Download Files From a Computer on Your Local Network
GoodReader WiFi File Transfer
Use your local WiFi-network to transfer files from a desktop computer to GoodReader and back.
Please note that WiFi-networking can sometimes be tricky – there are hidden settings that somtimes may prevent peer-to-peer networking. Should you have any difficulties, please consult our Troubleshooting Guide or contact our customer support service.
If you`re having trouble setting up or using a WiFi network, consider using USB File Transfer or AirDrop instead, which is much faster and simpler to use.
Preparation steps:
(must be performed only once, no need to do it every time)
If you already have your own WiFi network, you can skip this step. But before you do, please read the notes below on blocked peer-to-peer communications.
If you`re thinking of connecting your iPhone or iPad and your computer to a public wireless access point to transfer files between them, you can forget about it. Most public access points try to protect everybody`s privacy by forbidding any peer-to-peer communication. Each of your devices will be able to access the Internet, but most likely they will not be able to communicate with each other.
This leaves you with another option – creating your own WiFi network.
- Creating a WiFi network with a WiFi router. Please consult your router documentation on the exact procedure, but keep two things in mind:
- Some routers block peer-to-peer communication by default, preventing your computer and your mobile device from being able to communicate with each other directly. You will have to check for a setting that blocks such communication. Such setting may be called something like L2 Isolation, or some other name with the word isolation in it. Please consult your router documentation for more details.
- Some routers offer wireless connection for wireless devices, and Ethernet (cable) connection for a computer. Such routers may sometimes block direct communication between the computer (connected by a wire) and the mobile device (connected wirelessly). Please consult your router documentation for more details.
- Some routers block peer-to-peer communication by default, preventing your computer and your mobile device from being able to communicate with each other directly. You will have to check for a setting that blocks such communication. Such setting may be called something like L2 Isolation, or some other name with the word isolation in it. Please consult your router documentation for more details.
- Creating a computer-to-computer ("ad hoc") WiFi network directly from your computer, without any router. Please consult your computer`s operating system user manual on how to do that.
If your network is hosted by your computer (i.e. it is an ad hoc or computer-to-computer network, then skip this step.
Connect your computer to the WiFi network created by your WiFi router.
Connect your mobile device to the WiFi network using the device`s Settings app.
Actual Transfer:
Step 4. Launch GoodReader app on your mobile device.
Step 5. Open GoodReader`s WiFi Server window. On that window, note the IP-address of your device – you`ll be needing it in Step 6. To open the WiFi Server window:
- Tap the big Plus button in the bottom right corner of the screen, then select Computer Connection, or
- Tap Connect on the main menu, then tap WiFi Server.
Important: Keep the WiFi Server window open until all transfer is finished. For security reasons, the transfer is only allowed when the Server window is open. Once you close it, all current transfers will be aborted, and no further connection will be accepted until you reopen the Server window.
Make sure that the WiFi Server window is showing WiFi status: ON. If it`s OFF, then you`re not connected to the network – go back to Steps 1 and 3.
Make sure that you see an IP-address of your mobile device. If you don`t see it, then you`re not connected to the network – go back to Steps 1 and 3.
Don`t worry if you see the "Connection: waiting for incoming…" line. That`s normal. It means that GoodReader is ready to communicate, but an actual connection hasn`t been initiated yet by the computer. Once you initiate a connection from the computer, this line will change to "Connection: established."
Note the IP-address. You`re going to need it in Step 6.
Step 6. Now that you`ve successfully launched GoodReader`s WiFi Server, you can connect to it from your computer and transfer files back and forth.
There are two ways to connect to the WiFi Server:
- Simple. Use your favorite web browser on the computer.
Open the browser, and enter the Server`s URL (IP-address from Step 5). Be sure to enter all of the parts of the URL, including "http://" and ":8080". The entire folder hierarchy of GoodReader – its unencrypted part anyway – will appear in the browser. The interface of that page is quite intuitive. Use it to download, upload, delete, and rename files. To upload files, drag-and-drop them directly onto the page.
Unfortunately, most web browsers don`t work well with folders. So if you need to download or upload a folder, you can ZIP it first, transfer the ZIP archive, and then unzip it at the destination. - Advanced. Connect to the WiFi Server as a Network Folder.
Doing so will make the entire GoodReader`s folder hierarchy – its unencrypted part anyway – appear on your computer as a normal folder with normal files. You can then work with files and folders like you normally do on a computer – copy-paste, move, delete, rename.
Unlike the Simple transfer method, this method has no problem working with folders, as well as files.
The details on how to connect to a network folder are specific to your computer`s operating system, but it`s generally something like Go → Connect to Server in the Finder app on a Mac, or Map Network Drive in File Explorer on Windows.
As a reminder: please do NOT assume that the IP-address is the same as it was when you were connecting the last time — IP-addresses change periodically; check it on GoodReader`s WiFi Server window every time you`re connecting.
Related Questions
Contact us by e-mail. We're always happy to read your suggestions for improvements and new features, and to answer your questions:
E-mail: support@goodreader.com