~/Netcat File Transfer Basics

Oct 14, 2020

Netcat also known as nc is a simple tool for reading or writing data across network connections using TCP or UDP. It is popular for its use in quick file transfers between systems.

Transfer a file from one machine to another:

On the receiver, run:

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nc -l -p 1234 > receivedfile.txt

On the sender, run:

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nc destination_ip 1234 < filetosend.txt

Replace 1234 with your chosen port and destination_ip with the receivers IP address.

Netcat does not have authentication or encryption. Use tools like openssl or scp if you need security.

For UDP transmission, add the -u flag to both commands.

Common issues:

• Make sure firewall allows chosen port.
• Netcat versions differ. Try nc.traditional or ncat if you see errors.

Netcat is preinstalled on many Linux systems and available on most platforms. Always verify files after transfer to ensure data integrity.