Dukto shares files fast with 'buddies' on your LAN

Sharing files across your network sounds like it should be simple, but the reality is often very different. There are lots of factors to consider -- the basic LAN setup, protocols, users, permissions, and more -- and if you’re trying to connect different platforms as well then life will only get more complex.

If your networking needs are simple, though, Dukto could offer a more appealing approach. It’s a straightforward tool which runs on Windows, OS X, Linux, Symbian and iOS, and helps you transfer files or folders across your LAN without any hassles at all.

Launch the program on a PC and you’re presented with a very simple, Metro-like interface, with an icon representing your user and computer name. And when other network users also launch Dukto, they’ll automatically be discovered, and their names added to your “buddies” list.

Starting a data transfer is then as easy as clicking an icon for one of the other systems, then dragging and dropping whatever folders you need onto Dukto. Conveniently, you can also send text, very handy for passing on long URLs.

And that’s about it. Dukto already knows where to save any incoming data (your desktop by default, though you can change this to wherever you like), so all you have to do is watch as the program transfers your data. Which probably won’t take long, as it’s very fast.

There are a few small extras, if you need them. You can review the IP addresses of everything Dukto has discovered, for instance, and send data directly to an IP address if that’s necessary. But for the most part, it really isn’t. Dukto just works.

That doesn’t mean the program is entirely perfect, of course. If we’re being picky, it’s a little annoying that the interface can’t be reduced to a smaller size (if there’s only one client then you’re left with an unnecessary amount of white space). And more significantly, it really needs an Android version.

Considering what you’re getting, though -- and all for free (although there is a commercial Dukto Pro iOS version) -- Dukto is a triumph, and an exceptionally convenient way to transfer files across your network. Go grab a copy immediately.

Photo Credit: Joe Wilcox