Warpinator, the popular file transfer app, has been a mainstay for many users due to its simplicity and effectiveness. However, like any piece of software, it sometimes encounters problems. Recently, some users have reported issues with Warpinator on their Steam Deck. They found that while their Windows 10 desktop could detect the Deck on the Winpinator side, it reported “data unavailable”, no other computers found and that the connection was offline. On the Deck itself, no computers were detected at all.
If you’ve experienced this, don’t fret. In this guide, we’ll provide a solution that will hopefully help you get Warpinator working smoothly again.
What might cause this issue?
In software, problems can stem from many sources. Connection issues, like the one described here, often result from a mismatch in network settings. Both your Steam Deck and Windows 10 desktop need to be on the same network, with the same port numbers configured, for Warpinator to work correctly.
Reinstalling the app on both platforms can sometimes fix this, but in this case, it didn’t seem to help. Users have reported that even after reinstalling and ensuring the port numbers were consistent, the problem persisted.
How to fix the Warpinator connection issue
After trying out several different solutions, a fix has been found that seems to resolve this issue. The solution lies within Warpinator’s connection settings.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply the fix:
- Open Warpinator. You can do this by finding it in your list of apps on your Steam Deck.
- Navigate to the Preferences section. You can find this under the ‘File’ menu at the top left of the Warpinator window.
- Select the ‘Connection’ tab. This will bring up a list of different connection options.
- Change your Network Interface. By default, the ‘Network Interface to Use’ option is set to ‘Automatic’. Change this to your WiFi or Ethernet connection.
And that’s it! After changing the Network Interface from ‘Automatic’ to a specific network, users have reported that Warpinator is once again able to detect computers on their network.
Is there an alternative to Warpinator?
While Warpinator is a fantastic app for simple file transfers, it’s not the only option out there. If you’re still having trouble, or if you’re interested in trying something different, there are many alternative file transfer apps available. However, keep in mind that the level of simplicity may vary.
- Syncthing: This is an open-source application that lets you synchronize your files across multiple devices. It’s free to use and has a broad user base.
- Dukto R6: Dukto is an easy file transfer tool designed for LAN use. You can use it to transfer files from one PC to another, without worrying about users, permissions, operating systems, protocols, and clients.
- NitroShare: NitroShare was designed to make transferring files from one device to another extremely simple. It includes support for transferring files, directories, or a combination of the two.
- LAN Share: As the name implies, LAN Share is a cross-platform local area network file transfer application, and it is designed to be simple and intuitive.
- Snapdrop: This is a local file sharing in your browser. It’s inspired by Apple’s Airdrop and it’s an open source project that allows you to share files directly between devices, without having to upload them to any server first.
- Sharedrop: Another alternative similar to Apple’s Airdrop service. It allows direct peer-to-peer file sharing without needing to install anything.
- FileZilla: While it might be a bit more complex than some of the other options, FileZilla is a free software, cross-platform FTP application, consisting of FileZilla Client and FileZilla Server.