FileLinker: Simple Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Using Wi-Fi Direct and NFC

Abstract

In Africa there is a lack of wired infrastructure to enable the free sharing of files and information which has led to the uptake of wireless infrastructure and mobile device utilisation. Even with the abundance of wireless technology, there are still very few user-friendly approached to share files and information without incurring service provider costs to the user. This research proposes a peer-to-peer model for sharing files and information between smart devices using Wi-Fi-Direct. FileLinker is a model developed to enable the scheduling of files without the cumbersome interactions required by many other peer-to-peer sharing applications. The contribution of this work is made by making FileLinker able to pre-setup sharing schedules that enable users to collect files when they can be near the sharer. A streamlined setup method is implemented that utilises NFC to reduce user inputs, thus enabling a tap-to-whitelist device approach, built around simplicity and usability. The researchers also document and evaluate the FileLinker prototype.