Android 8.10: How to Transfer Files?

[JB_User]

Hi. I have a tablet that runs Android 8.10. I would like to transfer movie files (.mp4) from a Linux PC to the tablet via the USB cable. I can't find the right answer on the WWW. What is the easy way to do this? Also, where can I go for documentation on things like this (so I can figure it out on my own)?

Thanks for any help.

 

[mikedt]

Hi. I have a tablet that runs Android 8.10. I would like to transfer movie files (.mp4) from a Linux PC to the tablet via the USB cable. I can't find the right answer on the WWW. What is the easy way to do this? Also, where can I go for documentation on things like this (so I can figure it out on my own)?

Thanks for any help.

First of all make sure you've got libmtp installed on your Linux PC.

This is how to connect an Android device to an Ubuntu system. https://www.howtoforge.com/tutorial/how-to-connect-your-android-device-on-linux/ But it may vary, all depending on the whatever it is Linux distro your PC is running.

 

[JB_User]

Thanks for your reply. I'm running Ubuntu 16. There is not package named libmtp:

apt-get install libmtp
E: Unable to locate package libmtp

There are a few packages with libmtp in their name (libmtp-common, libmtp-runtime, libmtp9) and they are already installed. However, there are no executables named mtp-detect, mtp-connect, or mtp-folders as documented in that webpage.

 

[JB_User]

Okay, got past that. I installed libmtp from source. However, when I connect my android devices and then run 'mtp-detect', it claims that no devices are found.

What am I doing wrong? It should be simple to transfer files to an Android tablet, right? That should be one of the most basic tasks. How come I can't do this?

 

[svim]

The most seamless way I connect my phones to a computer is using the AirDroid app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sand.airdroid&hl=en
AirDroid relies upon WiFi connectivity, not a USB cable so there's no need to mess with any configuration changes to your tablet or Linux PC. You just need to have your tablet and your PC connected to the same local network to detect and interact with each other. All you need is the AirDroid app on your tablet, and a web browser on your PC. This works with Linux, Mac, or Windows desktops and laptops, and any web browser (i.e. Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Opera, Brave, etc.) so you don't need to mess with any USB-centric settings like MTP, PTP, nor mass storage, nor any driver or utility installs that might be limited to a specific operating system and its version.
Basically you would just start up the AirDroid app on your tablet, take note of the IP address and port number in the local network section (i.e. 192.168.1.6:8888), and set your tablet aside. Go to the Linux PC, type in that IP addressort number exactly as is into your browser, and a window will show with a modified simulation of your tablet. There are various remote access icons and pertinent to your query options to transfer files/folders from or to your PC. (A notable caveat is AirDroid really, really wants you to sign up with an account with them, allowing you not just local network connectivity but their online storage/access too. But the app is fully functional with no limitations if you just rely upon local network access. I've been using the app for years now and have never bothered to sign up for an account. So be sure use the provided local network IP address all the time. Well, unless you do want the option of using their online storage service.)

 

[JB_User]

I eventually got this working. Copying files to Android devices is not at all straight forward. If someone knows an easier method, please tell me.

Here's some advice to the next person that runs into this: Make sure your micro USB cable is a data cable, not just a power cable. The first four USB cables that I tried did not work. No way all four could be bad! But them I realized that those cables were simply power charging cables with no data connections.

 

[mikedt]

I eventually got this working. Copying files to Android devices is not at all straight forward. If someone knows an easier method, please tell me.

Here's some advice to the next person that runs into this: Make sure your micro USB cable is a data cable, not just a power cable. The first four USB cables that I tried did not work. No way all four could be bad! But them I realized that those cables were simply power charging cables with no data connections.

Usually it is quite straight forward, but if you were using the wrong USB cables, that can be a problem. You can also copy files to and from an Android devices via WiFi. using AirDroid etc.

 

[cwcheese]

@JB_User : Glad you finally got it to work somehow, and you're correct about some cables not supporting data properly. As for myself, I discovered an app called Droid Over Wifi sometime last year, and it is my standby for remote file transfer with my computers. It works on both my Samsung phone and Amazon FireHD tablet.

What the app does when running on your device is to create a wifi server that you can then login to using a web browser. Typically you would enter something like 192.168.1.10:8080 in the address bar and then type in a random 4 char code that Droid Over Wifi app is displaying on the device. The web page becomes a file manager in which you can download files from, or upload to, the Android device. I've even tested it by opening a web page on my phone to move files from the phone to my tablet. It is OS-agnostic, so should be able to do it from any web browser on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, eieio.

The best part is that there are no wacky ads or popups when using it, and it's not failed to connect - as long as your source/destination devices are on the same subnet. I made a mistake once of connecting on to the wrong subnet on my mesh network and my laptop couldn't find the tablet, until I put the laptop on the subnet with the tablet.

 

[puppykickr]

Ok, here is one more method with Wi-Fi, and it is one that I use constantly and find it to be superior for a variety of reasons.

NitroShare.

Install it on all your devices, put them all on the same Wi-Fi network, and have the app running on all of them.

That's it.

Find files/folders with your gallery and/or file manager and share them to NitroShare.

NitroShare will then open, and in seconds reveal the devices that it finds to be on the system.

Tap the desired location, and it will begin to send the file(s).

The benefits are:
fast, simple tranfers
multiple files/folders possible (depending upon size and number, but I have sent a couple/few GB at once a few times)
only needs Wi-Fi connection, internet is not required.
(even if the Wi-Fi is not connected to the web, NitroShare can still use it to send files as long as all devices are connected)

https://github.com/nitroshare/nitroshare-desktop

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/net.nitroshare.android/

 

[JB_User]

I have a question about the WiFI based methods (AirDroid, Droid Over WiFI, and NitroShare). Do they send the files out and then back across my external internet feed? Or do they only use the local network? Can I use these methods with no external internet connection at all?

The reason is that I want to put 10-20 gigabytes of videos onto an Android tablet for airplane flights and I don't want to send all that data across my internet connection twice.

 

[JB_User]

I have another question: this time about MicroSD cards. If this should be a separate thread, let me know.

It seems the easiest solution is simply copy the video files to a MicroSD card, and then plug that into my Android tablet via an external MicroSD card reader (my tablets have no MicroSD slot). If I were to do that, would the Android tablet automatically be able to read the filesystem on the MicroSD card? Would I have to install software or modify the tablet to be able to read the video files on the MicroSD card?

 

[mikedt]

I have a question about the WiFI based methods (AirDroid, Droid Over WiFI, and NitroShare). Do they send the files out and then back across my external internet feed? Or do they only use the local network? Can I use these methods with no external internet connection at all?

Provided they're on the same WiFi router and can communicate with each other, then yes it's over the local network.

 

[kate]

It seems the easiest solution is simply copy the video files to a MicroSD card, and then plug that into my Android tablet via an external MicroSD card reader (my tablets have no MicroSD slot). If I were to do that, would the Android tablet automatically be able to read the filesystem on the MicroSD card? Would I have to install software or modify the tablet to be able to read the video files on the MicroSD card?

The tablet would need to support OTG (On The Go) USB connections. Most do, if yours does you can connect a micro SD card or USB drive and transfer data.

FAT32 file system can be read by Android and Windows. Most Android devices support exFAT.

 

[Dannydet]

Just put your video files on the micro SD card and pop in the tablet

 

[JB_User]

Thanks for everyone that helped. I just wanted to close out this thread. Both my Android tablets actually had a MicroSD port already: the port was concealed under a plastic tab on the back of the device that I had to pop off. By far the easiest option for me was to simply mount a MicroSD card on my Linux box, copy the files to the MicroSD card, then put the MicroSD card into slot on the Android tablet. Much easier than installing the libmtp software and learning how to use it. Thanks to all.