Ade Malsasa Akbar contact
Senior author, Open Source enthusiast.
Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 12:01

For you wanting a simple way to send/receive files from Mint computer to Android phone, like KDE Connect, you can use Syncthing. To share files, simply copy files into a selected folder on one device they will automatically sent to the other device. It works offline, that is, without internet access. Syncthing is free software available on both Software Manager and F-Droid for both operating systems. This easy to understand tutorial will show how to install and use it for you. Let's start sharing!

(Now my Mint laptop is able to share files with Android phone)

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Requirements

 
  • A Mint laptop, any version.
  • An Android phone, any version.
  • A wifi hotspot. 

 

Preparations

 
  • Install Syncthing both on Mint laptop and Android phone[1].
  • Create a new folder named Sync on both laptop and phone.
  • Start Syncthing on both devices[2].
  • On phone, first add new device (laptop), then second, create new folder[3].
  • On laptop, after two notifications appear: first add new device (phone), then second, add new folder (from phone)[4].
  • Preparations done = both devices say 'up to date'.

 (Before sharing, both Sync folders on both devices are empty)


Start Sharing

 
  1. From laptop to phone: copy files and folders you wish to share into Sync folder.
  2. From phone to laptop: using your Android file manager, copy files/folders you want to share into Sync
(After sharing, now both Sync folders on both devices are filled up)

Explanations

 

See below the details and pictures on how to setup the preparations.

[1] Installation:

On Mint laptop:

$ sudo apt-get install syncthing-gtk

On Android phone: install F-Droid and then install Syncthing from it. 


[2] Starting:

Both Syncthings must be active!

  • On Mint: run Syncthing-GTK from start menu.
  • On Android: run Syncthing.

If it asks you to run a certain service, click OK. Below is the picture when we created two new empty folders named Sync on both devices.


[3] Phone preparation:

  1. On Syncthing laptop, on click gear button > Show ID > a QR Code appears on screen.
  2. On Syncthing phone, open Devices page > tap plus button > Add Device appears > tap QR Code button > a scan screen appears > scan QR Code on laptop screen > your laptop detected.
  3. Still on phone, type the name: Laptop > tap check mark button > a new device "Laptop" added in Syncthing phone.
  4. Still on phone, open Folders page > tap plus button > Create Folder appears > type the name: Sync > change directory path to a folder that will connect to the laptop > enable "Laptop" selection > change folder type to: Send & Receive > tap check mark button > a sync folder created.

 

[4] Laptop preparation:

  1. Wait for a few seconds, 1st notification of a new device i.e. your phone appears > click Add button > change Device Name: Phone > Save > a new device "Phone" added.
  2. Not too long after that, 2nd notification of a new remote folder i.e. Sync sent from your phone appears on your desktop > accept it > change Folder Label: Sync > change Path: /home/master/Sync by replacing master with your own username > change rescan interval: 10s > add check mark to Monitor filesystem for changes > remove check marks to other ones > switch to Share With Devices tab > add check mark to Phone > Save > a sync folder "Sync" added.
  3. Up to date status with green background appears like picture below. 
  4. Now your devices are ready to share files.

 (Green color on Syncthing means everything is ready)


Happy sharing!


This article is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.