Superbeam is an Android application that allows us to easily use the Wi-Fi Direct protocol to send and receive files between Android devices. The Wi-Fi Direct technology offers several advantages over Bluetooth as a higher transfer speed and a greater range, but it also requires a client that is responsible for managing the shipment, such as Superbeam.
The features that Superbeam offers its users to use Wi-Fi Direct are:
- It allows to send absolutely any type of file, without limitation.
- It allows to connect through QR, NFC or password.
- Create a web server on port 8080 to share files from it with other users who do not install Superbeam.
- If the Wi-Fi Direct connection fails, Superbeam allows you to operate through a local network easily.
The first thing we must do is download Superbeam completely free from the Play Store . This application has a paid version with new functions, but for normal use of the application the free version works without problems.
Once downloaded, we execute it and we will see, in the first place, an assistant in which its main functions will be explained to us.
Next we will see the main window of the application.
As we can see, we have two different sections in the main window:
- Send: If we are going to send a file we will select the type of file that we are going to send.
- Receive: It shows us the different options to receive the files through this program.
How to send a file through Wi-Fi Direct with Superbeam
In the main window we must select the type of file we want to send. For example, in our case we will select "Files and folders" to send a file regardless of its type. Next a file explorer will open like the following.
We must select one or several files according to what we need to send (or complete folders in the case of the Pro version) and click on the "send" button that appears in the upper right part of the screen.
Next we will see a series of questions in which we will configure the type of shipment. First, if both devices are connected to the same local network, we must select this option to simplify the process and use the router as an intermediate link. In our case we are going to say no to use the direct connection.
The file will automatically begin to be available through Wi-Fi Direct. In the next window we will see a QR code that will allow you to connect directly to the file by scanning that code and a code in the lower part that we can enter manually.
If we slide to the left we will change the window and we can see that the program has created a point of access on the same smartphone. We must connect to it by means of the SSID and the password that indicate us and, once connected, open in the web browser the URL with the IP address that indicates us in the lower part.
If we slide again we arrive at the third window where we will see a summary of the active connections and the shared files.
For our part, the file is ready to be sent through Wi-Fi, the rest depends on the user who wants to receive the file.
How to receive a file through Wi-Fi Direct with Superbeam
When the sender is already sending the file, the receiver must choose the form by which he wants to receive it. We can do it:
- Through NFC
- QR code
- Enter the shared key
- Through the Wi-Fi hotspot
To receive the file via NFC we must have activated this function and simply by bringing the 2 devices together, the transfer will begin.
To do it using QR code we must click on the corresponding button and a camera will open. All we have to do is explore the code that appears on the sending device and start the transfer.
We can also connect by entering the file code manually, but this function is only available to premium users.
Finally, the last way to receive the files is to connect to the access point that has been created on the device with the SSID that we have indicated and the password that the program provides us and from the web browser access the IP address that indicates the program. In this way we will access the server and download the file directly from the sending device to the receiver quickly. Once the download is complete, we can disconnect, close the program and reconnect to another Wi-Fi network to continue using the device normally.
This client also has versions compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac, so we can easily connect to these operating systems from the smartphone.