How to Connect to Your Android Phone or Tablet

[mikeslr]

How to Connect to Your Android Phone or Tablet?
Barbara provided advice that appears to work on recent Puppys and other operating systems, viewtopic.php?p=50162#p50162:
"Try this way: Open up the Google Play Store on your Android device; search for KDE Connect; locate and tap the entry by the KDE Community; tap Install; allow the installation to complete."
In reply, wiak added, "At first I read your post and thought - that's probably just for heavy KDE Plasma type distros, but actually if you are already using some KDE apps (which I am - okular), KDE-Connect is not a big download/install to local computer. On my pretty basic WDL_Arch64 (on which I use KDE Okular) I installed KDE Connect a minute..." [Emphasized to highlight that a complementary application to KDE Connect is required on your operating system].

Other solutions were to use FTP applications in both the operating system and the Android device.

[wizard]

You can also setup a samba file share on your pc and access it with an Android file manager like Total Commander or ES File Explorer over wifi. Lets you do both file transfers and media streaming, I use this method to transfer photos or access media content. . Only drawback is the Android is always the client and the pc is always the server.

wizard

[Phoenix]

You may also use adb, the android debugging bridge. Although it does not allow a 'typical' setup as in that the android device is the storage (secondary) and that the one dictating stuff is your computer. You will need to use adb push and adb pull as well as get the connection properly setup (you may also need to set options relevant to usb debugging/development or root control if you happen to have a rooted phone). Also if you're a typical user you'll need to discover where the sd-card is mounted at. (If it's internal storage its most likely at /storage/emulated/0)

You can determine whether you did it right via adb devices. It will list devices as well as whether they're online or offline. If its offline you need to get that fixed.

[sfein1000]

I don't know if this will help others and isn't super clean but doesn't require me to install any other software.
It is the only way for me to get my phone to connect (Samsung s20 FE). I am using Fossa 64 bit

I plug my phone in. The camera scanner pops up and displays the phone. I tell it to mount the phone as a camera and then open it. My phone asks to allow and I say yes. I close the ROX window that opens and click unmount.

It then tries to open camera again, I say Quit

It then probes MTP and I choose Mount and then Open. I now have full access to my phone's files.

If I skip the camera part, MTP Mount never works. If I run pupmtp, it never works. But if I open camera that first time, it works.

The downside, besides doing the whole camera thing, is when I am done and choose unmount, I then get into a mini-loop with probing cameras and mtp. First camera probes and opens 3 windows. I quit all of them. Then MTP probes, I quit that, then camera probes again and opens 3 windows. I close all of them and then the computer is done playing with me.

But it works and I can connect my phone every time.

[williams2]

The script that is causing activity (windows popping up) is:

/usr/sbin/pupautodetect

I disabled it by changing the first line from this:

#!/bin/ash

to this:

#!/bin/ash
exit

It's possible that the camera program is mounting the phone's file system
and then not unmounting it
(the mount and umount programs are scripts and do not seem to be bug free.)

[Clarity]

I have to agree that @mikeslr and @wizard are sharing the easily and simplest way to connect your phone or tablet to PUPs. SAMBA is a staple in PUPs, so, NO software is required on PUP/DOG PCs.

ALL Android and IPhones come pre-built with WiFi.

If your phone connects to your Wifi network, your PC wire/wireless can be accessed by your phone at home.

Doing nothing to your PUP PC has advantage and merely adding a client app to your phone is all that is needed to enjoy streaming data/media/information/backups from or to your PUP PC, when needed.

No wires are needed for phone use to your PCs

Lastly, members could always use their PC to charge their phone same as using a phone's power supply. For the last decade,

The advice they share has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with use of Phone as a wired modem to your PC. That is a completely different use case and issue.

[mouldy]

I was trying to move some pics from phone to computer. Luckily PupMTP in VoidPup was able to do the job. Interestingly in MX19, gMTP would see the pics, couldnt download them even run using sudo. I even got to the pics via Firefox and tried screenshot of them. Nope. Some weird permissions thing I suppose. I swear I did it before in MX but cant remember exactly how.

Now some other interesting ideas in this thread. Especially using Samba Share. Found this article with free app. https://www.techrepublic.com/article/co ... th-andsmb/ Even installed andsmb. But seems samba needs wifi network and what if I dont have one. Can one create a local wifi network not connected to outside world and use that to share the files? Havent done it for a while but did use some commandline program in Puppy few years back, to share a connection by creating a hotspot. Worked quite well. Something like that only without sharing an outside connection?

I ran across some other apps supposed to make file sharing easy, but had to have that particular app on both computer and phone. Probably easier than it sounded once you actually try it. But still seemed to lock one into that apps little world. Samba would seem more universal.

Actually in my situation I suspect if I can figure out how to move files off phone using adb, that would be the way to go. I know how to install/uninstall apk onto phone using adb from computer via usb cable. Never tried pulling a file off the phone. If thats possible, would seem easier than setting up samba and wifi and all that.

Ok, not that difficult. Found this: https://study.com/academy/lesson/adb-pu ... ocess.html Bit tedious, create the adb shell and use "cd" and "ls" to navigate files on phone. Once one knows location of file wanted then "exit" from adb shell, and from regular linux terminal "adb pull /path_file_wanted /path_file_destination" All without quotes of course and a space between file/directory pulled and its destination directory. In MX or any other system not running in root, this pull command requires sudo. So yea I have adb installed for my tethering and usb cable to connect phone and computer. This is way to do it if PupMTP stops working.

Still be interesting how file sharing with samba share works when not using outside wifi connection. How to set up local wifi connection between computer and phone.

[Clarity]

Hi @mouldy

On your question of your phone on your home LAN, I employ a router that has WiFi built-in. Setting it up properly, your home wired PCs AND your WiFi devices can 'see' each other to interact.

There are 2 ways to do this easily.

1. Your ISP provides you a modem-router (combined) that you has this built-in.

2. If ISP does NOT provide this, then at used computer stores you can find free/cheap WiFi routers that you can use to connect all of you home's devices to. Using such, you merely run a single Ethernet wire to the ISP's modem router. This provides a home LAN controlled by you and not your ISP.

This is all you need for your home use with ALL home's devices...wired or wireless.

There is a 3rd options, that involves a WiFi adapter connected to a PC that is much too involved. I would NOT recommend it as it is both intricate and limited in scope, and involves too many PC components that when there are problems it would be nightmare to resolve.

The simplest is the 2 solutions mentioned earlier on this post as they are simple to understand and simple to maintain for almost every home owner-user.

[mouldy]

Ah, but I have neither wifi nor ethernet. My ONLY internet is tethering to cell phone via Easytether or Azilink, its an ex-ATT phone (cheapest phone I could find that was whitelisted for ATT HDvoice (VoLTE) network, gave a whopping $25 for it) so native tethering/hotspot is blocked in their custom version Android. I live in rural area and choice of dialup, cell, or satellite. No cable, no dsl, nothing else. Dialup is pointless anymore and just as expensive as cell.

I do have some ancient router around here somewhere (dont remember much about it) but adding yet more hardware to the situation not attractive. Better if I can plug in a wifi adapter (its a desktop) and somehow let phone connect to that via wifi.

But if its a big PITA then like say I was able to extract files via adb. Between PupMTP and adb, I should be ok. I was just curious how the samba share worked and if I could use it without a router.

Like say I was able at one point to create a hotspot on Puppy to share whatever internet connection I had at time. But I thought it was just to share the connection and neither computer could share files through it. But for all I know maybe there was some option I didnt use that allows this. What was it called.... "create_ap", that was it. I remember at time I had been playing with Ubuntu and its network manager could create a hotspot. I wanted to do that in Puppy and found create_ap.

Oh seems the guy that did create_ap now has a gui front end for it. https://github.com/lakinduakash/linux-wifi-hotspot But also something he calls "linux router"

https://github.com/garywill/linux-router Would this simplify things?

[Clarity]

... I do have some ancient router around here somewhere ...

Ah-ha. This may be the simplest solution for you as it may not require much, if any, knowledge at all. Great! Here's something simple.

Ready, Set, GO!

1. Let's assume; the router has built-in Wifi and it powers on

2. Let's assume; you have a single Ethernet wire where you can wire-connect your PC to it

3. when it is wired to the powered-on router, the PC 'should' get an IP address from it such that now the router has set up a LAN and your PC and any Wifi devices in its vicinity will 'see' each other

4. On your cell phone, if you have Network enabled (In Settings), it will list the name of the WiFi your router is providing

5. Connecting to it, now, has your PC and your Phone connected to the router's LAN and they have IP addresses such that they can 'see' each other

6. Start SAMBA on your PUP

7. Use the phone's client software to connect to it

8. Share files or use files at your discretion

If you choose:

• that router has a manual somewhere online

• The manual will give instructions to how to sign on with any password needed

• You can change the Wifi name if you choose

• Since you live in a rural are, there is no need for a password on the Wifi setup for users. (this way any grandkids or family can connect when they visit you and you need do NOTHING for them to use the internet). This is a choice that some people employ in rural areas where the threat of misuse does NOT exist.

This type of solution is generally both worry free and lacks ANY problems for you in its management. It is a set it and forget it solution.

Enjoy using home devices without wires.

P.S. Personally this solution does NOT have the pitfalls that those software solution entail. This also is 'maintenance free', which I think you want. This solution does not care what computer, or what OS, or what cell phone/tablet you use. ONce setup you do nothing forevermore...unless you choose to.

[mouldy]

Ah now finding that router is the next trick. And the wire. Gosh that is so long ago, but I never throw anything like that still working away.

But I also found this:

Hotspots can be created from device even without any internet access, but that would create a local network with no internet. Such a network can be used to create an FTP server or to transfer files locally between 2 devices connected to the same network.

This on a windows help site. So its possible and yes FTP server seems maybe good way to go. How to get create_ap to make a hotspot on Puppy that isnt sharing an internet connection, then connect phone to that hotspot.... Looks like I gotta revisit create_ap, probably way to make it create hotspot without internet, but??? Back when I played with it, I was only interested in sharing a connection. And it did work great.

FTP is another handy file transfer option for Android users attempting to transfer files to their Windows 10 PC (or other operating systems, for that matter).

ES File Explorer is a popular third-party file manager for Android. This comes with several file management features for local and network use. Among these is FTP, which provides a direct network connection between two devices.

Use ES File Explorer's Network > FTP feature to display your Android device's IP address.

Paste this into a file transfer program such as FileZilla to browse the contents. You can then effortlessly transfer files between the two devices.

So, try ES File Explorer if you want to transfer data from a mobile device to your laptop through Wi-Fi and don't have Wi-Fi Direct.

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/wifi-dire ... windows-8/

[mouldy]

And create_ap can do it. https://askubuntu.com/questions/970445/ ... connection

Now start hotspot from your linux without internet:

sudo create_ap -n wlp2s0 MyAccessPoint

You can then connect clients. Your internet would not be shared but you can do samba and other things without internet

Create_ap simplifies things considerably just like it did to create hotspot to share internet. Sure you could do it manually.... Look further in that thread and some guy actually wrote a script to do this without create_ap.

So if I can find that router will try your suggestion. Otherwise looks like I revisit create_ap.

[mouldy]

Playing with create_ap. Got the wifi network without internet access. But the phone by default disconnects if wifi doesnt have internet access.

Well there is a workaround. Go into adb shell and..

settings put global captive_portal_detection_enabled 0

And ES File Explorer found the network and happily connected. Be aware ES kinda hides its network settings. Have to tap the arrow just below the icons. But still trying to get Filezilla on computer side to cooperate. Half way there I guess.

Have to say not that impressed with ES File Explorer on phone. Its no doubt powerful, but hit wrong button and you get an ad for upgrades or it wanting you to set up account online... Truly annoying. I am just trying to make this work, then look for a less annoying substitute. ES + Filezilla supposed to be brainless easy for FTP transfer, but apparently not until you get it working that first time. Anyway create_ap has no problem setting up wifi network without internet. Super easy.

[mouldy]

And it works. I kept poking around on ES until it generated IP number and port. Forget that stupid Filezilla network wizard, MANUALLY entered IP and port into Filezilla. BINGO was his NAME-O. Filezilla showed dual pane, one side computer and other side the phone. Traditional Midnight Commander style. Its about as painless as possible to move files one side to other.

Is this really worth it, maybe not unless you move lot files back and forth between phone and computer. Though you do it once so its no longer mystery and experimentation, sure its less time consuming. But just to download occasional directory of photos or something "adb pull /path" maybe less hassle.

But now I have the wifi network minus internet, next try samba share. Well tomorrow probably, bask in my small success today with FTP transfer. This is more a learning experience for me. But if I can make it work, anybody can. Oh and if you use ES File Explorer, dont let it con you that you need internet access or an account or anything. Truly hate Android apps trying to play sneaky to make a buck collecting data.

EDIT: "Poking around on ES" is technical jargon. Lets try making this clearer. In ES under the displayed icons, you poke the arrow key. This opens screen to more icons and options. Poke the network icon to get things going, then poke "View on PC" icon to establish the FTP connection, it will generate IP address and port number. Use those in Filezilla or whatever FTP client you are using on your computer.

[mouldy]

Ok, samba is pretty anticlimactic.

I got it from here: https://www.instructables.com/How-to-se ... le-server/

You of course dont need sudo in Puppy. I tried this on MX cause thats what I had booted, so did need sudo.

start your adhoc wifi network and connect your phone.

Samba already installed so...

Then add the users to Samba by typing this into terminal e.g
sudo smbpasswd -a Thermoelectric
Replace Thermoelectric with your user name

Start Samba by executing this in terminal
sudo nmbd; smbd;

Configure the /export directory:
sudo mkdir /export
sudo chown Thermoelectric.users /export
sudo chmod u=rwx,g=rwx,o-rwx /export

Check that Samba is running correctly:

sudo smbclient -L localhost -U%

Now setup whatever client you want on your phone. There are loads of options so find one you are comfortable with. AndSMB is small but you manually do it. I found one called Ghost Commander incredibly easy. Navigate to your computer, when you get to that point it will ask for you samba username and password. Bingo you then get access to your computer files in right hand pane of two pane file manager setup. Seriously easy. But NOBODY ever really explains this stuff in dummy recipe mode.

[user1111]

Yet another method, install a ftp client on your android phone. Providing your Puppy busybox has been built with tcpsvd

busybox | grep tcpsvd

then you're good to go.

Start a ftp server on Puppy

mkdir /ftp # where files will be down/up loaded from/to
chmod a+wrx /ftp # make it open to all
tcpsvd -vE 0.0.0.0 21 ftpd -w /files/to/serve

then anyone on your LAN should be able to ftp into that

ifconfig # to see what your IP is ... perhaps 192.168.1.5

On phone launch whichever ftp client you install and ftp to that and download/upload files

... at least that works in Fatdog (untested on any Puppy).

Perhaps best to change the root password before doing such connections
passwd root ... and change it to something casual, change it back again after you're done.

[mouldy]

I will put in a mention for Ghost Commander as possible FTP client on phone too. Its open source and no ads or gotchas.

Ghost Commander is a dual-panel file manager (as well as a FTP, SFTP, SMB, WebDAV, Drive, BOX, Dropbox client!) which will let you to manage your files locally or remotely as well as tweak your system in the root mode.

This is an open source software (see http://tinyurl.com/gc-source) and does not show any advertisement! The project exists only because of your donations.

[mouldy]

Yet another method, install a ftp client on your android phone. Providing your Puppy busybox has been built with tcpsvd

busybox | grep tcpsvd

then you're good to go.

Start a ftp server on Puppy

mkdir /ftp # where files will be down/up loaded from/to
chmod a+wrx /ftp # make it open to all
tcpsvd -vE 0.0.0.0 21 ftpd /files/to/serve

then anyone on your LAN should be able to ftp into that

ifconfig # to see what your IP is ... perhaps 192.168.1.5

On phone launch whichever ftp client you install and ftp to that and download/upload files

... at least that works in Fatdog (untested on any Puppy).

Perhaps best to change the root password before doing such connections
passwd root ... and change it to something casual, change it back again after you're done.

You can just install ipsvd to get tcpsvd if linux you are using doesnt have busybox. I just did in MX and now have tcpsvd available. Its a tiny program. 68kb download.

[user1111]

You can just install ipsvd to get tcpsvd if linux you are using doesnt have busybox. I just did in MX and now have tcpsvd available. Its a tiny program. 68kb download.

For ftpd (server) you only need tcpsvd if you don't want to run it as a inetd service.
https://busybox.net/downloads/BusyBox.html
Around a third of the way down under ftpd ...

ftpd should be used as an inetd service. ftpd's line for inetd.conf: 21 stream tcp nowait root ftpd ftpd /files/to/serve It also can be ran from tcpsvd:

tcpsvd -vE 0.0.0.0 21 ftpd /files/to/serve

Note that example excludes -w from the ftpd command, that enables uploading to the server. Otherwise should be
tcpsvd -vE 0.0.0.0 21 ftpd -w /files/to/serve

If you edit /etc/inetd.conf to include
21 stream tcp nowait root ftpd ftpd -w /ftp
and reboot, I suspect that would work (untested)

[user1111]

I installed (from PlayStore) WM FTP as a Android phone FTP client and setting the phone to be a wifi hotspot and connecting to that from my laptop, running that ftp server command on the laptop

Code: Select all

mkdir /ftp # where files will be down/up loaded from/to
chmod a+wrx /ftp # make it open to all
tcpsvd -vE 0.0.0.0 21 ftpd -w /ftp

and using WM FTP to connect to and download from that to the phone - worked even when the phones wifi and mobile data were turned off. Throughput, being peer to peer, was very quick, guesstimate around 50Mbs (50MB file took around 8 seconds to FTP transfer).

If instead both my laptop and phone were connected to the household router wifi, and FTP transfers made, then throughput was slower, guesstimate around half as slow if not slower - likely around 20Mbs (802.11a/802.11g).

[mouldy]

I am using MX, mostly cause it had create_ap already set up from some prior use. I cant hotspot or native tether on my phone, those apps are locked. No Busybox so only way to get tcpsvd is to install the ipsvd package, there is no separate tcpsvd pkg in the Debian repositories. And so tiny, its trivial either way.

Anyway I created the /ftp storage directory. Found on MX its better to put it in the /home/user directory, but Puppy is run in root so could put it anywhere I suppose.

But set up a no internet wifi adhoc network with create_ap, connected with phone wifi. Ran tcpsvd as indicated. Opened Ghost Commander and easy peasy to move files. I will say the downside of having client on the phone is you have to interact with client on phone to move stuff. I didnt try to also use scrcpy at same time. That would make it easier. I truly hate squinting and poking at tiny screen with my finger. Its easier for me to have server on phone and client on computer.

Oh will mention I also played more with samba. I change my mind, for samba, like AndSMB better as samba client on phone end. I am probably doing something wrong, but Ghost Commander seems bit more hassle once connected. Though as I point out Ghost Commander works really well as FTP client in combination with tcpsvd on computer side.

And way back to using ES as FTP server on phone, well Filezilla on computer is fine, but MX has Midnight Commander installed though Thunar is the default file manager. MC can act as FTP client. May like it better than Filezilla. But also maybe I am just more familiar with it. Its a classic. Point being there are lot choices, find combination that works for you. I do try to avoid any phone apps with ads or data collection built in. The open source ones tend to be friendliest in this reguard. But some freeware that is friendly.

[user1111]

I truly hate squinting and poking at tiny screen with my finger. Its easier for me to have server on phone and client on computer.

+1

Still experimenting with scrcpy, rotated and setting accessibility/fonts etc. can get a reasonable look (scrcpy where the phone is running chrome ...)

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I have my board logged in theme as a dark theme

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Fun. But at the end of the day the concurrency of Linux over Android, and the ease of zooming .etc. leaves much of the phones purpose more of a modem + phone like device for me. Enables net connectivity when out and about and making/receiving calls. A usb type stick can provide those net/phone functions, and without having to be blitzed by Google (must enter a google userid to get to the playstore, to install things, and once you've done that you're owned, blitzed by FB, Yahoo, Google ...etc. More recently that's seen increased video adverts - which is a bit of cheek IMO given that's eats mobile data bandwidth).

[mouldy]

I am not thrilled with cell phones trying to force Google down my throat with apps that cant be removed without rooting the phone. Though did find way might be doable with adb shell. Least get rid of some of the bloat apps. Thats about as close to root as you get. You can get apps from F-droid or sideload them from places like apkpure.com. Yea I refuse to set up an account to Googleplay.

Its kinda fun learning how to interact with phone when I dont have to squint and poke at small screen with blunt fingers, but honestly its still more or less for voice calls and to tether my computer for data. Like say I looked for cheapest used phone I can get away with. Was forced by ATT network only allowing whitelisted phone as of February and their final ditching of 3G. Whitelist means either phone manufacturers paid ATT to certify their phones or some older phones ATT sold with their branded version Android. There were phones that were capable but nobody paid the fee. Especially some grey market phones never officially sold in USA. Anyway I found this ex-ATT Kyocera with Android 6 and actually been interesting. Previous phone was older Sonim XP5 feature phone that used a cut down version Android 4.4 and T9 keypad. It tethered well, did nice voice quality calls. Best thing on it didnt have lot bloat and battery charge lasted forever. T9 PITA to text especially since counldnt turn off the predictive keyboard stuff.

But in the end the Kyocera will tether, do voice, and now easier to download pics. Camera isnt super great but equivalent of old Kodak instamatic or Brownie point and shoot from the old days In other words it takes a recognizable image, wont win any awards. That it just meets specs to be used with scrcpy is great. Does make texting so much easier and in modern world some folk will only text.

[wiak]

Interesting thread.

Here is another well-known, secure and relatively lightweight sftp server: https://security.appspot.com/vsftpd.html

[user1111]

You can get apps from F-droid or sideload them from places like apkpure.com. Yea I refuse to set up an account to Googleplay.

I wasn't aware of apkpure. Thanks.

Just factory reset my phone, set it up with no wifi nor data active, declined all of the google connect/userid requests and visited apkpure.com, downloaded apkpure (setting it to have permissions to install stuff - but I declined its 'make phone calls' option), and it ran OK.

Installed wifi ftp via apkpure and that's also working well (set phone up to be a wifi hotspot, connected to that from Fatdog (puppy) and ran gFTP on Fatdog). Files are throughputting at around 50Mbs and a nice gui running on Fatdog for the folder/file selecting and FTP'ing.

Thanks again.

[step]

For android phones I use totalcommander file manager (freeware no ads; not FOSS, from the author's site); apk download available; plugins for several network clients (WebDAV, Windows Network, ftp, sftp), cloud drives, and wifi device-to-device transfer. https://www.ghisler.com/android.htm ; plugins https://www.ghisler.com/androidplugins/download/

[mouldy]

More samba, lot questions. I got it worked out starting samba in linux and finding it with client on android. However been trying to run this android samba server:

https://apkpure.com/smb-cifs-samba-file ... ambaserver

It would seem very straightforward. So I create the adhock network, connect the phone, run this samba server. It does it all automagically. Except, I can not see it on network from linux. I tried command line smbclient and I tried smb option in thunar and dolphin. Nope, nada, wont see it. Really be kinda cool if I could get it to work. This app is small and it puts server on the phone without being obnoxious. Maybe screwed up app, maybe my inexperience with samba. Suppose I should try another samba server app. Never get too fond of any of this stuff. Like always some software works, some doesnt.

[user1111]

I swapped out for https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.primftpd/ primitive ftp server being its open source and no ads.

Just using the ftp option, not the sftp choice, as setting the phone to be a hotspot and connecting to that from the laptop is a peer to peer wifi, no other net connections, and I prefer having a ftp client on the laptop for the nicer interface (keyboard) and graphical two pane type select/upload/download functions that provides.

[mouldy]

More samba, lot questions. I got it worked out starting samba in linux and finding it with client on android. However been trying to run this android samba server:

https://apkpure.com/smb-cifs-samba-file ... ambaserver

It would seem very straightforward. So I create the adhock network, connect the phone, run this samba server. It does it all automagically. Except, I can not see it on network from linux. I tried command line smbclient and I tried smb option in thunar and dolphin. Nope, nada, wont see it. Really be kinda cool if I could get it to work. This app is small and it puts server on the phone without being obnoxious. Maybe screwed up app, maybe my inexperience with samba. Suppose I should try another samba server app. Never get too fond of any of this stuff. Like always some software works, some doesnt.

Maybe found my own answer. It seems that an unrooted phone can run a samba server. Duh. BUT it has to use non-standard port. Apparently neither windows nor linux can find it on non-standard port. Only MAC and other Android. Is this correct? Too bad if true. So guess requires FTP or other methods. Or run samba on linux and then client on phone. Done that. And tried, can use scrcpy while doing non-internet wifi with FTP or samba. So suppose it doesnt matter to have samba client on phone.

[mouldy]

I swapped out for https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.primftpd/ primitive ftp server being its open source and no ads.

Just using the ftp option, not the sftp choice, as setting the phone to be a hotspot and connecting to that from the laptop is a peer to peer wifi, no other net connections, and I prefer having a ftp client on the laptop for the nicer interface (keyboard) and graphical two pane type select/upload/download functions that provides.

I saw that one but noticed in "permissions"

run at startup
Allows the app to have itself started as soon as the system has finished booting. This can make it take longer to start the phone and allow the app to slow down the overall phone by always running.

Battery drainer? I suppose one can find it in apps and disable it. But honestly allowing it to run anytime phone is on by default not good. Least without an opt out in settings.

I suspect I will eventually get annoyed enough to try and root the phone. Though hate to risk it. I mean for all intents and purposes, mostly use it for voice calls and tethering. Dont even take many pics with it.