Best software for wifi file transfer

[NickHillUK]

I have tried loads of apps for transferring files from my computer to my iPad using wifi with varying success in terms of reliable transfer and speed.

What do you use, is it reliable, how fast is it, can you queue files, can you then open files easily in other apps?

If you use disk aid an a cable how fast/reliable is that (not wifi I know) - do you need to install iTunes anyway for the USB connection to work?

I don't mind spending money as long as it is on the right software.

All sensible replies gratefully received.

Nick

Sent using iPF on my 64GB wifi iPad 2 - w00t!

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

There is a program that most all iPad users have called GoodReader. It's the 'Swiss Army Knife' for the iPad and it can store files all together and in folders - or however you want them - and can transfer files to and from your PC using either WiFi or USB without the need for iTunes. It's built in web-browser can download files too, something that Safari doesn't offer - except for PDF format. From within GoodReader you can open those files in any app that supports that type of file. Having said that, though, when a compatible app does open that file it makes a local copy that it works on, so the original copy in GoodReader is left untouched. If you want to store the modified file in GoodReader you have to transfer it back there by some means.

GoodReader can also attach several files to an email and then send them using the iPad's native Mail app - something you can't do from within Mail itself. It also gives you the opportunity to annotate PDF files and save the resulting file so that it can be read on a PC or Mac.

Tim

 

[NickHillUK]

Tim, thanks for the reply, I have good reader, it is a very good application, but the transfer speeds are just as bad over wifi as all the others I tried. From my laptop to my iPad I get about 1MB per second, am I wrong to think I could/should get more?

Sent using iPF on my 64GB wifi iPad 2 - w00t!

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Tim, thanks for the reply, I have good reader, it is a very good application, but the transfer speeds are just as bad over wifi as all the others I tried. From my laptop to my iPad I get about 1MB per second, am I wrong to think I could/should get more?

Sent using iPF on my 64GB wifi iPad 2 - w00t!

The iPad has - at least - the 802.11g version of WiFi - so that should be good for 54 Mbits/s. What version of WiFi have you got on your laptop? If it's one of the older WiFi standards, that could be the bottleneck. Don't forget you can use GoodReader with USB too, you don't need to use WiFi.

Tim

 

[NickHillUK]

For the USB connection (I also looked at disk aid) do I have to have installed iTunes on the laptop first, or can you connect via USB with no iTunes installed.

iWant my iCloud

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

If you're using GoodReader there's no need for iTunes - in fact, iTunes is a pain because it 'recognises' the iPad and 'captures' it. So it's better without iTunes in my opinion - just GoodReader, USB and iPad (but I'm a well-known hater of iTunes.. )

I like GoodReader because you can transfer entire folders and contents at a time from the PC to the iPad - plus a whole load of other cool stuff....

Tim

 

[NickHillUK]

If you're using GoodReader there's no need for iTunes - in fact, iTunes is a pain because it 'recognises' the iPad and 'captures' it. So it's better without iTunes in my opinion - just GoodReader, USB and iPad (but I'm a well-known hater of iTunes.. )

I like GoodReader because you can transfer entire folders and contents at a time from the PC to the iPad - plus a whole load of other cool stuff....

Tim

Well, now you got me excited, I never realised the USB support was independent of iTunes (in the past I used alternative apps, but you always had to install iTunes first to get the iPad support), thank you very much indeed for this tip!

iWant my iCloud

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I am wrong......

Mia culpa - I am wrong - sorry, so sorry to get you excited.....

Here's the Help section on USB transfer from GoodReader

You can use USB cable to transfer files from your computer to GoodReader and back. It can be done with Apple's iTunes program on your computer.

This method requires iOS 3.2 or later to be installed on your device.

start iTunes on your computer (make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes)
connect your iPad / iPhone / iPod touch to your computer via USB cable
click on your device's name on the left pane of iTunes window
select the Apps tab on the right pane of iTunes window
scroll the window down till you find the File Sharing section

select GoodReader in the list of apps that support iTunes File Sharing
in GoodReader Documents window you will find documents stored in My Documents folder of GoodReader
drop your files to this window, and they will be immediately transferred to GoodReader
you can drop bunches of files, there's no need to drop them one by one
Apple has chosen not to allow dropping folders to this window, so drop only files (you can ZIP your folders and transfer ZIP-archives with iTunes, those ZIP-archives can be later unzipped inside GoodReader).
you can also transfer files and folders in the opposite direction - from GoodReader to computer
all files that you transfer with iTunes will appear in My Documents folder of GoodReader. You can use GoodReader's File Management tools later to move those files to any subfolder inside GoodReader.


I will now go away and write 1000 times....USB transfer needs iTunes, USB transfer needs iTunes, USB transfer needs iTunes.....


Tim

 

[NickHillUK]

Mia culpa - I am wrong - sorry, so sorry to get you excited.....

Here's the Help section on USB transfer from GoodReader

You can use USB cable to transfer files from your computer to GoodReader and back. It can be done with Apple's iTunes program on your computer.

This method requires iOS 3.2 or later to be installed on your device.
...
Tim

Man, emotional roller coaster for me today....

iWant my iCloud

 

[Mickey330]

Ah, but Tim, you can be forgiven for your transgressions. Because it IS easier to transfer stuff from Goodreader to a PC (dunno about a Mac, I don't have one) if you have the executable program "GoodReaderUSB.exe" on your PC. Yes, you'll still need iTunes loaded on the PC, but it doesn't have to be running. And, you don't have to use iTunes, just the .exe file. And - if I remember correctly, it can be any PC running iTunes that you can hook up to (with a USB), not just the one your iPad is sync'd to.

[Please correct me, someone, if I'm wrong on that last point...]

Once you open GoodReaderUSB on your PC, it's as if you have a Windows Explorer type window and you can drag 'n' drop files all day to/from Goodreader to your PC.

And it is MUCH faster than using the iTunes method mentioned in Goodreader's notes.

I am unsure of the forum rules here, so I won't link where you can find GoodReaderUSB.exe - but I typed it out and if you copy the name and run a Google search, you'll find it. And, it doesn't install, so you can keep the .exe file wherever you wish.

So, yeah, while you need iTunes installed, you can use a much easier method. And, NickHillUK, it is w-a-y fast a transfer! Grab the file with your mouse, drag it to the desktop and boom! There it is.

Hope this helps.

Marilyn

 

[NickHillUK]

Oh my, back on a high, I don't know if I can take this

Many thanks to all!

iWant my iCloud

 

[Fr0st]

There is always the DIY way of going about it, without an app automating it for you.

You could use the SSH protocol to send files to and from your iDevice without the need for USB, all you need is to install openSSH on the iPad and have an SSH client on your computer.

I do this to manage my iPad via wireless from my laptop, but ofcourse that would require you to do a bit of extra work. (something you wouldn't do with an app installed)

As they say, all roads lead to Rome!

 

[NickHillUK]

There is always the DIY way of going about it, without an app automating it for you.

You could use the SSH protocol to send files to and from your iDevice without the need for USB, all you need is to install openSSH on the iPad and have an SSH client on your computer.

I do this to manage my iPad via wireless from my laptop, but ofcourse that would require you to do a bit of extra work. (something you wouldn't do with an app installed)

As they say, all roads lead to Rome!

Do I detect a jailbreak requirement in that case.

iWant my iCloud

 

[Mickey330]

Yeah, accessing the iPad via SSH is a jailbreak feature. And, it is much better than GoodReaderUSB - cause you really DON'T need iTunes!

However, it's not possible if you're not jailbroken. Sorry.

Marilyn

 

[addiosamigo]

Just used this (goodreaderusb) to transfer a 280mb file over, really quick!

Edit: goodreaderusb (didn't tim or some other mod recommend this ages ago?)