Simple app to share files over the network?

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Ashton

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This is something I've been fighting ever since I got my first 802.11b router back in the late 90s...

I have a desktop. Its plugged into the wired ethernet.

I have a laptop. It's connected to Wifi.

the skies will rain fire before these two pcs will share files with each other...

Years ago I would just keep all files on a flash drive, or using a service like dropbox... as these files got larger and larger (and the PCs more rooms apart), these two options were no longer viable... I would also simply run a wired cable to my laptop and plug it in to transfer files... but thanks to modern manufacturers wanting to squeeze another $50-$100 out of us for a dongle instead of including an RJ-45 port on the machine, that's not an option...

I've tried software that claims to fix this like D-lan, and Lan-shark, as well as a suggestion of installing an FTP server on my desktop... once again, none of these methods see each other...

All I want is a piece of software that makes sharing files as easy as RealVNC made sharing desktops...

So, anyone have any suggestions? (or is my best option just to sacrifice my gigabit-speed among the desktops and move everything to WiFi?)
 
Hello -

Based on your signature I assume both machines are running windows? Are they both on the same subnet/network and not a guest WiFi?

What are you trying to share - a set folder? What OS/build is the "host" computer running? Newer builds of Windows 10 block SMBv1 by default - which may cause an issue when communicating with older OS's.

Are you running any firewall on either machine? 3rd party or Microsoft?

To be honest - I wouldn't suggest software other than the OS. Windows uses the SMB protocol fairly well for file sharing once set up properly. Getting devices between WiFi and ethernet to talk reliably is very doable between WiFi/ethernet. Maybe have someone take a look at the configuration with you to make sure it's setup properly?
 
Are you trying to share files between PC's or sync a folder and its contents between 2 PCs? Also how big is your file set or delta?
 
Easius
The PCs, in particular, are both running windows 10 with all current updates and windows firewall on default settings for external connections, exceptions for all internal connections. (if it matters, the whole network consists of 7 PCs, 3 iPhones, 1 SGN9 phone, a chromecast and an Xbox --- one PC running Linux, but it won't be sharing files anyway)

The wired and wireless 2.4ghz connections are on the same subnet since they're handled by the same router, BUT the wireless 5ghz is handled by my modem and the wired by said dedicated router so they won't play nicely together... Also thanks to the ridiculous firmware on the modem, as far as I can tell, there's no way to enable 802.11AC 5ghz except on a guest network... (non-guest always changes to 2.4ghz when applied) and I need the 5ghz for Xcloud (anyone who's not tried it --- no, even AC on 2.4ghz is not fast enough, HAS to be 5ghz afaik)

and yes, I know the answer is to get a new 5ghz router and run everything through it, but I'm rather strapped for cash given the season >.<

(I was also hoping there was a simple program that I could also give to my elderly computer-illiterate parents who keep messing up their setup and resetting everything to default on their network which breaks wired/wireless sharing)

rhansen5_99 :
Right now, files are a couple hundred mb at most, but as I work they'll get bigger (3D modeling, scene rendering, uncompressed audio/video, etc (game dev)) right now, I was planning to just copy them back and forth, but if you have an easier method of syncing them, that would be all the better.
 
Can you ping the other machine on your LAN from the first one? If so, a simple network share should be fairly trivial, no?
 
rhansen5_99 said:
Well if you can stay below 15gb you could use google drive and the app for free. just need to make sure you save your goodies to its folder. If you need more there are other free options.

If you just need a shared folder you can actually share between different subnets https://www.npcglib.org/~stathis/bl...-task-sharing-files-across-different-subnets/

Basically need to add the host to both subnets.
Click to expand...

Just tried this, didn't work. (tried it on both PCs just to be sure)

Will look into the google drive option, but if I'm dropping it back to 100mbps speed of my internet connection, I'm better off going back to the 2.4ghz network and using native, arent I? (iirc 802.11n has ~400mbps transfer)
though this might be a great option for my parents' network due to simplicity :)

auntjemima said:
Just buy a NAS and end all this pain.
Click to expand...
Ashton said:
and yes, I know the answer is to get a new 5ghz router and run everything through it, but I'm rather strapped for cash given the season >.<
Click to expand...
criccio said:
Can you ping the other machine on your LAN from the first one? If so, a simple network share should be fairly trivial, no?
Click to expand...
Cannot ping either PC from either end. I suspect because the router is isolating the laptop on the "guest" network, I was hoping for some program that could go around this and utilize the full speed of the network despite the "guest" restriction....
 
Cannot ping either PC from either end. I suspect because the router is isolating the laptop on the "guest" network, I was hoping for some program that could go around this and utilize the full speed of the network despite the "guest" restriction....
Click to expand...

The solution here is simplifying your LAN. There is no reason you should have a personal laptop on a guest network and I can't think of a single reason why a home grade router would only do this. I may have missed it but did you list the exact make and model number of your router?
 
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criccio said:
The solution here is simplifying your LAN. There is no reason you should have a personal laptop on a guest network and I can't think of a single reason why a home grade router would only do this. I may have missed it but did you list the exact make and model number of your router?
Click to expand...

I had no idea what model the modem was (the actual box has no identifying info on it except the ISP's sticker, not even a serial number) but after a lot of digging apparently its a Calix 844g-1 (though my model does not have an RF connector like the manual shows). I suspect it's a bug because even though I disabled the guest network and tried to enable the normal one, it is still broadcasting only the "guest" SSID, and manually typing in the SSID to my laptop does not work.
 
UPDATE:

After several days of playing with the router, I finally found the answer! Thought I'd share in case others run into a similar problem...

When I first was setting up the 5ghz band, I chose "no security" since I didn't know if it would work ( and because typing in a 15-digit password on a console.......) It turns out that disabling security also disables the non-guest network. BUT ALSO when you do enable security, you can change the SSID to anything you want... and the broadcast SSID stays set to the manufacturer's name (still connects and works fine, but a bit annoying)

But in the end, I got it working and now everyone on the network is seeing everyone else and sharing files and printers fine (except the linux box, but it doesn't need that access anyway since it's an outwards-facing game server)
 
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