Selfhosted @lemmy.world sixfold @lemmy.sdf.org 12mo ago

KDE Connect - share files, and remote control between phone and computer

Open source way to connect your devices together. I just got it and it seems pretty dope. Anyone used this, or something similar before?

42 comments

KDE connect is great, but how is this related to this community?
- They're hosting their computer in their home by themselves hahaha.
  
  The house is self hosting people.
It's amazing and it keeps getting better with each update. I have it set up with a number of commands to remotely from my phone lock/unlock my PC, turn Bluetooth on or off, toggle night mode, start and kill certain apps, etc. It's very handy to share links and files from my phone straight to my PC or vice versa.
- I've been using it for a while as well, I love the remote commands especially. Would you have any clue why the widget for my commands stopped working? It was removed one day, so I added it back, but my commands don't show up there.
  
  I'm not sure. Are you talking about an issue on the PC or the phone? Did you perform any updates? What distro are you using? There may have been a major update that may have wiped your settings, but without more info it's hard to tell.
- By lock/unlock do you mean using biometric login?
  
  Biometric on my phone to unlock it (or PIN), but with KDE connect it's just running loginctl lock-session/loginctl unlock-session to lock/unlock the PC.
Connect is the primary reason I find myself stuck to KDE
Don't get me wrong Gnome is great after a few tweaks, but it's not KDE Connect great. Sharing files phone-pc, sms (buggy, but still handy) - love it.
- The GSConnect extension enables the same functionality on Gnome, btw.
  
  Yeah but then you have to use gnome when you could be using kde
It's gimped for me because it insists on using an insecure sftp algorithm, so I cannot use the file system browser to transfer files to/from my Android 13 devices. It probably can't access the root anyway. I want to use it for backing up my device files, especially the Android folder.

Everything else seems to work though.
- It can't do that. You give it an empty folder and that folder is sync'd.
  
  KDE Connect utilizes SSHFS in order to securely and wirelessly mount your Android device's file system to your computers. You will be able to browse all of the files on your device via your preferred file manager whether that be Dolphin, Nemo, Nautilus, Thunar, etc.
it is a wonderful program, there is also an extension called GS Connect for gnome users
KDE connect is a must-have on all my devices. I mainly use it for quick file transfers but other plugins occasionally.
The one thing it's missing for me to ditch Firefox Sync for KDE Connect, is a way for me to store sent tabs while I'm not near my computer or when it's off.
- Firefox sync is really neat as well, though. I like not needing to configure Firefox for each system I use when I can have everything sync'ed. I know Mozilla ain't the greatest but they're fine enough for my daily usage.
  
  If I need full privacy I can go Librewolf or Tor browser.
  
  You can self host Firefox Sync as well, not that I've tried it myself.
I've got an S22 and have been using Phone Link built into windows. Mainly just at work on my work computer. I like it.
Wish there was a way to remotely view your computer monitor
- If you're in the house, just use an elaborate series of mirrors.
  
  If you're somewhere else, just use an even longer elaborate series of mirrors.
  
  Isn't the internet just an elaborate series of mirrors 🤔
- Do you mean specifically with KDE connect? Because you can do it with VNC
  
  I wanted to do it with kde connect but I will try out vnc
I've been using it for years and can't live without it anymore. It's too goddamn useful.
Been using to for a while, all the different plugins are great.
Does this function like RDP? It's one of the better products to come out of Microsoft.
- Kde connect functions much more like Join or Pushbullet, it's not a remote desktop tool
I haven't been able to figure out why it doesn't reconnect automatically when I come home.

Also does anyone know if it can connect it to multiple PCs at once? I haven't been able to figure that out.
- You can, just go to the sidebar and press Pair new device.

42 comments