WiFi/WLAN Plugin for Totalcmd

C. Ghisler

Contains ads

About this app

WiFi transfer plugin and standalone app (does not require Total Commander)

Important note: This app does NOT contain any ads. However, it contains a link to Total Commander in the upper right corner if you use a Web Browser to access the files, and this plugin as the server. This is treated as an ad by the Play Store.

This plugin/tool supports direct connections via HTTP over WiFi/WLAN between two Android devices, or between Android (Server) and any device or computer with a Web browser or WebDAV client.

It creates a local Web+WebDAV server. The server URL can either be scanned as a QR-Code, or entered manually.

Although this is mainly a plugin for Total Commander, it can also be used standalone: Simply select some files in any file manager, or text, or an URL, and then use the "share" function to send it to the WiFi plugin. This will start a server and show the URL and QR-Code for the server.

Great to transfer data locally between two Android devices without going through the cloud! Your data will never leave your own wireless LAN network.

Note: Both devices need to be in the same WiFi network. If the sender isn't part of a WiFi network, this tool will offer to create its own access point, or start a WiFi direct connection. Other devices can then connect to this network to transfer data. If you scan the QR-Code from a copy of the WiFi plugin, the connection will be established automatically, and closed automatically when disconnecting.

Unfortunately Android 10 and newer require the "Location" permission to create a WiFi direct server. The app will request this permission only when you try to start a WiFi direct server. It is not needed for normal operation when client and server are on the same network.

Starting with version 3.4, it's now possible to use a fixed path with user name/password login instead of a random path. It uses DIGEST authentication, so your password is never sent in clear text over the connection. This login method is recommended when connecting regularly to the same device, e.g. when mounting the device as a drive in Windows or MacOS.

Ratings and reviews

I've been using Total Commander for literally decades now and I am always impressed by the software. This plugin, when used with the Android Total Commander app, gives me the ability to transfer files in either direction between my Windows 10 laptop and Android 8 phone using wifi. Although using Wi-Fi Direct was a little temperamental (a Windows issue I've seen before), once I was connected it all worked VERY well. When connecting through an access point I didn't experience any issues at all. I haven't needed or used this to transfer from phone to phone, so I can't comment on how that works. I saw a reviewer say he couldn't push a file from Winodws 10 to his phone. I've done that without any problems, and would mention that there is a checkbox in the control interface for this plugin that needs to be checked to allow receiving files to a SUB-directory (key point there) of the initially shared folder on the phone. Once that is configured properly, I used my browser to navigate to the phone's HTTP (NOT HTTPS!) IP address and into the SUB-directory where the controls to select a file from the Windows 10 computer and upload were then available.

I really like this plugin, it is excellent. However it does not automatically ask for storage permissions, and it took me for a while to figure out that I should give storage permissions manually, because without them uploading to the phone was not working. Or at least there should be a note to enable permissions manually. Hence the 4 stars. But I would obviously recommend it. :) If it gets fixed, I'll change to 5 stars :)

No doubt apps like these are really good. They can be amazing time-savers, doing the job they were developed for remarkably well. But so often they fall short, at least for me they do, because, probably like many others, I lack the knowledge to get most out of them. A basic description of how it works, with perhaps a video link showing ABC steps of setting it up for a novice like me is what's needed. Hope this is useful to developers.

What's new

4.4:
- request new permission "NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES" on Android 13 or newer for Wifi Direct
- return file timestamp when downloading file
- clients can now delete files in the base directory (if overwrite/delete allowed)
- PROPFIND: send timestamp of parent folder