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If LocalSend cannot see a computer or phone, the transfer service is usually fine but discovery traffic is being blocked. Open LocalSend on both devices, connect them to the same non-guest Wi-Fi or wired LAN, then check router isolation, the operating system’s network permission, firewall rules for TCP and UDP port 53317, and any VPN or security suite. If automatic discovery still fails, send to the receiver’s local IP address manually.
What “devices not showing up” means in LocalSend
LocalSend is free, open-source software that sends files and messages directly across a local network. It does not require an account or cloud storage. Each device runs a local service, advertises its presence, and listens for incoming transfers. The project README says transfers use HTTPS and that every device creates its own TLS certificate.
Discovery is separate from the file transfer itself. A laptop and phone may both have internet access yet be unable to exchange LocalSend discovery packets. A missing device therefore usually points to reachability, permission, or filtering—not to a missing LocalSend account.
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Discovery also has limits. The LocalSend project notes that network conditions are complex and that no offline discovery algorithm can work in every environment. Manual addressing is built in for networks where automatic announcements are filtered.
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Start with this five-minute check
- Open LocalSend on both devices. Discovery normally occurs while the applications are running. Leave the receiver’s LocalSend window or app open rather than relying on a background process.
- Verify the network path. Connect both devices to the same ordinary Wi-Fi network name, or to the same wired LAN. Do not use a guest SSID for one device and the main SSID for the other. A phone’s cellular connection does not place it on the computer’s LAN.
- Try a small file in each direction. If one device appears only as a sender or only as a receiver, record which direction works; that distinction points to a local firewall or permission problem.
- Temporarily remove filters. Disconnect a VPN, pause a third-party firewall or endpoint suite for a controlled test, and retry. Re-enable protection immediately after the test.
- Use manual sending. If you know the receiver’s LAN IP address, enter it in LocalSend’s manual-send option. A successful manual transfer proves that the devices can reach one another and that automatic discovery—not the transfer service—is the failing layer.
If the first two checks do not make the devices appear, continue with the platform-specific and router checks below instead of repeatedly reinstalling LocalSend.
Network conditions that prevent discovery
Guest Wi-Fi and client isolation
Guest networks are commonly configured for internet-only access. They intentionally prevent wireless clients from contacting one another, so a phone can browse the web while being invisible to a computer on the same guest SSID. Router settings may call this AP isolation, client isolation, wireless isolation, or guest-network separation.
Sign in to the router’s administration interface and inspect the wireless or guest-network settings. Disable isolation only for the network on which the two devices should communicate, or move both devices to a trusted primary SSID. Router-wide changes affect every client, so changing the devices’ network is usually the narrower and more reversible test.
Different LAN segments
Two Wi-Fi names can belong to different VLANs or subnets even when they are broadcast by the same router. Mesh systems, enterprise access points, and “smart device” SSIDs often separate clients deliberately. Put both devices on the same non-isolated segment before changing firewall rules.
Large subnets and hotspot behavior
A LocalSend project issue warns that a subnet larger than /24 can prevent discovery. In practical terms, an address range such as 192.168.1.x with a conventional 255.255.255.0 mask is a typical /24; unusual masks can make broadcast-based discovery unreliable even when routing appears correct.
Phone hotspots add another variable. Turn the hotspot on first, connect the other device, and then restart LocalSend on both ends so the application binds to the hotspot interface rather than an earlier Wi-Fi adapter. Some hotspot implementations still isolate clients; if manual IP sending also fails, the hotspot may not permit device-to-device traffic.
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Windows: set a Private network and allow LocalSend
Change the active network profile
Windows applies stricter inbound filtering to a Public network. Set the trusted home or office connection to Private before testing LocalSend:
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- Choose Wi-Fi (or Ethernet), then open the properties of the connected network.
- Set Network profile type to Private.
- Close and reopen LocalSend, then test discovery again.
Use Private only on a network you trust. It makes local communication more permissive; it is not appropriate for an unknown public hotspot.
Permit LocalSend through Microsoft Defender Firewall
When Windows first asks whether an application may communicate, allow LocalSend on private networks. If the prompt was dismissed or a policy changed, open Windows Security > Firewall & network protection > Allow an app through firewall, select Change settings, and ensure LocalSend is allowed on the Private profile.
The LocalSend README documents the service’s incoming TCP and UDP port 53317. A rule that allows only one protocol can produce partial or one-way behavior, so both protocols need to be permitted for inbound traffic. Outgoing LocalSend traffic must also be allowed. On managed computers, a security policy may override the checkbox in Windows Security; the administrator must then create equivalent application or port rules.
Check for duplicate or stale rules
Multiple installed versions can leave old firewall entries pointing at a removed executable. If LocalSend was moved or reinstalled, remove obsolete entries and create a fresh allowance for the current installation. Do not expose port 53317 to the public internet through router port forwarding; LocalSend is intended for the local network.
macOS and iPhone/iPad: grant Local Network access
macOS
macOS can block an application from seeing other devices even when the Wi-Fi connection itself works. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and turn on LocalSend. Quit and reopen the app after changing the permission. If LocalSend is not listed, launch it once, check the permission page again, and install the current application build from the same trusted source you normally use.
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On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network and enable LocalSend. You can also find the application entry under Settings by scrolling to LocalSend and checking its Local Network switch. Reopen LocalSend after toggling the permission. A denied permission prevents discovery even if both devices use the same Wi-Fi password.
Permission symptoms
If a Mac or iPhone can send to another device but never appears as a receiver, or if discovery stopped after an operating-system update, revisit this permission first. The setting is per application and can be reset independently of the Wi-Fi connection.
VPNs, antivirus products, and endpoint firewalls
A VPN can route all traffic through a virtual interface and suppress local broadcast or multicast packets. In the VPN client, enable an option named Allow LAN traffic, Local network sharing, or similar. If no such option exists, disconnect the VPN briefly, leave LocalSend open on both devices, and test again.
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Security suites may install their own firewall on top of Windows, macOS, or Linux. They can override an operating-system allowance or classify LocalSend’s listening service as an unknown server. Add LocalSend as a trusted application and allow local inbound and outbound traffic. A short, supervised pause is useful diagnostically; do not leave protection disabled as a permanent fix.
Some corporate VPNs and endpoint policies intentionally block peer-to-peer traffic. If LocalSend works on a home network but not on a managed network, the restriction may be deliberate and require an administrator’s approval.
Compare the important settings by platform
| Platform or layer | Setting to verify | What a correct configuration provides | Typical failure clue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Router/Wi-Fi | Same non-guest SSID and LAN segment | Devices can exchange local packets | Both have internet, neither sees the other |
| Router/Wi-Fi | AP/client isolation disabled for these clients | Wireless clients may contact one another | Discovery fails only on guest or isolated SSID |
| Windows | Active profile set to Private | Private-network firewall policy applies | Discovery fails after joining a new network |
| Windows firewall | LocalSend inbound TCP and UDP 53317; outgoing traffic allowed |
Service can receive and answer local requests | One-way visibility or no response |
| macOS/iOS | Local Network permission enabled for LocalSend | App may discover peers on the LAN | Apple device remains invisible after an OS update |
| VPN/security suite | Local traffic allowed, or VPN disconnected for testing | Broadcast and direct LAN packets are not filtered | Devices appear immediately when VPN is off |
| Application | LocalSend open on both ends; compatible port and encryption settings | Both services listen and negotiate transfers | Restarting after a hotspot change fixes it |
Use manual IP sending when discovery remains unavailable
Manual sending bypasses the discovery advertisement. It is the most useful fallback because its result separates a discovery problem from a general connectivity problem.
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- Find the receiver’s local IP address in its network details. Use the address assigned by the current Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or hotspot connection, not a cellular address or a VPN address.
- Open LocalSend on the sending device and choose the manual-send or direct-address option instead of waiting for the device list.
- Enter the receiver’s IP address and submit the connection. If LocalSend asks for a port, use the receiver’s configured LocalSend port; the standard documented port is
53317. - Accept the request on the receiver and send a small test file before attempting a large batch.
- If the transfer succeeds, save the receiver as a favorite. LocalSend can probe a saved address directly on future sessions, avoiding unreliable automatic discovery.
A successful manual transfer means routing, the listening service, and the relevant firewall path are working; focus subsequent effort on discovery filtering. A failed manual transfer means the problem is broader. Recheck the IP address, subnet, isolation setting, VPN, firewall protocols, and port or encryption configuration.
When LocalSend works in only one direction
One-way behavior is valuable evidence rather than a contradiction. The device that cannot be reached is usually the one with a blocked inbound rule, denied Local Network permission, or a different network interface selected.
| Observed behavior | Most likely layer | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Computer sees phone; phone does not see computer | Computer’s inbound firewall or network profile | Set Windows to Private, then allow both TCP and UDP 53317 inbound |
| Phone sees computer; computer does not see phone | Phone’s Local Network permission or hotspot isolation | Enable Local Network access and verify the phone is on the same non-guest segment |
| Both devices appear intermittently | VPN switching, sleep, changing interfaces, or unstable Wi-Fi isolation | Disable VPN for a test, keep both apps open, and restart after network changes |
| Manual IP works but the list is empty | Discovery packets filtered | Inspect AP/client isolation, subnet size, VPN policy, and discovery permissions |
| Manual IP also fails | Reachability, firewall, port, or routing problem | Confirm the current IP, subnet, port, protocols, and security-suite rules |
Port, encryption, and interface checks
Keep both devices’ LocalSend settings compatible
If one device has a custom listening port or encryption setting, compare it with the receiver. A mismatch can leave the devices apparently present but unable to complete a session. For a clean test, use the standard port shown by the application and make the same encryption choice on both ends, then retry manual sending.
Choose the correct network interface
Computers often have Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a VPN adapter, virtual-machine interfaces, and container bridges at the same time. LocalSend may advertise an address that is not reachable from the other device. Disconnect unused VPN or virtual adapters temporarily and retry. On a laptop connected by Ethernet and Wi-Fi simultaneously, put both devices on the interface that belongs to the same LAN.
Restart after network changes
Restart LocalSend after enabling a hotspot, switching from guest Wi-Fi, changing a firewall profile, or granting a Local Network permission. This forces the service to bind again and publish its current address.
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Linux distributions differ in whether they use a graphical firewall tool, ufw, firewalld, nftables, or another policy layer. The principle is the same: allow LocalSend’s listening service on the trusted LAN for both TCP and UDP port 53317, and permit its outbound traffic. Apply the rule only to the local interface or trusted zone where possible, rather than opening the port broadly.
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After changing a Linux firewall, restart LocalSend and verify that the active interface has the expected LAN address. If a desktop environment prompts for network access, approve it for the private network. A distribution-level firewall can continue blocking traffic even when the router and LocalSend settings are correct.
Security choices and safe troubleshooting
- Keep transfers local. LocalSend is designed for a local network and uses HTTPS with a device-generated TLS certificate for transfers.
- Do not port-forward. Opening
53317on the internet is unnecessary and increases exposure. - Use a trusted network. A Private Windows profile and disabled client isolation are appropriate only where you trust the other clients.
- Limit temporary tests. If you pause a VPN or security suite, test promptly, restore protection, and implement a narrow allow rule instead of leaving the filter off.
- Verify recipients. A visible device is not automatically a trusted person; accept incoming transfers only when you recognize the device and request.
A decision path that avoids guesswork
- Are both LocalSend apps open on the same ordinary LAN? If no, correct that first.
- Is either network a guest, isolated, or IoT SSID? Move both to a segment that permits client-to-client traffic, or change the isolation policy for the trusted network.
- Is one endpoint Windows? Set its active profile to Private and allow LocalSend’s inbound TCP/UDP 53317 plus outbound traffic.
- Is one endpoint macOS, iOS, or iPadOS? Enable Local Network permission and reopen LocalSend.
- Is a VPN or third-party firewall active? Allow LAN traffic or disconnect briefly to compare results.
- Did the network recently change? Restart LocalSend after a hotspot, adapter, permission, or firewall change; compare port and encryption settings.
- Does manual IP sending work? Save the receiver as a favorite and treat automatic discovery as the only remaining issue. If it fails, return to routing, subnet, isolation, firewall, and port checks.
Why reinstalling usually is not the first fix
Reinstalling can refresh an application permission, but it does not change a guest-network policy, AP isolation, a Windows profile, a VPN route, or a blocked UDP rule. Those controls sit below the application. Work through reachability and permissions first; reinstall only when the app is missing from the operating-system permission list, its installation is damaged, or you need to replace an outdated build.
Frequently asked questions
Can LocalSend work without internet access?
Yes. It is intended to transfer over a local network and does not require cloud infrastructure. The devices still need a functioning local path between them, so an internet connection alone is not a substitute for LAN reachability.
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Why do both devices have internet but LocalSend shows nothing?
Internet access proves that each device can reach the router or upstream network, not that clients may contact one another. Guest separation, AP/client isolation, VLAN boundaries, VPN filtering, and host firewalls can block local traffic while leaving web access normal.
Is port 53317 a router port-forwarding requirement?
No. The documented TCP and UDP port is for local communication. Allow it on the endpoint firewall for the trusted LAN; do not forward it from the public internet.
What does a successful manual-IP transfer prove?
It shows that the receiver’s address is reachable and that the LocalSend service can complete a direct session. Automatic discovery is the remaining failed layer, so check isolation, VPN filtering, subnet design, or discovery permissions.
Why did LocalSend stop seeing devices after changing Wi-Fi?
The new SSID may be a guest or isolated network, Windows may have classified it as Public, or LocalSend may still be bound to an old interface. Recheck the active network, permissions, firewall profile, and restart the app after the change.
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