How to Share Files on the Same WiFi Network Online (No App, No Login)
A practical guide to sharing files between devices on the same WiFi using just a browser: phone to PC, PC to PC, Mac to Windows. Plus fixes when devices can't see each other.
Two devices on the same WiFi are, physically, a few metres apart. Yet the most common way to move a file between them is still to email it to yourself, send it through a chat app, or upload it to a cloud drive and download it again. Each of those sends your file out to the internet and back.
There is a simpler way: open the same web page on both devices and share directly. This guide shows how to do it with FreeAirShare, explains what "same network" really means, and covers the problems people actually run into.
What you need
- Two or more devices with a modern browser: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Samsung Internet and similar browsers all work.
- All devices connected to the same WiFi network (or to the same router by Ethernet cable; WiFi and cable can be mixed).
- A working internet connection on that network. It is used briefly to find the other device and set up the connection.
You do not need an account, an app, Bluetooth, or the other device's IP address.
Step-by-step: share a file on the same WiFi
1. Open FreeAirShare on both devices
Go to freeairshare.com on the device that has the file and on the device that should receive it. Wait for the small Connected badge on the Share tab.
2. Drop the file on the sender
On the Share Files tab, drag files onto the box or tap it to choose files. You can add more files later with Add More Files. The share is live as soon as the files appear; there is no separate upload step.
3. Open Discover on the receiver
On the other device, open the Discover tab. Your share appears with its name, number of files and total size, plus a status line such as Sender online. The list updates by itself every few seconds.
4. Download
Tap the share, then Download next to a file, or Download All. Each file is saved through the browser's normal download flow, so on a PC it lands in your Downloads folder, and on a phone it goes wherever your browser saves downloads.
5. Stop sharing
When you are done, press Stop Sharing on the sender. This removes the share for everyone and deletes the optional cloud copy if there is one.
How the file actually travels
While the sender's tab is open, FreeAirShare uses WebRTC to open a direct, encrypted data channel between the two browsers. The file is read in 64 KB chunks and streamed across that channel. On a normal home network the data path is simply sender → router → receiver.
A small server is involved, but only for coordination:
- Discovery: when you start sharing, your browser registers a tiny record (random peer ID, title, file count, total size). Devices that reach the internet from the same network see that record in Discover.
- Connection setup: the two browsers exchange the technical details needed to connect (a process called signalling) through the PeerJS service. After that, file data flows directly between them.
If the connection drops mid-transfer, the receiver reconnects and continues from the last chunk it received.
"Same network" means the same internet address
This is the single most useful thing to understand when something does not work. FreeAirShare decides which shares to show you based on the network address your device uses to reach the internet. At home, every device on your WiFi normally shares one public IP address, so they all see each other.
That is also why these situations break discovery:
- One device is on mobile data. A phone that drops off WiFi gets a completely different internet address.
- Guest network. Many routers put the guest WiFi on a separate network.
- VPN or iCloud Private Relay. These route traffic through another server, so your device appears to be somewhere else.
- IPv4 vs IPv6. Some networks give devices both kinds of address and different browsers may use different ones. If one device sees the share and another does not, try the same browser on both or switch networks.
The flip side: on large shared networks (offices, campuses, apartment buildings with shared internet), many people may share the same public address. Assume that anyone on that network can see your share in Discover.
Phone to PC, PC to phone, PC to PC
The steps are identical in every direction because both sides are just browsers:
- Android to Windows: open the site in Chrome on the phone and in Edge or Chrome on the PC. See our detailed guide on sharing files between Android and PC wirelessly.
- iPhone to Windows: open it in Safari on the iPhone. Our iPhone to Windows guide covers where files land and how to avoid HEIC surprises.
- PC to PC or Mac to Windows: useful when you do not want to set up Windows file sharing (SMB) or network drives just to copy a few files once.
If the receiver should get the file later
Peer-to-peer transfer needs the sender's tab open. If you want to drop a file and walk away, keep "Keep available after I close this tab (cloud, 24h)" switched on before you share:
- The browser uploads a private temporary copy of shares up to 50 MB and 20 files.
- Wait for "Cloud copy ready", then you can close the tab.
- Receivers on the same network see Sender offline · available from cloud and the time remaining.
- The copy is deleted after 24 hours, immediately when you press Stop Sharing, or when anyone on the same network taps Delete from cloud in Discover.
For bigger files, keep the tab open (and the screen awake on phones) until the download finishes.
Troubleshooting checklist
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| Share does not appear in Discover | Check both devices show the same WiFi name; turn off VPN / Private Relay; make sure the phone is not on mobile data |
| "Could not load files" | The sender's tab may be asleep or closed. Wake the sender's screen and tap the share again |
| Download stops halfway | Keep the sender's screen on; the receiver resumes automatically when the connection returns |
| Large video fails on an old phone | The receiving browser holds the file in memory before saving; try a computer as the receiver or split the file |
| Shares from strangers appear | You are on a shared network. Only download files you expect |
Is this better than Windows network sharing?
For permanent access to a folder, Windows file sharing or a NAS is the right tool. For "I need these three files on that laptop now", a browser tool wins because there is nothing to configure: no workgroups, no passwords, no firewall rules. Use each for what it is good at.
Frequently asked questions
Do both devices need internet, or just WiFi?
The WiFi needs internet access. FreeAirShare uses it briefly to discover shares and set up the connection; the file itself is then sent directly between the devices.
Can I share with more than one person at once?
Yes. Everyone on the same network sees your share in Discover and can download from it.
Does the file lose quality?
No. The file is transferred byte for byte. Unlike many chat apps, photos and videos are not recompressed.
Can devices on different WiFi networks share?
Not with automatic discovery. FreeAirShare only shows shares to devices on the same network.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
Not for direct transfers. Only if you leave "Keep available after I close this tab" on, a temporary copy of shares up to 50 MB is stored for up to 24 hours so others can download after you leave.