-Wormhole: https://github.com/magic-wormhole/magic-wormhole https://github.com/magic-wormhole/magic-wormhole I used to use MW but switched to croc as the single binary was easier to deploy.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- fddrdplktrew 3y ago
  aren't ssh and ftp/sftp also good alternatives?
behnamoh 3y ago
Every few months there's a new tool for this and none of them gets widespread use.
- api 3y ago
  It’s 2024. There is still no good generally available way to send files between systems on the same LAN, let alone over the Internet. These kinds of blind spots exist because not only is there no money in solving them (and open solutions are too hard to use as usual) but in this case there is money in not solving them. A great simple ubiquitous solution would reduce demand for large complicated cloud storage systems that allow cloud data mining of all your files and/or require subscriptions.
  - LittleFreak 3y ago
    there is enough good software out there. If it's only file sharing, then I'd prefer 'LocalSend' . For anything more complex, like send clipboard, push notifications or remote control is 'KDE Connect' my first option, since it's also available for almost any platform.
    - blooalien 3y ago
      I've personally had great success with KDE Connect on the LAN for all that (and also as a handy touchpad / keyboard input device for PC). It's one of those "Just Works" tools I always reach for. Also have found SyncThing to be really excellent for keeping folders auto-sync'd between devices. (One personal use-case example for that is keeping my "Pictures" folder in sync between my phone camera and a local folder on one or more of my PCs.)
  - userbinator 3y ago
    There is still no good generally available way to send files between systems on the same LAN For me, a pair of netcats has served that use-case quite well.
    - 3y ago
astkaasa 3y ago
tailscale's taildrop is an good alternative and maybe more secure(?)
- refulgentis 3y ago
  I don't think it's a good alternative. Via https://tailscale.com/kb/1106/taildrop https://tailscale.com/kb/1106/taildrop: - "Since Taildrop is an alpha feature, you’ll need to opt your network in to the test to use it." - "Taildrop is only available on Synology with Tailscale v1.18.2". - "Currently that means you need to manually install Tailscale on your Synology NAS." Taking Occam's Razor to it: - Buy Enterprise™ hardware to use alpha software. - "more secure" has a prefix of "maybe" and a suffix of "(?)" in the comment recommending it I'm ruling it out altogether.
  - evanriley 3y ago
    You don't need any enterprise hardware to use taildrop. > - "Taildrop is only available on Synology with Tailscale v1.18.2". > - "Currently that means you need to manually install Tailscale on your Synology NAS." Only apply if you're installing it ON Synology hardware, otherwise it is matter of installing the tailscale client and opting your network in.
  - PKop 3y ago
    You misunderstand this documentation. It is available on other platforms besides Synology; it's just also available on Synology which is a good thing.
    - refulgentis 3y ago
      You sure? "Taildrop is only available on Synology NAS" could certainly use some workshopping.
      - d-z-m 3y ago
        That's not the whole sentence. The whole sentence is: "Taildrop is only available on Synology with Tailscale v1.18.2 or later." That sentence is the first sentence under the "Setting up Taildrop on Synology" section of the documentation.
brucethemoose2 3y ago
Is there an equivalent of this with an http front end, so the client doesn't need to install anything? I have used such apps before, but it seems they have gone unmaintained and don't work anymore.
- cgriesh 3y ago
  I usually use Snapdrop (https://snapdrop.net https://snapdrop.net) or PairDrop (https://pairdrop.net https://pairdrop.net).
  - rcarmo 3y ago
    I have a Snapdrop fork running on my LAN that works wonders when sending files across platforms.
- imiric 3y ago
  I frequently use `python -m http.server` on my LAN. And if I can't be bothered to setup Python on the source host, or there are network complications, running uploadserver[1] on the destination host works great. I'm wary of all these fancy tools with "magic" in their name, that rely on external relay servers. Even if they don't, I'm quite fond of the simplicity of plain old HTTP. I don't need anything more sophisticated, and in most cases, not even encryption. netcat/socat would be another solution, but they're not as ubiquitous as Python and HTTP. And I can never remember the command incantations ':D [1]: https://pypi.org/project/uploadserver/ https://pypi.org/project/uploadserver/
- pvik 3y ago
  I've been working on this: https://github.com/pvik/simple-file-server/releases https://github.com/pvik/simple-file-server/releases
- SushiHippie 3y ago
  Localsend supports this https://github.com/localsend/protocol?tab=readme-ov-file#51-browser-url https://github.com/localsend/protocol?tab=readme-ov-file#51-... Or do you mean uploading with an http frontend?
deleted 3y ago
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ickwabe 3y ago
I highly suggest people give Techno Tims walkthrough of this software. It explains use case and demonstrates it across all major platforms. https://youtu.be/2ITezMkbAqE?si=-YVJq8iqwFYQ9gMr https://youtu.be/2ITezMkbAqE?si=-YVJq8iqwFYQ9gMr
- crtasm 3y ago
  Without the tracking code: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ITezMkbAqE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ITezMkbAqE
Saris 3y ago
Love this tool, great for moving a few files between devices.
deleted 3y ago
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olgs 3y ago
Agree, this tool is fantastic for adhoc transfers on my Android, iOS and Mac devices. Even works over tailscale on Wifi with Client isolation on.
pkalinowski 3y ago
I'm using snapdrop.net for that. It requires a server, but clients only need to open a webpage, so it's easier after initial setup. I run mine on Synology server. Too bad it seems to not be mantained anymore
anon115 3y ago
som1 consider making 1 in bluetooth since now bluetooth web api exists
anon115 3y ago
wifi direct would be nice
smusamashah 3y ago
There are a few browser based p2p file sharing tools [1] and a bunch of CLI tools out there as well for the same job. # Browser Based 1. FilePizza https://file.pizza/ https://file.pizza/ 2. SnapDrop https://snapdrop.net/ https://snapdrop.net/ https://github.com/RobinLinus/snapdrop https://github.com/RobinLinus/snapdrop. A fork PairDrop https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/pairdrop https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/pairdrop 3. Instant.io https://instant.io/ https://instant.io/ 4. file ai http://fileai.com/ http://fileai.com/ 5. Send Anywhere https://send-anywhere.com/ https://send-anywhere.com/ 6. Just Beaam it https://www.justbeamit.com/ https://www.justbeamit.com/ 7. Yt2fb.in https://yt2fb.in/file-transfer/ https://yt2fb.in/file-transfer/ 8. drop.lol https://drop.lol/ https://drop.lol/ https://github.com/mat-sz/filedrop https://github.com/mat-sz/filedrop # CLI 1. croc https://github.com/schollz/croc https://github.com/schollz/croc 2. p2pcopy https://github.com/psantosl/p2pcopy https://github.com/psantosl/p2pcopy 3. pcp https://github.com/dennis-tra/pcp https://github.com/dennis-tra/pcp 4. wormhole-william https://github.com/psanford/wormhole-william https://github.com/psanford/wormhole-william [1]: https://gist.github.com/SMUsamaShah/fd6e275e44009b72f64d0570256bb3b2 https://gist.github.com/SMUsamaShah/fd6e275e44009b72f64d0570...
- fuzzythinker 3y ago
  More: LANDrop - https://landrop.app/ https://landrop.app/ ShareDrop - https://www.sharedrop.io/ https://www.sharedrop.io/ beamit - https://justbeamit.com/ https://justbeamit.com/ payload - https://payload.app/ https://payload.app/ (as mentioned) pairdrop - https://pairdrop.net/ https://pairdrop.net/ all via https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37251411 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37251411 Also: pixeldrain - https://pixeldrain.com/ https://pixeldrain.com/
- djfergus 3y ago
  The PairDrop dev appears to have been shadowbanned by github: https://github.com/fm-sys/snapdrop-android/issues/356#issuecomment-1952508005 https://github.com/fm-sys/snapdrop-android/issues/356#issuec...
- deleted 3y ago
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- 3y ago
tamimio 3y ago
From my experience where I wanted to send some files from my iPhone to an android based screen in my car, local send and landrop where the best, the rest needed internet or didn’t work properly, like sharedrop, snapdrop, pairdrop, and arc.
ComputerGuru 3y ago
Best thing about this is that it is available for most of the major platforms with an easy to use GUI. iOS app is excellent. Some important bugs to beware: On Windows having the LocalSend app running with the Window visible (after a receive?) prevents the system from sleeping. On Linux, it does the same even if the window isn’t showing. On Linux, having the LocalSend window visible and idle consumes an insane amount of cpu with the desktop window manager constantly refreshing damages. On Windows, the app (with the “startup minimized” option checked) if configured to launch at startup will often show the window anyway (not that you want it running in the background given the sleep issues).
- arvindkumarc 3y ago
  Yes. Love this cross platform, non proprietary software for local file sharing.
- ahmedfromtunis 3y ago
  Thanks for the heads-up. I just installed it and it's the most most hassle-free experience I ever had with this type of apps. My only gripe with it is that I need the receiving device awake and the app on the foreground (at least on android) for it to work. Even with the quick save option activated. I wish quick share (né nearby share) was available on linux (even if via chrome).
  - grishka 3y ago
    > I wish quick share (né nearby share) was available on linux (even if via chrome). I made NearDrop, which is a macOS implementation of Nearby Share: https://github.com/grishka/NearDrop https://github.com/grishka/NearDrop And of course, someone tried to reimplement it for other OSes: https://github.com/PlutoHDDev/CrossDrop https://github.com/PlutoHDDev/CrossDrop
    - ahmedfromtunis 3y ago
      I'll give them a spin, thanks for the links!
Solvency 3y ago
Would've been cool if they concat'd LocalSend into simply "Lend".
themusicgod1 3y ago
github only = this is not open source unlike, say, wormhole
- ddtaylor 3y ago
  ?
- commoner 3y ago
  LocalSend is also on Codeberg: https://codeberg.org/localsend/localsend https://codeberg.org/localsend/localsend While GitHub is not open source, LocalSend is under the MIT License: https://codeberg.org/localsend/localsend/src/branch/main/LICENSE https://codeberg.org/localsend/localsend/src/branch/main/LIC...
  - pastage 3y ago
    Codeberg has become a really great service I used it commercially for the first time this winter it should be the new Github IMHO.
- KetoManx64 3y ago
  I don't think you understand what open source means then
LorenzoGood 3y ago
They have the best privacy policy ever: https://localsend.org/#/privacy https://localsend.org/#/privacy
- tjoff 3y ago
  Doesn't say anything about what they share other than that they don't collect personal data...
  - fddrdplktrew 3y ago
    I guess they send it straight to the spying agencies from your personal computing device...
  - Brian_K_White 3y ago
    Yes they do? There's only a few lines in the entire thing, so I don't know how you can miss that twice they say they don't collect anything in the first place, and then they say: "Since we do not collect such information, there's no possibility of us using, sharing, or selling this data." If you want to say that this technically isn't a declaration, I would simply disagree and count it as one. Frankly, being an open source app, I would be fine if it even said something like "It's open source. If you think it does anything nefarious, go ahead and show it." without even a suggestion of a promise. But they actually do make a declaration of both intent and action. Any other data that isn't personal data they might have, like their download estimates or something, is theirs none of our business.
    - tjoff 3y ago
      What? Collect anything? They say they don't collect personal data. They don't mention what they do with non-personal data. >Frankly, being an open source app, I would be fine if it even said something like "It's open source. If you think it does anything nefarious, go ahead and show it." without even a suggestion of a promise. But they actually do make a declaration of both intent and action. That is just horrendous. No. That is not a bar that is acceptable for any app, free, paid, open source or not. Likely illegal too. > Any other data that isn't personal data they might have, like their download estimates or something, is theirs none of our business. Or something... such as information about files being sent... Or app telemetry etc. That was my point. I don't have reason to distrust them, but calling it the best "privacy policy ever" is a huge stretch given what it lacks.
djfergus 3y ago
Unfortunately does not work with Chromebooks: https://github.com/localsend/localsend/issues/29 https://github.com/localsend/localsend/issues/29
harikb 3y ago
[flagged]
- deleted 3y ago
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SiDevesh 3y ago
Its amazing to me how AirDrop is such a big plus for Apple ecosystem even in 2024 given technologically it is one of the simplest things possible. The innovation is purely on the alignment of interests Apple has and its competitors don't because they are all competing with each other and then also Apple.
- lofenfew 3y ago
  if everyone has samsung they all have quick share or whatever. lockin isn't laudible
  - JeremyNT 3y ago
    Google calls this feature "quick share." Of course the problem is that it's all proprietary and Apple has no interest in supporting transfers with non Apple devices. It's pretty typical on HN to see somebody singing the praises of apple while failing to notice the competition provides similar functionality.
- Almondsetat 3y ago
  >technologically it is one of the simplest things possible then how come there are zero FOSS "AirDrop replacements" that seamlessly create an ad-hoc wireless network between two devices to allow for truly p2p high speed transfers?
  - g_p 3y ago
    My guess is that it's difficult to interface with the system's Bluetooth and WiFi sufficiently without a native app on any modern platform (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux) enough to create and advertise that kind of ad hoc network, without a native app on the device (perhaps even with system permissions). Since Apple won't implement any third party one, and theirs is natively integrated with their platform, half the ecosystem won't implement or adopt any FOSS alternative. Since such an alternative won't be pre loaded on handsets (and the Android ecosystem is complex without one single vendor producing firmware everyone ships), the rival would need to be installed manually by users before use. Not impossible - WhatsApp and other apps have (in some markets) gained near-ubiquity without being built-in, but I think the native app barrier here will always be a hurdle. And Apple presumably knows and strategizes that an alternative won't gain adoption if their half of the ecosystem won't adopt it, therefore holding back the wider market and keeping airdrop functionality as a USP.
acidburnNSA 3y ago
I was talking to my brother about phones the other day and he has to have an iphone for work. He's a federal firefighter in the USA who was hot-shotting all last summer. When they're way out in the middle of nowhere with no cell and no central wifi routers anywhere they use AirDrop to transfer maps and stuff to team members before splitting up. Kinda interesting. Would this tool allow that kind of thing, e.g. for Android to iphone?
- sedatk 3y ago
  Yes.
  - cl3misch 3y ago
    Can you elaborate? How does it work without the devices sharing the same Wifi? I just skimmed the readme. It states a "local network" multiple times. So in this example, the firefighters need a Wifi network to connect the devices. Not because the files are sent over the internet, but because LocalSend doesn't create an ad-hoc network unlike to Airdrop. So OP: technically yes, but the experience is not quite the same.
    - sedatk 3y ago
      Sorry I missed the part “no wifi routers available”. They need to be on the same Wifi with this app, you’re right.
    - t0bia_s 3y ago
      VPN on devices to same network, ie Wireguard or Tailscale.
      - RF_Savage 3y ago
        Won't this still require network connectivity to function?
        zie 3y ago
deleted 3y ago
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sedatk 3y ago
It’s not in Microsoft Store, but it can be installed via WinGet on Windows machines: winget install LocalSend.LocalSend
- Alifatisk 3y ago
  Is there a website where you can search for packages for winget? Like homebrew.
  - mherrmann 3y ago
    https://winstall.app https://winstall.app. There's also winget.run, but it's no longer updated.
MasterYoda 3y ago
Does anyone knows if it is possible to send folders (includings subfolders) or is just files? Have been looking for a simple way to share files between pc and android wireless but not via internet, but seems it always is just file/s you could transfer, not folders with everything in them. If LocalSend is the same and can only transfer selected file/s, have anyone any tips on a alternative app that do the same but also with folders?
- chaxor 3y ago
  I think you can make tar.zst pretty easily in Android?
- gala8y 3y ago
  Probably not what you are looking for, but Syncthing, Syncthing Fork on Android, if you have LAN. You can switch on only local announce (switch global off in adv. settings).
- minhmeoke 3y ago
  If you can install software on the computer and have an Android 11 or newer phone, one way is to use the adb tool from android sdk tools to create a connection over the local wifi network which you can adb push folders over. # Initial Setup 1. Install Android Platform Tools from: https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools#downloads https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools#... and verify that you can execute the adb tool. 2. Connect the Android device and the computer to the same Wi-Fi network 3. Also connect the Android device to the computer via USB cable (just for this initial setup) 4. Pair the phone with the computer and enable Wireless debugging as described here: https://developer.android.com/tools/adb#connect-to-a-device-over-wi-fi https://developer.android.com/tools/adb#connect-to-a-device-... # Subsequent usage (does not require USB cable): 5. Toggle the Wireless Debugging quick setting toggle to enable adb connections from your computer to your phone 6. Retrieve the Android device's IP address in Settings → About → Status. 7. On the computer command line type: adb connect ip-address-of-device:5555 8. Push the folder to the Android device: adb push /path/to/folder/to/copy/on/computer /sdcard/path/to/destination/on/android/device
- klabb3 3y ago
treefry 3y ago
I tried to set up Dart runtime and run cli on a Linux server. Then I realized that it just prints a message and quits. Maybe it's better to directly tell user cli isn't implemented yet.
ho_schi 3y ago
I miss Bluetooth for discovery. And Bluetooth for transmission of small files. * Eliminates the need to be in one network of any kind. * Allows nearby detection. * Nowadays good for laptop <-> smartphone * Possiblilty to create AP with WiFi for big transfers Bluetooth discovery is the strength of AirDrop. I’m not sure but I think Apple creates a temporary WiFi and the other party is connecting to it briefly for big transfers? The application Teleport [1] uses Zeroconf for discovery. It misses cross-platform support. Probably it is better use Multicast directly, setup of Avahi is complicated (conflicts) and requires a Daemon. PS: People often forget that Bluetooth has already the built-in capability to transfer files (e.g. vCard). I only remember GNOME to present it and then also not in Nautilus. Same as WebDAV which works much better than SMB for me. Again, most people just don’t know that there is WebDAV built-in.
- janandonly 3y ago
  The screenshot on the landing page is a slap in the face of Apple, for good reasons, I think. Yesterday, a friend tried to airdrop a picture to me from his iPhone 11 Pro to my iPhone 15 Pro. Touching the top of the phones did the funny jiggle, but didn't send the file. He then clicked on my picture in AirDrop, which showed him "waiting on confirmation" but I never got a pop-up. After a few retries and reboot, we gave up. He sent me the picture over WhatsApp, which, ironically, "just works." Apple needs to get these bugs fixed. I lament the fact that they remain more focused on hardware then software.
dheerajvs 3y ago
I continue to use TrebleShot[0] although it's repo is archived since it also enables browsing files using a Web browser. So you don't need to install it on the receiver side. Does LocalSend also have this capability? [0] https://github.com/trebleshot/android https://github.com/trebleshot/android
lukesalis 3y ago
I used to use a program called dukto to send files and text to other devices on my network.
hacker_88 3y ago
Use NearbySharing app for Android to Any Window,it uses windows built-in nearby sharing ) . Use Quickshare (built-in app for Android, previously called Nearby Share)for other androids .
- berkes 3y ago
  Won't share to and from a Linux desktop though. LocalSend works on all platforms.
  - hacker_88 3y ago
    A bummer . When the devices have inbuilt solutions of some kind . it is very useful .
crazylogger 3y ago
Great stuff! I wonder if it's possible to make it available as a web app? It would be even cooler if no app install is required, just send the link to a receiver via text message.
- zikduruqe 3y ago
  https://snapdrop.net https://snapdrop.net
  - aPoCoMiLogin 3y ago
    i'm using it from time to time, for quick share of small files, and it always works great
    - zikduruqe 3y ago
      And when I have larger content that needs to be shared, Signal's "Note to Self" works across platforms also. (It's the only reason I have Signal installed since I don't use it for communications)
sinuhe69 3y ago
I use LANDrop, another open source project, with satisfaction. The thing about LocalSend is its low transfer speed. Somehow it’s even slower than LANDrop and much lower than SMB or Croc. I have also a very weird problem with detection: my iPad can’t send to my Windows PC, but my PC can! Restart server, turn off firewall … all no help. My LAN is a bit complex with VLAN so I didn’t report the issue because it might just be me. However, LANDrop doesn’t seem to have the same problem. That’s weird square.
- sunshinesnacks 3y ago
  I just got setup to use LocalSend, but then saw your comment and was having second thoughts. Comparing the GitHub repos for the two, it seems like LANDrop is pretty stale, while LocalSend is very active. https://github.com/LANDrop/LANDrop https://github.com/LANDrop/LANDrop https://github.com/localsend/localsend https://github.com/localsend/localsend Something to consider, although I'm not sure how much it practically matters.
  - devmor 3y ago
    I've been using LANDrop between 2 iOS devices, an Android device, 2 Windows devices and an Ubuntu device since I first saw it posted on HN and have never had an issue with it personally.
pbnjeh 3y ago
A lot of mentions of Airdrop, here. Didn't some versions of it expose unique identifiers, that became a problem in e.g. Hong Kong? I'm not on Apple, so I didn't sufficiently retain the details, but I remember reading about this a year or two ago.
- CharlesW 3y ago
  https://www.engadget.com/china-says-it-can-bypass-airdrop-privacy-measures-to-identify-message-senders-151547143.html https://www.engadget.com/china-says-it-can-bypass-airdrop-pr...
dolmen 3y ago
From the Terms of Service [1]: You represent that you are over the age of 18. The Company does not permit those under 18 to use the Service. [1]: https://localsend.org/#/terms-of-service https://localsend.org/#/terms-of-service
T3RMINATED 3y ago
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elguindi 3y ago
I wrote a similar, but web-based, service focusing on peer to peer file sharing. Since it's a web app, there are file size restrictions imposed by browsers but give it a shot! A signalling server is used for connecting the clients but you don't need it once you're connected to your peer, file data is only ever sent over a P2P connection. By choice, there is no fallback TURN server so some network configurations that aren't able to establish P2P connectivity can't share files. The price of privacy! https://dropnow.elguindi.xyz/ https://dropnow.elguindi.xyz/
unstatusthequo 3y ago
TailScale solved this already for me. Universal cross-OS, cross device copy/paste that’s reliable? Another story.
franga2000 3y ago
A project idea I've had for a while is to make a library and corresponding apps that implement all of these different sending protocols in one. It seems like every few months, a new p2p file sending app/website is launched and they all basically do the same thing, but very few are inter-compatible. The reason Apple's AirDrop is so good isn't a technical reason, it's because there's just one AirDrop and it's installed on all Apple devices. We need to make one open stuff-sending standard and stop reinventing the wheel. But until then, having one multi-protocol library would be almost as good.
mekster 3y ago
What's better with these solutions than simply using NextCloud if it requires installing apps on each clients?
eternityforest 3y ago
Wow, it seems to do just about everything right, in a space where there hasn't really been any good options for a while. I especially like the documented HTTP based protocol which might allow for some interesting stuff like uploading a picture to a digital picture frame.
Endurancee 3y ago
On windows you can use quick share to send files & folders doesn't need internet and more reliable than localsend though not open source. https://www.android.com/intl/en_in/better-together/quick-share-app/ https://www.android.com/intl/en_in/better-together/quick-sha...
tobiasbischoff 3y ago
Not saying this is totally worthless but the magic of Airdrop is that people do NOT have to be on the same network and that it does not need any network infrastructure in the first place.

447 points by alexzeitler 3y ago

andrewSC 3y ago

Devil’s advocate: why would I choose this over Syncthing?

earthling8118 3y ago
Upon first look this doesn't appear to serve the same purpose as syncthing. It sends files individually instead of keeping a folder synced.
lknuth 3y ago
This is really more like AirDrop, where Syncthing is more like DropBox. Not to say they have no overlap, I use both. LocalSend is nice to quickly send that one picture from my Android to my MacBook
- factormeta 3y ago
  So it requires lan network? Can it work over bluetooth? Like Briar https://briarproject.org https://briarproject.org
  - LittleFreak 3y ago
    it can't, Bluetooth has a very limited datarate anyway
    - tjoff 3y ago
      That's why many only use Bluetooth to create an ad-hoc wifi network and do the transfer on that instead. Airdrop even requires bluetooth.
      - fddrdplktrew 3y ago
        why not do straight up ad-hoc wi-fi?
        pastage 3y ago
        It is easy to do Bluetooth discovery between apps on Android/ios. I have not seen the same for wifi.
        fddrdplktrew 3y ago
        that's because Google actively won't implement it... not sure why but there was issues with "thousands" of comments requesting it (because it is part of WiFi standard). Not sure about Apple. https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/36904180 https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/36904180 (won't fix, obsolete, according to these mofos) https://i.imgur.com/xei98fy.png https://i.imgur.com/xei98fy.png (who the fuck knows how many more comments it would have got if they didn't block commenting) It was implemented once on Cyanogenmod thought... A lot of the posts about this have been de-indexed from Google Search too.
- masklinn 3y ago
  I assume localsend can’t buffer files? That’s what I’d really like when sending stuff between my devices because my most common use case is I see or think of something work-related when I’m off and don’t want to dig out the company laptop to make note of it, or the other way around see a personal interest or a nerd snipe while at work and want to stash it for off-the-clock. I usually sling mails between devices, less commonly stash something in iCloud (or similar), but those are pretty noisy and high overhead workflows.
  - lknuth 3y ago
    No, that doesn't exist. I'm also not sure if this is what they went to support. I usually use Firefox Sync to send myself tabs.
atlas_hugged 3y ago
This isn’t really competing with syncthing it doesn’t look like. This is more of a cross-platform AirDrop. Syncthing is more for, well, syncing.
Saris 3y ago
Completely different use cases, this is for quick transfers of a file or several.

anotherhue 3y ago

Some CLI alternatives if you don't need the GUI: Croc: https://github.com/schollz/croc https://github.com/schollz/croc Magic-Wormhole: https://github.com/magic-wormhole/magic-wormhole https://github.com/magic-wormhole/magic-wormhole I used to use MW but switched to croc as the single binary was easier to deploy.

deleted 3y ago
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fddrdplktrew 3y ago
aren't ssh and ftp/sftp also good alternatives?

behnamoh 3y ago

Every few months there's a new tool for this and none of them gets widespread use.

api 3y ago
It’s 2024. There is still no good generally available way to send files between systems on the same LAN, let alone over the Internet. These kinds of blind spots exist because not only is there no money in solving them (and open solutions are too hard to use as usual) but in this case there is money in not solving them. A great simple ubiquitous solution would reduce demand for large complicated cloud storage systems that allow cloud data mining of all your files and/or require subscriptions.
- LittleFreak 3y ago
  there is enough good software out there. If it's only file sharing, then I'd prefer 'LocalSend' . For anything more complex, like send clipboard, push notifications or remote control is 'KDE Connect' my first option, since it's also available for almost any platform.
  - blooalien 3y ago
    I've personally had great success with KDE Connect on the LAN for all that (and also as a handy touchpad / keyboard input device for PC). It's one of those "Just Works" tools I always reach for. Also have found SyncThing to be really excellent for keeping folders auto-sync'd between devices. (One personal use-case example for that is keeping my "Pictures" folder in sync between my phone camera and a local folder on one or more of my PCs.)
- userbinator 3y ago
  There is still no good generally available way to send files between systems on the same LAN For me, a pair of netcats has served that use-case quite well.
  - 3y ago

astkaasa 3y ago

tailscale's taildrop is an good alternative and maybe more secure(?)

refulgentis 3y ago
I don't think it's a good alternative. Via https://tailscale.com/kb/1106/taildrop https://tailscale.com/kb/1106/taildrop: - "Since Taildrop is an alpha feature, you’ll need to opt your network in to the test to use it." - "Taildrop is only available on Synology with Tailscale v1.18.2". - "Currently that means you need to manually install Tailscale on your Synology NAS." Taking Occam's Razor to it: - Buy Enterprise™ hardware to use alpha software. - "more secure" has a prefix of "maybe" and a suffix of "(?)" in the comment recommending it I'm ruling it out altogether.
- evanriley 3y ago
  You don't need any enterprise hardware to use taildrop. > - "Taildrop is only available on Synology with Tailscale v1.18.2". > - "Currently that means you need to manually install Tailscale on your Synology NAS." Only apply if you're installing it ON Synology hardware, otherwise it is matter of installing the tailscale client and opting your network in.
- PKop 3y ago
  You misunderstand this documentation. It is available on other platforms besides Synology; it's just also available on Synology which is a good thing.
  - refulgentis 3y ago
    You sure? "Taildrop is only available on Synology NAS" could certainly use some workshopping.
    - d-z-m 3y ago
      That's not the whole sentence. The whole sentence is: "Taildrop is only available on Synology with Tailscale v1.18.2 or later." That sentence is the first sentence under the "Setting up Taildrop on Synology" section of the documentation.

brucethemoose2 3y ago

Is there an equivalent of this with an http front end, so the client doesn't need to install anything? I have used such apps before, but it seems they have gone unmaintained and don't work anymore.

cgriesh 3y ago
I usually use Snapdrop (https://snapdrop.net https://snapdrop.net) or PairDrop (https://pairdrop.net https://pairdrop.net).
- rcarmo 3y ago
  I have a Snapdrop fork running on my LAN that works wonders when sending files across platforms.
imiric 3y ago
I frequently use `python -m http.server` on my LAN. And if I can't be bothered to setup Python on the source host, or there are network complications, running uploadserver[1] on the destination host works great. I'm wary of all these fancy tools with "magic" in their name, that rely on external relay servers. Even if they don't, I'm quite fond of the simplicity of plain old HTTP. I don't need anything more sophisticated, and in most cases, not even encryption. netcat/socat would be another solution, but they're not as ubiquitous as Python and HTTP. And I can never remember the command incantations ':D [1]: https://pypi.org/project/uploadserver/ https://pypi.org/project/uploadserver/
pvik 3y ago
I've been working on this: https://github.com/pvik/simple-file-server/releases https://github.com/pvik/simple-file-server/releases
SushiHippie 3y ago
Localsend supports this https://github.com/localsend/protocol?tab=readme-ov-file#51-browser-url https://github.com/localsend/protocol?tab=readme-ov-file#51-... Or do you mean uploading with an http frontend?

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ickwabe 3y ago

I highly suggest people give Techno Tims walkthrough of this software. It explains use case and demonstrates it across all major platforms. https://youtu.be/2ITezMkbAqE?si=-YVJq8iqwFYQ9gMr https://youtu.be/2ITezMkbAqE?si=-YVJq8iqwFYQ9gMr

crtasm 3y ago
Without the tracking code: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ITezMkbAqE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ITezMkbAqE

Saris 3y ago

Love this tool, great for moving a few files between devices.

deleted 3y ago

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olgs 3y ago

Agree, this tool is fantastic for adhoc transfers on my Android, iOS and Mac devices. Even works over tailscale on Wifi with Client isolation on.

pkalinowski 3y ago

I'm using snapdrop.net for that. It requires a server, but clients only need to open a webpage, so it's easier after initial setup. I run mine on Synology server. Too bad it seems to not be mantained anymore

anon115 3y ago

som1 consider making 1 in bluetooth since now bluetooth web api exists

anon115 3y ago

wifi direct would be nice

smusamashah 3y ago

There are a few browser based p2p file sharing tools [1] and a bunch of CLI tools out there as well for the same job. # Browser Based 1. FilePizza https://file.pizza/ https://file.pizza/ 2. SnapDrop https://snapdrop.net/ https://snapdrop.net/ https://github.com/RobinLinus/snapdrop https://github.com/RobinLinus/snapdrop. A fork PairDrop https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/pairdrop https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/pairdrop 3. Instant.io https://instant.io/ https://instant.io/ 4. file ai http://fileai.com/ http://fileai.com/ 5. Send Anywhere https://send-anywhere.com/ https://send-anywhere.com/ 6. Just Beaam it https://www.justbeamit.com/ https://www.justbeamit.com/ 7. Yt2fb.in https://yt2fb.in/file-transfer/ https://yt2fb.in/file-transfer/ 8. drop.lol https://drop.lol/ https://drop.lol/ https://github.com/mat-sz/filedrop https://github.com/mat-sz/filedrop # CLI 1. croc https://github.com/schollz/croc https://github.com/schollz/croc 2. p2pcopy https://github.com/psantosl/p2pcopy https://github.com/psantosl/p2pcopy 3. pcp https://github.com/dennis-tra/pcp https://github.com/dennis-tra/pcp 4. wormhole-william https://github.com/psanford/wormhole-william https://github.com/psanford/wormhole-william [1]: https://gist.github.com/SMUsamaShah/fd6e275e44009b72f64d0570256bb3b2 https://gist.github.com/SMUsamaShah/fd6e275e44009b72f64d0570...

fuzzythinker 3y ago
More: LANDrop - https://landrop.app/ https://landrop.app/ ShareDrop - https://www.sharedrop.io/ https://www.sharedrop.io/ beamit - https://justbeamit.com/ https://justbeamit.com/ payload - https://payload.app/ https://payload.app/ (as mentioned) pairdrop - https://pairdrop.net/ https://pairdrop.net/ all via https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37251411 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37251411 Also: pixeldrain - https://pixeldrain.com/ https://pixeldrain.com/
djfergus 3y ago
The PairDrop dev appears to have been shadowbanned by github: https://github.com/fm-sys/snapdrop-android/issues/356#issuecomment-1952508005 https://github.com/fm-sys/snapdrop-android/issues/356#issuec...
deleted 3y ago
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3y ago

tamimio 3y ago

From my experience where I wanted to send some files from my iPhone to an android based screen in my car, local send and landrop where the best, the rest needed internet or didn’t work properly, like sharedrop, snapdrop, pairdrop, and arc.

ComputerGuru 3y ago

Best thing about this is that it is available for most of the major platforms with an easy to use GUI. iOS app is excellent. Some important bugs to beware: On Windows having the LocalSend app running with the Window visible (after a receive?) prevents the system from sleeping. On Linux, it does the same even if the window isn’t showing. On Linux, having the LocalSend window visible and idle consumes an insane amount of cpu with the desktop window manager constantly refreshing damages. On Windows, the app (with the “startup minimized” option checked) if configured to launch at startup will often show the window anyway (not that you want it running in the background given the sleep issues).

arvindkumarc 3y ago
Yes. Love this cross platform, non proprietary software for local file sharing.
ahmedfromtunis 3y ago
Thanks for the heads-up. I just installed it and it's the most most hassle-free experience I ever had with this type of apps. My only gripe with it is that I need the receiving device awake and the app on the foreground (at least on android) for it to work. Even with the quick save option activated. I wish quick share (né nearby share) was available on linux (even if via chrome).
- grishka 3y ago
  > I wish quick share (né nearby share) was available on linux (even if via chrome). I made NearDrop, which is a macOS implementation of Nearby Share: https://github.com/grishka/NearDrop https://github.com/grishka/NearDrop And of course, someone tried to reimplement it for other OSes: https://github.com/PlutoHDDev/CrossDrop https://github.com/PlutoHDDev/CrossDrop
  - ahmedfromtunis 3y ago
    I'll give them a spin, thanks for the links!

Solvency 3y ago

Would've been cool if they concat'd LocalSend into simply "Lend".

themusicgod1 3y ago

github only = this is not open source unlike, say, wormhole

ddtaylor 3y ago
?
commoner 3y ago
LocalSend is also on Codeberg: https://codeberg.org/localsend/localsend https://codeberg.org/localsend/localsend While GitHub is not open source, LocalSend is under the MIT License: https://codeberg.org/localsend/localsend/src/branch/main/LICENSE https://codeberg.org/localsend/localsend/src/branch/main/LIC...
- pastage 3y ago
  Codeberg has become a really great service I used it commercially for the first time this winter it should be the new Github IMHO.
KetoManx64 3y ago
I don't think you understand what open source means then

LorenzoGood 3y ago

They have the best privacy policy ever: https://localsend.org/#/privacy https://localsend.org/#/privacy

tjoff 3y ago
Doesn't say anything about what they share other than that they don't collect personal data...
- fddrdplktrew 3y ago
  I guess they send it straight to the spying agencies from your personal computing device...
- Brian_K_White 3y ago
  Yes they do? There's only a few lines in the entire thing, so I don't know how you can miss that twice they say they don't collect anything in the first place, and then they say: "Since we do not collect such information, there's no possibility of us using, sharing, or selling this data." If you want to say that this technically isn't a declaration, I would simply disagree and count it as one. Frankly, being an open source app, I would be fine if it even said something like "It's open source. If you think it does anything nefarious, go ahead and show it." without even a suggestion of a promise. But they actually do make a declaration of both intent and action. Any other data that isn't personal data they might have, like their download estimates or something, is theirs none of our business.
  - tjoff 3y ago
    What? Collect anything? They say they don't collect personal data. They don't mention what they do with non-personal data. >Frankly, being an open source app, I would be fine if it even said something like "It's open source. If you think it does anything nefarious, go ahead and show it." without even a suggestion of a promise. But they actually do make a declaration of both intent and action. That is just horrendous. No. That is not a bar that is acceptable for any app, free, paid, open source or not. Likely illegal too. > Any other data that isn't personal data they might have, like their download estimates or something, is theirs none of our business. Or something... such as information about files being sent... Or app telemetry etc. That was my point. I don't have reason to distrust them, but calling it the best "privacy policy ever" is a huge stretch given what it lacks.

djfergus 3y ago

Unfortunately does not work with Chromebooks: https://github.com/localsend/localsend/issues/29 https://github.com/localsend/localsend/issues/29

harikb 3y ago

[flagged]

deleted 3y ago
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SiDevesh 3y ago

Its amazing to me how AirDrop is such a big plus for Apple ecosystem even in 2024 given technologically it is one of the simplest things possible. The innovation is purely on the alignment of interests Apple has and its competitors don't because they are all competing with each other and then also Apple.

lofenfew 3y ago
if everyone has samsung they all have quick share or whatever. lockin isn't laudible
- JeremyNT 3y ago
  Google calls this feature "quick share." Of course the problem is that it's all proprietary and Apple has no interest in supporting transfers with non Apple devices. It's pretty typical on HN to see somebody singing the praises of apple while failing to notice the competition provides similar functionality.
Almondsetat 3y ago
>technologically it is one of the simplest things possible then how come there are zero FOSS "AirDrop replacements" that seamlessly create an ad-hoc wireless network between two devices to allow for truly p2p high speed transfers?
- g_p 3y ago
  My guess is that it's difficult to interface with the system's Bluetooth and WiFi sufficiently without a native app on any modern platform (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux) enough to create and advertise that kind of ad hoc network, without a native app on the device (perhaps even with system permissions). Since Apple won't implement any third party one, and theirs is natively integrated with their platform, half the ecosystem won't implement or adopt any FOSS alternative. Since such an alternative won't be pre loaded on handsets (and the Android ecosystem is complex without one single vendor producing firmware everyone ships), the rival would need to be installed manually by users before use. Not impossible - WhatsApp and other apps have (in some markets) gained near-ubiquity without being built-in, but I think the native app barrier here will always be a hurdle. And Apple presumably knows and strategizes that an alternative won't gain adoption if their half of the ecosystem won't adopt it, therefore holding back the wider market and keeping airdrop functionality as a USP.

acidburnNSA 3y ago

I was talking to my brother about phones the other day and he has to have an iphone for work. He's a federal firefighter in the USA who was hot-shotting all last summer. When they're way out in the middle of nowhere with no cell and no central wifi routers anywhere they use AirDrop to transfer maps and stuff to team members before splitting up. Kinda interesting. Would this tool allow that kind of thing, e.g. for Android to iphone?

sedatk 3y ago
Yes.
- cl3misch 3y ago
  Can you elaborate? How does it work without the devices sharing the same Wifi? I just skimmed the readme. It states a "local network" multiple times. So in this example, the firefighters need a Wifi network to connect the devices. Not because the files are sent over the internet, but because LocalSend doesn't create an ad-hoc network unlike to Airdrop. So OP: technically yes, but the experience is not quite the same.
  - sedatk 3y ago
    Sorry I missed the part “no wifi routers available”. They need to be on the same Wifi with this app, you’re right.
  - t0bia_s 3y ago
    VPN on devices to same network, ie Wireguard or Tailscale.
    - RF_Savage 3y ago
      Won't this still require network connectivity to function?
      - zie 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

sedatk 3y ago

It’s not in Microsoft Store, but it can be installed via WinGet on Windows machines: winget install LocalSend.LocalSend

Alifatisk 3y ago
Is there a website where you can search for packages for winget? Like homebrew.
- mherrmann 3y ago
  https://winstall.app https://winstall.app. There's also winget.run, but it's no longer updated.

MasterYoda 3y ago

Does anyone knows if it is possible to send folders (includings subfolders) or is just files? Have been looking for a simple way to share files between pc and android wireless but not via internet, but seems it always is just file/s you could transfer, not folders with everything in them. If LocalSend is the same and can only transfer selected file/s, have anyone any tips on a alternative app that do the same but also with folders?

chaxor 3y ago
I think you can make tar.zst pretty easily in Android?
gala8y 3y ago
Probably not what you are looking for, but Syncthing, Syncthing Fork on Android, if you have LAN. You can switch on only local announce (switch global off in adv. settings).
minhmeoke 3y ago
If you can install software on the computer and have an Android 11 or newer phone, one way is to use the adb tool from android sdk tools to create a connection over the local wifi network which you can adb push folders over. # Initial Setup 1. Install Android Platform Tools from: https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools#downloads https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools#... and verify that you can execute the adb tool. 2. Connect the Android device and the computer to the same Wi-Fi network 3. Also connect the Android device to the computer via USB cable (just for this initial setup) 4. Pair the phone with the computer and enable Wireless debugging as described here: https://developer.android.com/tools/adb#connect-to-a-device-over-wi-fi https://developer.android.com/tools/adb#connect-to-a-device-... # Subsequent usage (does not require USB cable): 5. Toggle the Wireless Debugging quick setting toggle to enable adb connections from your computer to your phone 6. Retrieve the Android device's IP address in Settings → About → Status. 7. On the computer command line type: adb connect ip-address-of-device:5555 8. Push the folder to the Android device: adb push /path/to/folder/to/copy/on/computer /sdcard/path/to/destination/on/android/device
klabb3 3y ago

treefry 3y ago

I tried to set up Dart runtime and run cli on a Linux server. Then I realized that it just prints a message and quits. Maybe it's better to directly tell user cli isn't implemented yet.

ho_schi 3y ago

I miss Bluetooth for discovery. And Bluetooth for transmission of small files. * Eliminates the need to be in one network of any kind. * Allows nearby detection. * Nowadays good for laptop <-> smartphone * Possiblilty to create AP with WiFi for big transfers Bluetooth discovery is the strength of AirDrop. I’m not sure but I think Apple creates a temporary WiFi and the other party is connecting to it briefly for big transfers? The application Teleport [1] uses Zeroconf for discovery. It misses cross-platform support. Probably it is better use Multicast directly, setup of Avahi is complicated (conflicts) and requires a Daemon. PS: People often forget that Bluetooth has already the built-in capability to transfer files (e.g. vCard). I only remember GNOME to present it and then also not in Nautilus. Same as WebDAV which works much better than SMB for me. Again, most people just don’t know that there is WebDAV built-in.

janandonly 3y ago
The screenshot on the landing page is a slap in the face of Apple, for good reasons, I think. Yesterday, a friend tried to airdrop a picture to me from his iPhone 11 Pro to my iPhone 15 Pro. Touching the top of the phones did the funny jiggle, but didn't send the file. He then clicked on my picture in AirDrop, which showed him "waiting on confirmation" but I never got a pop-up. After a few retries and reboot, we gave up. He sent me the picture over WhatsApp, which, ironically, "just works." Apple needs to get these bugs fixed. I lament the fact that they remain more focused on hardware then software.

dheerajvs 3y ago

I continue to use TrebleShot[0] although it's repo is archived since it also enables browsing files using a Web browser. So you don't need to install it on the receiver side. Does LocalSend also have this capability? [0] https://github.com/trebleshot/android https://github.com/trebleshot/android

lukesalis 3y ago

I used to use a program called dukto to send files and text to other devices on my network.

hacker_88 3y ago

Use NearbySharing app for Android to Any Window,it uses windows built-in nearby sharing ) . Use Quickshare (built-in app for Android, previously called Nearby Share)for other androids .

berkes 3y ago
Won't share to and from a Linux desktop though. LocalSend works on all platforms.
- hacker_88 3y ago
  A bummer . When the devices have inbuilt solutions of some kind . it is very useful .

crazylogger 3y ago

Great stuff! I wonder if it's possible to make it available as a web app? It would be even cooler if no app install is required, just send the link to a receiver via text message.

zikduruqe 3y ago
https://snapdrop.net https://snapdrop.net
- aPoCoMiLogin 3y ago
  i'm using it from time to time, for quick share of small files, and it always works great
  - zikduruqe 3y ago
    And when I have larger content that needs to be shared, Signal's "Note to Self" works across platforms also. (It's the only reason I have Signal installed since I don't use it for communications)

sinuhe69 3y ago

I use LANDrop, another open source project, with satisfaction. The thing about LocalSend is its low transfer speed. Somehow it’s even slower than LANDrop and much lower than SMB or Croc. I have also a very weird problem with detection: my iPad can’t send to my Windows PC, but my PC can! Restart server, turn off firewall … all no help. My LAN is a bit complex with VLAN so I didn’t report the issue because it might just be me. However, LANDrop doesn’t seem to have the same problem. That’s weird square.

sunshinesnacks 3y ago
I just got setup to use LocalSend, but then saw your comment and was having second thoughts. Comparing the GitHub repos for the two, it seems like LANDrop is pretty stale, while LocalSend is very active. https://github.com/LANDrop/LANDrop https://github.com/LANDrop/LANDrop https://github.com/localsend/localsend https://github.com/localsend/localsend Something to consider, although I'm not sure how much it practically matters.
- devmor 3y ago
  I've been using LANDrop between 2 iOS devices, an Android device, 2 Windows devices and an Ubuntu device since I first saw it posted on HN and have never had an issue with it personally.

pbnjeh 3y ago

A lot of mentions of Airdrop, here. Didn't some versions of it expose unique identifiers, that became a problem in e.g. Hong Kong? I'm not on Apple, so I didn't sufficiently retain the details, but I remember reading about this a year or two ago.

CharlesW 3y ago
https://www.engadget.com/china-says-it-can-bypass-airdrop-privacy-measures-to-identify-message-senders-151547143.html https://www.engadget.com/china-says-it-can-bypass-airdrop-pr...

dolmen 3y ago

From the Terms of Service [1]: You represent that you are over the age of 18. The Company does not permit those under 18 to use the Service. [1]: https://localsend.org/#/terms-of-service https://localsend.org/#/terms-of-service

T3RMINATED 3y ago

[dead]

elguindi 3y ago

I wrote a similar, but web-based, service focusing on peer to peer file sharing. Since it's a web app, there are file size restrictions imposed by browsers but give it a shot! A signalling server is used for connecting the clients but you don't need it once you're connected to your peer, file data is only ever sent over a P2P connection. By choice, there is no fallback TURN server so some network configurations that aren't able to establish P2P connectivity can't share files. The price of privacy! https://dropnow.elguindi.xyz/ https://dropnow.elguindi.xyz/

unstatusthequo 3y ago

TailScale solved this already for me. Universal cross-OS, cross device copy/paste that’s reliable? Another story.

franga2000 3y ago

A project idea I've had for a while is to make a library and corresponding apps that implement all of these different sending protocols in one. It seems like every few months, a new p2p file sending app/website is launched and they all basically do the same thing, but very few are inter-compatible. The reason Apple's AirDrop is so good isn't a technical reason, it's because there's just one AirDrop and it's installed on all Apple devices. We need to make one open stuff-sending standard and stop reinventing the wheel. But until then, having one multi-protocol library would be almost as good.

mekster 3y ago

What's better with these solutions than simply using NextCloud if it requires installing apps on each clients?

eternityforest 3y ago

Wow, it seems to do just about everything right, in a space where there hasn't really been any good options for a while. I especially like the documented HTTP based protocol which might allow for some interesting stuff like uploading a picture to a digital picture frame.

Endurancee 3y ago

On windows you can use quick share to send files & folders doesn't need internet and more reliable than localsend though not open source. https://www.android.com/intl/en_in/better-together/quick-share-app/ https://www.android.com/intl/en_in/better-together/quick-sha...

tobiasbischoff 3y ago

Not saying this is totally worthless but the magic of Airdrop is that people do NOT have to be on the same network and that it does not need any network infrastructure in the first place.