Zonair Documentation
Everything you need to set up, operate, and troubleshoot Zonair across Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, and iOS. Zero cloud servers, pure peer-to-peer Wi-Fi speed.
Getting Started in 4 Easy Steps
Zonair is completely decentralized. You do not need to register an account, sign in, or pair devices via Bluetooth PINs.
Connect to the Same Network
Ensure both your sending and receiving devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi router, local Ethernet switch, or smartphone Mobile Hotspot.
Launch Zonair on Both Devices
Open Zonair. Each device generates a friendly pseudonym (e.g., "Swift Falcon" or "Cosmic Star") or you can customize your device name in Settings.
Select Your Payload
In the Send tab, choose what you want to share: individual files, entire directories, photos/videos, or clipboard text snippets.
Tap the Recipient
Nearby devices will appear automatically in the radar grid. Tap the target device. The recipient approves the transfer with one tap, and transfer streams at line rate.
How Zonair Operates Under the Hood
Unlike cloud storage tools (Google Drive, WeTransfer, Dropbox) that upload your confidential files to a third-party data center before downloading them back, Zonair transfers bits directly across your local network interface controller (NIC).
100% Local: Your transfers never leave your living room or office. If your broadband internet cable is physically unplugged, Zonair continues transferring at gigabit speeds over local Wi-Fi.
Multicast Peer Discovery
Zonair broadcasts UDP multicast beacons on the local subnet. When an active node detects a beacon, it sends back an announcement containing its device alias, platform model, and temporary TLS public fingerprint.
Network Architecture & Port Disclosures
For store review compliance and network administrator reference, the exact communication specifications are detailed below:
| Parameter | Default Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Default Port | 53317 | Standardized wire protocol port (configurable in Settings). |
| Discovery Transport | UDP Multicast | Multicast address 224.0.0.167:53317 and broadcast fallback. |
| Payload Transport | TCP / HTTPS / TLS v1.3 | Encrypted HTTP streaming chunks with zero-copy file I/O. |
| WAN / Internet Access | None Required | Completely air-gapped capability. Works on offline LANs. |
Firewall Configuration
If another device cannot discover your PC or fails during transfer handshake, your host operating system firewall is likely blocking inbound traffic on port 53317.
Windows (Windows Defender Firewall)
When launching Zonair for the first time, Windows will prompt you to allow network access. Check both "Private networks" and "Public networks". If missed, execute this command in PowerShell as Administrator:
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Zonair" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 53317 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Zonair Discovery" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 53317 -Protocol UDP -Action Allow
macOS
Navigate to System Settings > Network > Firewall. Ensure Zonair is permitted for incoming connections. Also verify that under Privacy & Security > Local Network, Zonair is enabled.
Linux (UFW)
For Ubuntu, Debian, or Linux Mint users running Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW):
sudo ufw allow 53317/tcp comment 'Zonair File Transfer'
sudo ufw allow 53317/udp comment 'Zonair Device Discovery'
Hotspot Mode: Sharing Without Any Wi-Fi Router
You do not need a broadband Wi-Fi router to use Zonair. You can transfer files anywhere (on a train, camping, or in a studio):
- Enable Personal Hotspot / Mobile Hotspot on Phone A (mobile cellular data can remain OFF).
- Connect Phone B, your laptop, or PC to Phone A's hotspot Wi-Fi network.
- Open Zonair on both devices. They will detect each other and transfer at direct 5 GHz Wi-Fi direct speeds (up to 120 MB/s). No cellular data or balance is consumed.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Wi-Fi Client Isolation (Guest Networks): Many public Wi-Fi networks (hotels, airports, universities) turn on "AP Isolation", forbidding devices from seeing each other. Use Hotspot Mode or Direct IP mode to circumvent this.
1. "Devices do not appear in the discovery list"
- Check VPNs: If a VPN is active on either device (e.g. Proton, Nord, Cloudflare WARP), local LAN traffic might be routed into the virtual tunnel. Temporarily pause the VPN or enable "Allow Local Network Access" in your VPN app.
- Manual IP Transfer: In Zonair, switch to the Send tab, tap the Troubleshoot / Manual IP button, enter the recipient's local IP (visible under their Receive screen, e.g. 192.168.1.45), and send directly.
2. "Android kills the app during large transfers"
Modern Android OEMs (Xiaomi HyperOS, Samsung OneUI, Huawei) aggressively kill background processes. To enable uninterrupted gigabit transfers of 50 GB+ files:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Zonair > Battery Saver.
- Select "No Restrictions" or "Unrestricted".
Cryptographic Security Model
Zonair employs TLS v1.3 encryption across all communication links. When the application launches, an ephemeral ECDSA certificate keypair is generated directly in RAM. No private keys are ever written to disk or sent across the network.
All transfers require manual sender verification and recipient consent unless you explicitly turn on the "Quick Save" option for trusted family or office devices.