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Tutorial: Mounting smartphone sdcard & external sdcard onto Windows over Wi-Fi as a driver letter using only a free, ad-free Android WebDAV server

Tutorial: Mounting smartphone sdcard & external sdcard onto Windows over Wi-Fi as a driver letter using only a free, ad-free Android WebDAV server

Posted out of the goodness of my heart to help others mount their smartphone internal and external storage more easily than it took me.

Note my Android 12 phone is not rooted & it has no Google account set up.

The phone is connected to a hidden broadcast SSID on a static IP address with a random MAC address assigned on every connection to the home router.

I did not set my home router to reserve any specific IP address for DHCP because each Android 12 connection, by default, randomizes the MAC address upon every Wi-Fi connection; so my home router is set to hand out DHCP IP address only _after_ that low IP address range _and_ my phone is set to a static IP address of 192.168.0.2 which is _below_ the router DHCP range.

Note also that it's common convention that "DavWWWRoot" is a keyword for the WebDav server "Home Directory", which you will see being used below.

Today I switched from this ad-based free WebDav server with a simple setup, but which wouldn't (for some reason) mount the external sdcard over Wi-Fi: *WebDAV Server* by The Olive Tree Free, +ads, requires gsf, rated 3.5, 100K+ installs

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Which was initially chosen simply because it works well out of the box.

Instead, I switched to this WebDav server which has a more complex setup. *WebDAV Server - BestDAV* by ZQ Software Free, ad free, gsf free, rated 3.4, 10K+ installs

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The setup is tricky as you must know a few things that you manually set.

For example, you'll need an _accurate_ filespec for your Home Directory. Note that _many_ Android file explorers _simplify_ the visible filespecs!

Hence, I chose this file explorer because it shows the _real_ filespec: *X-plore File Manager* by Lonely Cat Games Free, ad free + inap$, requires gsf, rated 4.5, 10M+ installs

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Using X-Plore, I noted the actual filespec to my internal sdcard folder: /storage/emulated/0 And I noted the actual filespec to my external sdcard top level folder: /storage/0000-0001 <== long ago I had named that sdcard using Windows 10

In the BestDav server, I set the following settings manually: Web server setting: Website Home Directory = /storage/emulated/0 Server Port = 8080 Bind to Local IP = any Concurrent Connections = 8 Allow notifying status = checked SSL settings: Enable SSL = unchecked Use our SSL certificate = unchecked Key Store File = unset Key Store Type = BKS (vs PKCS12) Key Store Password = unset (XXXXXXXXXX) Key Manager Password = unset (XXXXXXXXXX) Authentication: Allow HTTP digest authentication = unchecked Setup Users = (I will do that later) Setup Resources = (I will do that later) Setup Allowed IPs = unset Default features: Allow the Default Home Page(_home.html) = checked Allow Browsing Directory from Web Page = checked Allow Uploading File from Web Page = checked Allow WebDAV LOCK/UNLOCK method = checked Miscellaneous: Start server on boot = unchecked Start server when WIFI connected = unchecked Specify the SSID of the WIFI network = any Keep the Wi-Fi lock = checked Keep the device alive = checked Device Discovery: Enable Bonjour Discovery = checked Log Setting: Enable Logging = checked Log file directory = [SDCARD]/weblog/ Maximum preserved days = 7 Receive message from Web: Allow receiving message from web = checked Vibrate when message is received = checked Play sound when message is received = checked Message Ringtone = defValue Now click the "USERS" & "FOLDERS" buttons to set up the users and the resources so that Windows can mount Android as a drive letter over Wi-Fi.

USERS: I created a new user named "foobar" with a password of "snafu". If you don't wish to set up a user, you can allow everyone to connect.

Note that "foobar" is _not_ the Windows 10 user, nor is "snafu" its password, but you can set the user/password to that of your Windows user.

Note the GUI takes getting used to, where doubleclicking is required to begin editing the users and passwords that you created for them.

FOLDERS: I created a "Resource/Access Right" of "/" with the following permissions / === /storage/emulated/0 === everyone (_)none (_)Read only (o)Read/Write / === /storage/emulated/0 === foobar (_)none (_)Read only (o)Read/Write

Note that "/" here indicates the "DavWWWRoot" folder which is whatever you set your "Home Directory" to (as all three terms are equivalent).

Then I pressed the Android BestDav server button "START SERVER". This reports the URI you can use if you wish to connect using a browser. http://192.168.0.2:8080 <== note I didn't use SSL but I could have

On Windows, I entered this command as a typical user: C:\> net use Z: \\192.168.0.2@8080\DavWWWRoot /user:foobar snafu The command completed successfully.

On Windows, that created a new mount point over Wi-Fi named: DavWWWRoot (\\192.168.0.2@8080) (Z:) Which the Windows File Explorer and the Windows command line respects. C:\> Z: Z:\> dir Volume in drive Z has no label. Volume Serial Number is 0000-0000 Directory of Z:\ 05/15/2022 08:29 AM <DIR> . 05/15/2022 08:29 AM <DIR> .. 12/29/2021 12:15 AM <DIR> Samsung 02/02/2022 06:19 AM <DIR> Android 02/22/2022 07:52 AM <DIR> Music 05/17/2022 05:58 PM <DIR> Pictures 12/29/2021 12:15 AM <DIR> Ringtones 12/29/2021 12:15 AM <DIR> Alarms 12/29/2021 12:15 AM <DIR> Notifications 05/15/2022 08:29 AM <DIR> DCIM 04/16/2022 03:06 PM <DIR> Movies 05/16/2022 01:33 AM <DIR> Download 01/30/2022 06:04 AM <DIR> flore 04/08/2022 12:28 AM <DIR> Documents 12/29/2021 12:15 AM <DIR> Audiobooks 01/03/2022 10:33 PM <DIR> .face 01/01/2022 02:50 PM <DIR> Aurora 05/20/2022 02:14 AM <DIR> 0000 <== my tattletale folder 01/05/2022 06:12 PM <DIR> navigator 01/05/2022 11:17 PM <DIR> .UTSystemConfig 05/17/2022 05:45 PM <DIR> .DataStorage 04/21/2022 11:45 PM <DIR> MotionDetectorPro 04/22/2022 08:17 PM <DIR> ACRCalls 05/06/2022 02:16 AM <DIR> vysor 02/08/2022 10:05 PM <DIR> Unlocked 02/22/2022 11:18 AM <DIR> Cellular Info 02/22/2022 10:42 AM <DIR> Cellular_Connection_Monitor 02/22/2022 03:56 PM <DIR> InternetConnectionAlert 02/27/2022 03:27 AM <DIR> rfsignaldata 02/27/2022 03:45 AM <DIR> data 04/07/2022 09:49 PM <DIR> carbon 04/08/2022 02:02 AM <DIR> AppBackup 04/16/2022 06:02 AM <DIR> OSSLog 04/16/2022 06:11 AM <DIR> .csproduct 05/03/2022 09:46 PM <DIR> Podcasts 05/03/2022 09:46 PM <DIR> Recordings 05/05/2022 03:05 PM <DIR> BARIA 05/15/2022 07:25 AM <DIR> GCam 05/15/2022 08:05 AM <DIR> temp 05/15/2022 08:29 AM <DIR> hudunrecorder 05/15/2022 08:29 AM <DIR> .hudundevice 0 File(s) 134,628 bytes 41 Dir(s) 76,833,701,888 bytes free That gave me read permission from Windows 10 over Wi-Fi of the entire sdcard, including folders where I did not have write permission; but crucially, in folders I had created on Android, I _did_ have write permission from Windows 10 File Explorer (which is fine by me that way).

Now it's time to see the _external_ sdcard, instead of the internal sdcard.

I disconnected the mount point on Windows using the right click menu item of the same name and killed the WebDav server on Android but I found out later that you don't even need to disconnect the mount point from Windows.

With the WebDav server off on Android, in the WebDav server settings I changed the Android WebDav server setting for the "Home Directory": FROM: /storage/emulated/0 TO: /storage/0000-0001 And then I restarted the Android WebDav server. And re-ran the Windows command: C:\> net use Z: \\192.168.0.2@8080\DavWWWRoot /user:foobar snafu

Voila!

On Windows, that created a new mount point over Wi-Fi named: DavWWWRoot (\\192.168.0.2@8080) (Z:) Which the Windows File Explorer and the Windows command line respects. C:\> Z: Z:\> dir Volume in drive Z has no label. Volume Serial Number is 0000-0000 Directory of Z:\ 05/17/2022 10:41 AM <DIR> . 05/17/2022 10:41 AM <DIR> .. 05/03/2021 08:17 AM <DIR> System Volume Information 12/24/2021 05:48 PM <DIR> Music 01/31/2022 01:57 AM <DIR> Android 12/24/2021 05:48 PM <DIR> Podcasts 12/24/2021 05:48 PM <DIR> Ringtones 12/24/2021 05:48 PM <DIR> Alarms 12/24/2021 05:48 PM <DIR> Notifications 03/12/2022 12:24 AM <DIR> DCIM 12/24/2021 05:48 PM <DIR> Movies 04/13/2022 07:19 PM <DIR> Download 01/05/2022 06:12 PM <DIR> navigator 12/24/2021 05:48 PM <DIR> Documents 12/24/2021 05:48 PM <DIR> Audiobooks 05/20/2022 02:29 AM <DIR> 0001 <== my tattletale folder 04/13/2022 09:16 PM <DIR> Pictures 04/07/2022 09:49 PM <DIR> carbon 04/13/2022 07:24 PM <DIR> Toon 05/03/2022 09:46 PM <DIR> Recordings 0 File(s) 73,728 bytes 20 Dir(s) 76,831,617,024 bytes free

Finally, I can see (read and write) mounted as a drive letter over Wi-Fi the Android 12 external sdcard using the Windows 10 File Explorer.

As before, from Windows, I can create a directory not in the top level but in lower levels in folders I had previously created on Android, which is fine by me.

Apparently it's all in the settings, which is why I was careful to document the settings I used so that others can more easily follow in my stead.

In summary, given I purposefully chose free software, anyone can run this step-by-step cut-and-paste tutorial to connect their entire Android phone over Wi-Fi to their Windows computer for seamless bidirectional file transfer.

The hope is that this tutorial is useful to you, and, better yet, that someone out there knows more than I do about this who can improve it.

That way we all benefit from the effort that went into writing this up.

Reply to
Andy Burnelli
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So... why did you crosspost this into the alt.comp.freeware newsgroup?

Reply to
John C.

I think he did that because it uses freeware. He even said it in the title. And in the body too.

How did you miss all the freeware?

Reply to
allen

The "comp" in alt.comp.freeware refers to computer, not smart phone.

Reply to
John C.

The problem is that Andy Burnelli's posts are kind of long and detailed. It takes a while to figure out that they're not about computers sometimes, so they're actually cluttering up ACF. There are some newsgroups just for smartphones:

microsoft.public.smartphone gmane.comp.hardware.smartphones.userland

and some just for cellphones in general:

alt.cellular-phone-tech alt.cellular.telephones alt.cell-phone.tech alt.cell-phone alt.comp.devices.cellphones etc.

but they don't get a lot of traffic. Probably because most people are using forums now. Tom's Guide website has some:

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and there are many others:

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ACF though, is supposed to be for computers, and has been around since long before cell phones in general even existed in common useage.

However, it's easy enough to killfile Burnelli and I have done so.

Reply to
John C.

Paul wrote:

No sense repeating what is already in the detailed step by step tutorial which Andy Burns already spoke about in the first response to the OP.

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Both sdcards mounted>

*Tutorial: Mounting smartphone sdcard & external sdcard onto Windows* *over Wi-Fi as a driver letter using a free/ad-free Android WebDAV server*
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This command mounts the entire Android filesystem (including root) as a drive letter over Wi-Fi using only freeware that is readily available. C:\> net use Z: \\192.168.0.2@8080\DavWWWRoot /user:foobar snafu

Here's a dir command on the system folder (and I'm _not_ rooted). Z:\>dir Volume in drive Z has no label. Volume Serial Number is 0000-0000 Directory of Z:\ 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> . 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> .. 05/03/2022 09:43 PM <DIR> efs 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> debug_ramdisk 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 publiccert.pem 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> second_stage_resources 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> odm_dlkm 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> vendor 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 data_mirror 05/15/2022 08:29 AM <DIR> sdcard 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 audit_filter_table 05/21/2022 08:44 PM <DIR> apex 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> lost+found 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> etc 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 dpolicy 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 spu 05/21/2022 08:44 PM <DIR> data 05/24/2022 06:44 AM <DIR> dev 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> vendor_dlkm 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 omr 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> acct 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> oem 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> optics 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 linkerconfig 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> prism 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> system_ext 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 sepolicy_version 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> bin 01/01/1970 01:00 AM <DIR> proc 05/21/2022 08:44 PM <DIR> sys 05/21/2022 08:44 PM <DIR> storage 05/21/2022 08:44 PM <DIR> mnt 05/03/2022 09:43 PM <DIR> cache 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> odm 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 init.environ.rc 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 init.container.rc 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> product 01/01/1970 01:00 AM <DIR> config 12/31/2008 04:00 PM <DIR> system 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 postinstall 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 metadata 01/01/1970 01:00 AM 0 carrier 13 File(s) 0 bytes 29 Dir(s) 65,016,954,880 bytes free Z:\>

I didn't check if anything is missing, but that sure _looks_ like the entire file system of the Android root (even as I'm not rooted).

Isn't it?

BTW, if someone can explain what's the key difference between an HTTP server and a WebDAV server, that might be useful to the group at large.

Reply to
Andy Burnelli

In the Android newsgroup the same question was asked where Steve responded first with FTP, and, in response, I outlined _all_ the known methods we've tested over the years, so rather than repeat all that effort, I'll paste it here so not only will the OP benefit from those years of effort testing every known freeware solution, but so will others on the Windows platform.

Note that _most_ of the software below is W > Mount the phone as network storage > > Use an Android FTP app, i.e. >

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> > See
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To be purposefully helpful, below is a summary of tested connections.

For the technically competent, Frank Slootweg and I spent a ton of time analyzing _all_ the possible networking solutions over Wi-Fi years ago. a. FTP freeware eservers b. HTTP freeware servers/WebDAV freeware servers c. SMB/Cifs/Samba freeware clients d. MTPfs/LibMTP freeware tools e. KDEConnect freeware tools f. NitroShare freeware tools g. Kies tools (I'm not sure if they're freeware though) h. Vysor/Scrcpy freeware tools etc.

A freweare FTP server on Android, as Steve suggested, works reasonably well, where the two I suggest are "primitive FTP" & "FTP Server (free)".

The problem with FTP servers is that they will allow Windows to connect as a network storage, as Steve mentioned, but not as a Windows drive letter.

The freeware WebDav servers, on the other hand, do allow the Android phone to be connected to Windows as a drive letter.

The two WebDAV servers I suggest are "The Olive Tree WebDAV server" and "BestDAV WebDAV server".

Of course, plenty of the other solutions above use Windows freeware too.

Reply to
Andy Burnelli

That link is to the fully freeware solution using M$ Windows freeware.

Try this method of keeping the link in one line (let me know if it worked): *How to Link an Android Phone to a Windows 10 PC With Microsoft Phone Link*

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That method uses two applications, one on Windows and the other on Android (although for most Samsung phones, the Android app is already installed). *What Is Microsoft Phone Link on Windows 10 and 11?*

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Here is the Android app, which has had half a billion installs already! *Link to Windows* by Microsoft Corporation Free, ad free, requires gsf, rated 3.9, 500M+ installs

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Interestingly my Samsung isn't listed as having the app by default, but it's there, or at least an app with the same name is there by default.

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Ah, I spoke too soon... it's on this longer detailed list, that's why:

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For Windows, apparently, Microsoft claims it's already installed on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 (but I didn't see it on my Windows 10 Pro).

I don't use this method but half a billion people do, so it must work. Note that it's a fully Windows freeware solution that most people use.

Reply to
Andy Burnelli

This is the exact same one-line question the OP posted to the Android newsgroup, (which is fine), but rather than type up a new response given all the work I put into responding there, I'll just paste what I wrote there to help him out, and, I'll add them to this thread.

Note that this uses W > How can I make my Android phone appear as a device in Windows File Explorer > without having a USB connection to my PC, aka over Wi-Fi?

I would like to be purposefully helpful to answer your question.

Given there are _many_ potential solutions, there probably isn't enough information in your one sentence to steer you toward the best solution.

Yet, to keep being purposefully helpful, I would suggest at first the most _common_ Wi-Fi solution, which works especially well with some phones.

*Together is better with Microsoft and Samsung*
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*How to use Microsoft Your Phone Companion on your Galaxy smartphone*
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*Set up Link to Windows with your Samsung Galaxy phone*
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*Samsung Galaxy Phones and Link to Windows* *
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* That works especially well with Samsung because the app is native on Samsung phones, but you can also download the app onto other brands.

Windows software: *Introducing Microsoft Phone Link*

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Android software: *Link to Windows*

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Note Microsoft keeps changing the name of the app on Windows.

In summary, if your phone is a Samsung, then the Android software is already on there, but even if it's not, it "should" work on most phones.

To be clear, there are _many_ solutions. I don't use the solution above, for example, but _most_ people will be using that Microsoft Wi-Fi setup.

Reply to
Andy Burnelli

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