Help Android phone as WiFi hard drive?

[Ramzes13]

I was looking at a number of different ways to do this, NFC (Android beam), WiFi direct, and a few other free apps on the market. Android beam and WiFi direct were great to share files between my GS3 and N7, but that's all it is good for, uploading files from within an application to the other device via sharing.

There are WiFi enabled portable hard drives that can be purchased online, but that is yet another device I would have to carry around and charge. I already have my cell phone on me at all times along with my N7.

What I am looking for is a solution that will allow me to browse my phone from my N7 -without a pc- (like you can do in windows amongst machines on the same network) and be able to stream content between the two. the point is, I do not want to store more data than i need to on my tablet since its limited on storage.

I am also playing around with USB-OTG but I cannot charge while viewing a movie, so going WiFi to my phone seams the best bet. thanks all.

 

[LordBrain515]

This is a really neat idea. When travelling, I would love to be able to store movies on my phone (with its 32 GB microSD card) and watch them on my Nexus 7.

I know there is the app Tapestry that does this for photos, but haven't found anything for other files.

 

[markusoid]

I was looking at a number of different ways to do this, NFC (Android beam), WiFi direct, and a few other free apps on the market. Android beam and WiFi direct were great to share files between my GS3 and N7, but that's all it is good for, uploading files from within an application to the other device via sharing.

I've been doing the exact same thing and want to do it for the same reason. My GNex has 32gb, most of which I'm not using. If I could download a couple of HD movies from the play store on my phone and transfer or stream them to my N7, well...that would be just tops.

 

[CrackBaby]

What a great idea! I hope it comes to fruition soon. Someone in another (similar) thread mentioned the pssibility of doing this with NFC between a Nexus phone and the Nexus tablet.

 

[idic]

Try Bluetooth File Transfer in the Play Store. It will certainly transfer files, but I'm not sure if it will also stream...

 

[markusoid]

Try Bluetooth File Transfer in the Play Store. It will certainly transfer files, but I'm not sure if it will also stream...

I've tried that and it does work but it's awfully slow. It's really not feasible for transferring something like a 1GB movie file. Supposedly File Expert (also in the play store) will transfer files via NFC, but I haven't figured out how to make it work yet.

 

[Ramzes13]

I'm not just trying to transfer files, been there done that. I would like to have a browsing experience that is similar to a network folder system. And be able to also stream. I understand that I will lost wifi access in doing so, but it would he worth it.

 

[Phoenix111]

This would be amazing as it would solve the storage problem on the 7. I'm subscribing now because this is exactly what I want to do.

 

[perfectstranger]

I've posted this question on the File Expert support forum. Hopefully it is doable or they can make it doable in a new release.

Stream mp3 from one Android device to another? - FAQ - Geek Software File Expert Support Forum - Powered by Discuz!

If I get a helpful answer from them I'll let you all know. Or you can check that thread occasionally.

Matt

 

[Ramzes13]

I've posted this question on the File Expert support forum. Hopefully it is doable or they can make it doable in a new release.

Stream mp3 from one Android device to another? - FAQ - Geek Software File Expert Support Forum - Powered by Discuz!

If I get a helpful answer from them I'll let you all know. Or you can check that thread occasionally.

Matt

Thanks for the heads up, downloading now. It looks as from the description of the app that it currently only supports PC to phone and phone to PC only. I take it in order to talk to each other my phone and N7 need to have it installed?

 

[perfectstranger]

...I take it in order to talk to each other my phone and N7 need to have it installed?

I believe so but haven't even attempted to try to get my phone and the N7 to communicate. I have used it for FTP, wirelessly transferring tons of music from laptop to my phone. Worked great. It's a good file browser, too.

 

[Ramzes13]

I checked out the free version, it was nice enough to purchase the pro key. great features and cloud integration is nice. Doesn't seam to do what i am looking for unless i can set my phone up as an ftp server (but that may still require an external network source).

 

[perfectstranger]

I'll take your word on that and save myself time this evening that I was going to spend trying to get it to do what we want.

With all the stuff these things can do, I have to believe that it's possible to stream music or video from the phone to the tab. Maybe there hasn't been enough market for somebody to write the code yet? Wish I knew more about it all. I'd try my hand at it.

 

[perfectstranger]

Just screwing around here at work:

- Using my mobile as WiFi hotspot for the N7
- In FE on mobile selected Share via FTP - wrote down ip addy, un and pw
- In FE on N7 selected FTP Client - entered info I wrote down
- In FE on N7 I navigated to a song on the mobile, clicked it and it played through the Chrome browser on the N7

Maybe a start?

 

[Ramzes13]

Just screwing around here at work:

- Using my mobile as WiFi hotspot for the N7
- In FE on mobile selected Share via FTP - wrote down ip addy, un and pw
- In FE on N7 selected FTP Client - entered info I wrote down
- In FE on N7 I navigated to a song on the mobile, clicked it and it played through the Chrome browser on the N7

Maybe a start?

I wasn't sure that the wifi hotspot would work like that, that's great. now, did you use a stock wifi hotspot app or are rooted using "the other" wifi hotspot? (i am rooted on both devices, just thought i'd ask)

 

[idic]

Try DroidNAS - it doesn't work from windows sadly, but it works from Android to Android and Android to Mac. I downloaded it a while ago, but haven't got round to trying it out yet though...

 

[perfectstranger]

I wasn't sure that the wifi hotspot would work like that, that's great. now, did you use a stock wifi hotspot app or are rooted using "the other" wifi hotspot? (i am rooted on both devices, just thought i'd ask)

My mobile is rooted but the N7 is not (for now). Hotspot functionality used whatever came with CM9 ROM, no extra app.

 

[perfectstranger]

Try DroidNAS - it doesn't work from windows sadly, but it works from Android to Android and Android to Mac. I downloaded it a while ago, but haven't got round to trying it out yet though...

Will do.

 

[val88]

You can use airDroid. Launch airDroid on my Galaxy Nexus to get my code. Tether N7 to GN. Open browser on N7. Go to the airDroid site and enter my code. The two are now linked. There will be a folder call FILES. When you click on that your browser will show you the file system in the phone. Kinda slow though because of my tether.

 

[LordBrain515]

In the most recent Lifehacker podcast, they give some options to stream from one Android to another. Streaming from Android to Android, Hacking a Nintendo DS, and the Impending Mountain Lion - YouTube

The apps they recommend are Twonky and Skifta. Going to try these out and will let you know how it goes.

 

[LordBrain515]

Twonky works well, but only if both Android devices are connected to the same network. For me, that's not what I'm looking for as I want to use this functionality on the go. I tried it with my phone tethering and my N7 connected to its network, but Twonky would not let me share files that way.

 

[Ramzes13]

In the most recent Lifehacker podcast, they give some options to stream from one Android to another. Streaming from Android to Android, Hacking a Nintendo DS, and the Impending Mountain Lion - YouTube

The apps they recommend are Twonky and Skifta. Going to try these out and will let you know how it goes.

its funny though, because that has to be the only webisode i have ever missed from these guys. Thank you, I am setting it up now between devices and will report back.

 

[Ramzes13]

At first set up it seams to require a both devices be connected to the same WiFi network. So I turned WiFi tethering on my phone along with Twonky, then connected to my phone's WiFi hotspot and used Skifta from my tablet, and now all is well, this is very much what I was looking for. Thank you.

 

[perfectstranger]

Twonky works well, but only if both Android devices are connected to the same network. For me, that's not what I'm looking for as I want to use this functionality on the go. I tried it with my phone tethering and my N7 connected to its network, but Twonky would not let me share files that way.

Same experience here.

 

[rootbrain]

Same experience here.

Twonky doesn't work so good for me. It works, but vids stop or hang up sometimes.