Transfer files over wifi between two standalone linux computers

General Help
1

Hi there. I have two computers, one smaller that is Zorin 17 only and a larger one on which I wish to VirtualBox Windows inside of Zorin 17. I have a Windows ISO on the smaller computer and feel it will be a waste of data to download it again on the other computer, however I need the ISO on the larger one for the VB installation. I want to transfer the ISO (6.Whatever GB big) between the computers over WiFi. Can someone please guide me on how to "WiFi Direct" the two computers with each other?

2

You can either:

  1. Set up shared folders so the computers can "see" each other over your network; you should be able to right-click any folder and share it, then access it from your other computer, but you may need to install and configure something like Samba if it isn't configured out-of-the-box on Zorin.

  2. Use some sort of dedicated tool like Warpinator, which was made by the developers of Linux Mint.

The benefit of something like Warpinator is that it doesn't grant your entire network access to your files, not even to a single folder. You have to run the app on both machines and enter a keyphrase to connect them, then specifically transfer a file. You aren't changing any settings or configuration on your computer, and there's no risk of forgetting to stop sharing a folder and leaving it accessible over the network. Not a huge issue in your own home, for most people, but still a security hole in your computer and definitely not ideal if you're somewhere like a university's halls of residence or other shared accommodations.

3

Is using an USB Stick no Option? You put the ISO on a Stick and then bring it to the other Machine.

1 Like
4

You can try Localsend. It is simple and easy to use.

5

You can use Samba and mount the entire filesystem of the computer.

6

If they are on the same LAN, you can:

  1. install openssh-server on the Zorin OS to receive the file (called the remote computer).
    Get the numerical IP address of the remote - you will need it to connect.

  2. connect to the remote OS from the file manager of the local computer:

Other Locations > Connect to Server

In the box, put in ssh:// followed by the IP address. After you login, a file manager window will open on the remote. You can then navigate to a folder on the remote OS to send the file to.

Finally, just copy and paste the file to the window on the remote OS.

7

Not the solution I wanted to use, but the one I had to in the end. There was a lot of data on the stick I didn't want to lose, so I had to copy and then reformat the stick (FAT32 > NTFS, as FAT32 maxes file size to 4GB).

But thanks anyway.

8

I played with Bluetoothing them. Two days to transfer just seemed a bit too long... :slight_smile:

EDIT: You just earned me my First Emoji-badge!

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