Simple home network solution for Windows/Android/Apple devices

enkoda · 27 Oct 2019 at 17:43

I'm looking for a simple way to share files over various devices in our house - I guess the simplest way is to get a NAS enclosure and set that up, but I'd rather see if there's a software solution that will do for the moment.

I've just figured out how to do the basics so my laptop can connect to music & movies on my desktop pc (all media drives are connected to this, either internal or external USB ones), but mobiles seem to be a bit of a fudge-around - I use Airdroid for my Galaxy S9 and I can't see how to give access to my daughter's iPhone....

Typically I'd like to be able to browse the music/movie folder on my pc from my phone and copy over whatever I want - is there one piece of software (ideally free) that can manage network access & file sharing across all three platforms?

Any help much appreciated.

ant1298 · 28 Oct 2019 at 13:09

Can you share the folders on your PC ad use a file browser to view from your phone? I use File Explorer and it's on both Android and iOS.

You could try Syncthing for moving files across.

jsmoke · 28 Oct 2019 at 13:20

Is there not airdroid for iOS?

Steveocee · 28 Oct 2019 at 13:41

Plex can do this.
Run the server install on your PC and point it at the music and movie folders for each. Install client software on phones/devices and then you can choose what you sync to each device.

***Not sure if sync is a premium feature but if it is then it's £60 well spent

enkoda · 28 Oct 2019 at 21:53

jsmoke said:
Is there not airdroid for iOS?

I do (make that did) use Airdroid but for the last few weeks it refuses to auto sign in so it's lost favour at the moment.

Steveocee said:
Plex can do this.
Run the server install on your PC and point it at the music and movie folders for each. Install client software on phones/devices and then you can choose what you sync to each device.

***Not sure if sync is a premium feature but if it is then it's £60 well spent

I did consider getting a Plex pass but having just bought a laptop I need a zero cost option for the time being - Plex through NAS will be the ideal solution (at home over wi-fi anyway)....eventually!
Plus, I like to have some films on my phone without worrying about mobile data usage: I'm lucky enough to have 256GB on-board memory plus a 256GB card, so I just copy over a bunch at a time and work my way through them.

ant1298 said:
Can you share the folders on your PC ad use a file browser to view from your phone? I use File Explorer and it's on both Android and iOS.

You could try Syncthing for moving files across.

That got me thinking and I had a look for file browsers in the Google store and found ES File Explorer which can access network shared folders.
The dumb thing is I had it on my old phone but never bothered to put it on my S9+, and it looks like it's available on iOS too.

Steveocee · 29 Oct 2019 at 08:38

enkoda said:
I did consider getting a Plex pass but having just bought a laptop I need a zero cost option for the time being - Plex through NAS will be the ideal solution (at home over wi-fi anyway)....eventually!

Plex is free to use if you don't want individual user accounts and I think free removes sync ability. Would certainly give you a taste of what life could be like. At £60 the premium pass sounds a hit to swallow just for software but I've had mine years now and it's probably one of the best software investments I've made.

Semple · 29 Oct 2019 at 08:44

Plus plex are regularly sending out premium offers. I bought mine earlier this year I think for something like 40/45 quid.

AHarvey · 29 Oct 2019 at 09:10

enkoda said:
That got me thinking and I had a look for file browsers in the Google store and found ES File Explorer which can access network shared folders.
The dumb thing is I had it on my old phone but never bothered to put it on my S9+, and it looks like it's available on iOS too.

Pretty sure there was some massive security issues around ES File Explorer and it was removed from the Play Store

EDIT:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...-100-million-users-data-at-risk-fix-promised/

There was also some issues with adware on it where it was self-clicking adverts in the background opening you up to some pretty serious security risks

https://malware.wikia.org/wiki/ES_File_Explorer

enkoda · 29 Oct 2019 at 16:51

AHarvey said:
Pretty sure there was some massive security issues around ES File Explorer and it was removed from the Play Store

EDIT:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...-100-million-users-data-at-risk-fix-promised/

There was also some issues with adware on it where it was self-clicking adverts in the background opening you up to some pretty serious security risks

https://malware.wikia.org/wiki/ES_File_Explorer

That's really odd - somehow its on my S9+ and you're right, it isn't on the store. I have v4.2 but the issue mentions v4.1.9.7.4 and lower.

AHarvey · 29 Oct 2019 at 19:32

enkoda said:
That's really odd - somehow its on my S9+ and you're right, it isn't on the store. I have v4.2 but the issue mentions v4.1.9.7.4 and lower.

If you did a data transfer from your old phone to the S9+ there's a chance it was pulled over and it could auto-update itself without needing to be on the store.

I used to use it myself which is how I know.