Do my files pass through or get saved on any server?

No. Nearsend is strictly a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform. The signaling server is only used to exchange temporary session tokens and WebRTC handshake coordinates. Once connected, your files, text, and clipboard stream directly between your devices via WebRTC DataChannels in 64KB encrypted chunks.

How does the Voice Pairing work securely?

When you generate a voice pairing phrase, the host device creates an ephemeral 3-minute token. When spoken on the guest device, browser speech recognition converts the acoustic phrase into the token. The server validates the match and immediately triggers an explicit confirmation prompt on the host device before any connection is allowed.

Does Nearsend work across different operating systems?

Yes! Nearsend works seamlessly across any modern web browser — Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS, and ChromeOS. No native apps or software installations are required.

Is there a file size limit on Nearsend?

Because transfers stream directly via WebRTC without hitting a central server memory limit, you can send files ranging from kilobytes to multi-gigabyte videos. Nearsend incorporates backpressure flow control to ensure smooth transmission without exhausting device RAM.

Sending Files While Traveling on Public or Hotel Wi-Fi

October 11, 2026

Trying to send a file while traveling — hotel Wi-Fi, an airport lounge, a café — often feels harder than it should, and it's usually not for the reason people assume.

Why public Wi-Fi feels worse for this specific task

It's often not raw bandwidth — hotel Wi-Fi is frequently fine for browsing. The real issue is that many public networks are built around a captive portal and per-device isolation, meaning two devices on the "same" hotel Wi-Fi sometimes genuinely can't reach each other directly, even standing in the same room.

Why that isolation exists

Hotels and cafés deliberately isolate guest devices from one another as a security measure, so one guest's device can't snoop on another's traffic. A reasonable policy — that happens to also block the kind of local discovery some transfer tools rely on.

Where a relay-capable connection actually helps

This is exactly the situation a TURN relay exists for. When a direct path between two isolated devices isn't possible, the connection still completes through an encrypted relay instead of failing outright.

Practical tips for a flaky network specifically

Keep both devices' screens on and tabs in the foreground for the duration — background throttling compounds an already-shaky connection. If one device can switch to mobile data instead of the hotel Wi-Fi, that alone often resolves a stall caused by guest-network isolation.

When to just use mobile data on both ends

If a hotel or airport network is actively fighting you, two devices each on their own mobile data — sharing no network at all — is often more reliable than working around a shared network's restrictions.