Open Source @lemmy.world happeningtofry99158 @lemmy.world 4d ago

Transfer file between ios and android wireless without internet connection

Is there an alternative of airdrop on android?

My understanding of airdrop (could be wrong) is that it is able to share files even without internet connection. (does not connect to wifi or cellular network)

Is there an open source alternative of airdrop on android that can share files / clipboard without internet connection? just transfer directly from one device to another?

thanks a lot

10 comments

https://localsend.org/
- thank you but it requires 2 devices to be connected in the same network, is there an alternative that works without internet connection like airdrop?
  
  LocalSend actually works without internet - it just needs both devices on the same local network (one phone can create a hotspot for the other to join if you're completely offline).
I do not know of a solution for clipboard content, but something like https://pairdrop.net/ for files.
- by clipboard I simply meant a button to paste what is in clipboard like localsend, not share what is is clipboard automatically. This is not essential, just makes life easier.
  
  Pairdrop requires a server to send a file to and that server send the file it received to the other client. so it might require network connection to be used.
  
  Is there a file transfer app that could transfer a file directly to a nearby device? like how phone transfer audio to an earphone using Bluetooth?
  
  Is there a file transfer app that could transfer a file directly to a nearby
  
  I don't think there's anything exactly like Apple Airdrop. Apple's airdrop uses a combination of bluetooth to find nearby devices, and a temporary wifi link to send them. It's a custom protocol, that only works because Apple controls the hardware, firmware and software, whereas on nonrooted android phones you simply don't have that level of control over the devices.
  
  In addition to that, many wifi adapters only support being in one "mode" at once, so they are unable to be simultaneously connected to a network, and connected to another device via a direct conenction. Apple gets around this via hardware control, where they can ensure that all their devices, essentially have two wifi adapters inside them.
  
  If you want an alternative to just send wifi files without an internet connection however, bluetooth supports sending and receiving files. Although, bluetooth is much slower than wifi, and you will have to pair the devices first.
  
  EDIT: it looks like a commenter above has claimed that apple devices don't support bluetooth file transfer. So an alternative you could consider is bluetooth tethering, where you connect to a wifi network hosted over bluetooth, and then send files through there. But this requires even more setup, and I dunno if Apple devices support this as well.
Android has Quick Share, and there's a Windows app as well, but there is no iOS support, just like AirDrop isn't available on Android.

A regular bluetooth file transfer would be an option, but again Apple has never supported that either, because they want you to use AirDrop in their walled garden.

There is probably a third party app, but everything I've ever seen needs a middle server to facilitate the transfer.

You could always use a USB drive, not optimal, but it is an option that both support. Depending on the iPhone you might need an adapter if it still uses the Lightning port instead of USB-C.
- thanks a lot! Since quick share is not Open source I will look into Bluetooth file transferring

10 comments