Ubuntu 18.04 Access & Transfer Files to Android/iOS over WiFI using FTP

Apps like ShareIt and Xender allow fast transfer of files between mobiles over WiFi/Bluetooth (local area networks). For quickly transferring files from Ubuntu to Android/iOS devices over a local area network, we can use the FTP connection. It is easy, secure and blazing fast!

Setting up

• Install an FTP client on your Android/iOS device. For Android you can install FTP Server and for iOS you can install FTP Manager.
• Enable WiFi hotspot on your device. Connect your PC to the hotspot network.

Start FTP server on device

• Open the app and start the server.
• Note the FTP address, username and password.

FTP Server on Android device

Connecting to FTP server

• Open File manger. Click on Other Locations and then at the bottom of the page enter the following address

ftp://192.xxx.xx.x:xxxx

• A dialog box will open. Select Connect As: Registered User
• Enter the Username and Password and press Connect.
• You will now be able to access the device’s files in the File manager. To change the directory to that the connected device refer to the section below.

Accessing files using terminal

• You might want to access files using the terminal. For this you change the directory using the following command. Replace the FTP host address and port no. in the command.

cd /run/user/1000/gvfs/ftp:host=192.xxx.xx.x,port=xxxx/

• You can now run commands and access/transfer files quickly over FTP using the terminal.