Looking for a way to transfer books from an Android device to a Kobo Aura 2

HarrySteiger · 04-10-2020, 07:21 PM

As I'm nearly always on the road without access to a computer, I'm looking for a way to transfer files from my phone (android) to a Kobo Aura 2.

I've installed KSM and Koreader. I was hoping this would let me connect with USB-OTG, but if it's possible I can't figure out how. Any help here?

I tried connecting with sftp using the ghost commander plugin(an android app), setting Koreader to no password, and having both devices connected to the same wifi network, but no luck.

All I can think of now is to plug the SD into a card-reader, connect it to the phone with OTG, copy, and then put the SD back into the Kobo Aura, but it means prying open the plastic on the back of the device every time as there is no slot.

Any other creative or perhaps straightforward solutions?

Seems like everything is there to make this happen; webbrowsers, internet access, usb support.. but I just don't see the way.

embryo · 04-10-2020, 08:59 PM

I'm using exFAT/NTFS for USB by Paragon Software with Total Commander.
I have an old version of KSM (v7) with a really old Nickel (v3.4.1) and KOReader.
I'm able to mount the internal and the external SD of my Glo on my phone, using an USB-OTG plug.

hobnail · 04-10-2020, 09:16 PM

Many of us here use Calibre.

What I'd do in your situation is connect the phone to my PC, copy all of the books from the phone to my PC. Then drag all of the books into Calibre. Then connect the Kobo to the PC and tell Calibre to send them to the Kobo.

Thereafter whenever I buy books or get ones from the library I'd first put them in Calibre and from there put them on my phone or Kobo.

DNSB · 04-10-2020, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobnail

Many of us here use Calibre.

If he's on the road, he may not have access to his computer.

NiLuJe · 04-11-2020, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarrySteiger

I tried connecting with sftp using the ghost commander plugin(an android app), setting Koreader to no password, and having both devices connected to the same wifi network, but no luck.

Define "no luck".

HarrySteiger · 04-11-2020, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Define "no luck".

I'll try to explain in more detail.

I enter the IP adress that Koreader gives me into the ghost commander dialog, which at first was 192.168.39, but has now changed to 192.168.2.15
Path: /
Username: root
Password: [blank]

When trying to connect it says FAILED.

I've changed the port in Koreader from 2222 to 22, and 1234, it didn't make a difference.

I've tried all the ssh/sftp apps I could find in F-Droid, but either they (ie. Spider) requires a password to connect, or they won't connect to a custom IP adress and instead create their own server. "Primitive ftpd" looks promising but I can't figure out how to connect it.

This is my first go at using ssh, I might be missing very obvious things. I have no idea how to use public keys for example.

Other than that, KSM has a USB option, that seems to me like it should work, but doesn't. It says "press usb enable.sh, wait until the message USB support is enabled appears, and connect to the PC" - So I do that and USB support is enabled, I connect it (to the phone), and nothing. There is also "usb enable id like nickel.sh", but that doesn't do anything either. I've double-checked and USB-OTG is working on my phone with a regular USB drive, the cable is good.

I'm using KSM 9, perhaps going back to 7 or 8 might make a difference? Can I safely delete 9? Will older KSM versions work with 4.20.14622?

HarrySteiger · 04-11-2020, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

If he's on the road, he may not have access to his computer.

That's the thing. Once I have a computer at my disposal I can load the reader full of books, but that won't work for files that I receive afterwards, and I'd still be reading on the phone. It's possible, but defeats the purpose of carrying a e-reader.

Quote:

Originally Posted by embryo

[..] I'm able to mount the internal and the external SD of my Glo on my phone, using an USB-OTG plug.

So, it *is* possible.. And normally I connect anything with USB-OTG without a problem. But the phone doesn't see the reader and vice-versa. It seems to me the problem is there, with the KA2

HarrySteiger · 04-11-2020, 04:42 AM

Unfortunately I can't edit if I'm not fast enough, so a new post in addition to the last:

edit: then again, in nickel I can connect to the phone, nickel says it's connected to a computer, but the phone doesn't see it. - I couldn't try the paragon app you recommended. I'll look for something else.

HarrySteiger · 04-11-2020, 04:55 AM

Quote:

But the phone doesn't see the reader and vice-versa.

Sorry, that's not true. When I connect the KA2 to the phone when in Nickel, it sees the phone as a computer and charges off it. But the phone doesn't see it.

NiLuJe · 04-11-2020, 11:52 AM

@HarrySteiger: The "no password" option means you can basically enter *anything* as the password. We say "nothing" for convenience, but a bogus password will do the job just fine, too

.

(I'd double-check the setup from a computer with a "real" SSH client first, though. i.e., OpenSSH on *nix, PuTTY on Win. You'll at the very least get a more useful error message than "*meep*" if something goes wrong ^^).

HarrySteiger · 04-13-2020, 05:43 AM

I installed PuTTY and realized it is beyond my capabilities. Then used WinSCP, I've attached the log. I can open PuTTY from WinSCP, it opens a window and then times out. The reader and computer are connected to the same wifi network. I've left the password blank, and entered something random as well. The connection times out.

Spoiler:

Installed right now are KSM 09 (2018.01.05), Nickel 4.20.14622, Koreader v2020.03.2

I reflashed the SD four times installing old versions and trying different things. It typically goes like this, maybe my mistake is in there somewhere?

Spoiler:

By now I'm well over ten hours in total into trying to connect an e-reader as usb storage to a phone. Shouldn't be this complicated, should it?

Oh, and I tried exFAT/NTFS for USB by Paragon Software meanwhile, but it didn't see the reader either.

NiLuJe · 04-13-2020, 12:24 PM

@HarrySteiger: I've never used KSM, and I've never used WinSCP, but a timeout is pretty clear, it's usually one (or more) of these:

* SSH server is not running
* You got the port wrong
* You got the IP wrong
* You're not on the same network

(You could double-check the IP thing with a simple ping, and the port thing with slightly more advanced pen-testing tools).

04-10-2020, 07:21 PM	#1
HarrySteiger Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2020 Device: Kobo Aura 2	Looking for a way to transfer books from an Android device to a Kobo Aura 2 As I'm nearly always on the road without access to a computer, I'm looking for a way to transfer files from my phone (android) to a Kobo Aura 2. I've installed KSM and Koreader. I was hoping this would let me connect with USB-OTG, but if it's possible I can't figure out how. Any help here? I tried connecting with sftp using the ghost commander plugin(an android app), setting Koreader to no password, and having both devices connected to the same wifi network, but no luck. All I can think of now is to plug the SD into a card-reader, connect it to the phone with OTG, copy, and then put the SD back into the Kobo Aura, but it means prying open the plastic on the back of the device every time as there is no slot. Any other creative or perhaps straightforward solutions? Seems like everything is there to make this happen; webbrowsers, internet access, usb support.. but I just don't see the way.

04-10-2020, 08:59 PM	#2
embryo Fanatic Posts: 523 Karma: 64554 Join Date: Aug 2013 Device: Kobo Glo, GloHD	I'm using exFAT/NTFS for USB by Paragon Software with Total Commander. I have an old version of KSM (v7) with a really old Nickel (v3.4.1) and KOReader. I'm able to mount the internal and the external SD of my Glo on my phone, using an USB-OTG plug. Last edited by embryo; 04-10-2020 at 09:01 PM.

04-13-2020, 05:43 AM	#11
HarrySteiger Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2020 Device: Kobo Aura 2	I installed PuTTY and realized it is beyond my capabilities. Then used WinSCP, I've attached the log. I can open PuTTY from WinSCP, it opens a window and then times out. The reader and computer are connected to the same wifi network. I've left the password blank, and entered something random as well. The connection times out. Spoiler: . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Session name: root@192.168.189.39 (Modified site) . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Host name: 192.168.189.39 (Port: 2222) . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 User name: root (Password: No, Key file: No, Passphrase: No) . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Tunnel: No . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Transfer Protocol: SFTP (SCP) . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Ping type: Off, Ping interval: 30 sec; Timeout: 15 sec . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Disable Nagle: No . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Proxy: None . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Send buffer: 262144 . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 SSH protocol version: 2; Compression: No . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Bypass authentication: No . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Try agent: Yes; Agent forwarding: No; TIS/CryptoCard: No; KI: Yes; GSSAPI: Yes . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 GSSAPI: Forwarding: No; Libs: gssapi32,sspi,custom; Custom: . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Ciphers: aes,chacha20,blowfish,3des,WARN,arcfour,des; Ssh2DES: No . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 KEX: ecdh,dh-gex-sha1,dh-group14-sha1,rsa,WARN,dh-group1-sha1 . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 SSH Bugs: Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto,Auto, Auto,Auto,Auto . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.273 Simple channel: Yes . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 Return code variable: Autodetect; Lookup user groups: Auto . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 Shell: default . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 EOL: LF, UTF: Auto . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 Clear aliases: Yes, Unset nat.vars: Yes, Resolve symlinks: Yes; Follow directory symlinks: No . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 LS: ls -la, Ign LS warn: Yes, Scp1 Comp: No; Exit code 1 is error: No . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 SFTP Bugs: Auto,Auto . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 SFTP Server: default . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 Local directory: default, Remote directory: home, Update: Yes, Cache: Yes . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 Cache directory changes: Yes, Permanent: Yes . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 Recycle bin: Delete to: No, Overwritten to: No, Bin path: . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 DST mode: Unix . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.274 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.310 Looking up host "192.168.189.39" for SSH connection . 2020-04-13 10:34:40.310 Connecting to 192.168.189.39 port 2222 . 2020-04-13 10:35:01.313 Failed to connect to 192.168.189.39: Network error: Connection timed out . 2020-04-13 10:35:01.313 Using non-standard protocol or port, tunnel or proxy, will not knock FTP port. * 2020-04-13 10:35:01.348 (EFatal) Networkfout: Time-out tijdens verbinding maken met "192.168.189.39". . 2020-04-13 10:35:10.409 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- . 2020-04-13 10:35:10.409 WinSCP Versie 5.17.3 (Build 10325) (OS 10.0.18363 - Windows 10 Home) . 2020-04-13 10:35:10.409 Configuration: HKCU\Software\Martin Prikryl\WinSCP 2\ . 2020-04-13 10:35:10.409 Log level: Normal . 2020-04-13 10:35:10.409 Local account: LAPTOP-ASUS-I7\jvanc . 2020-04-13 10:35:10.409 Working directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\WinSCP . 2020-04-13 10:35:10.409 Process ID: 6252 . 2020-04-13 10:35:10.410 Command-line: "C:\Program Files (x86)\WinSCP\WinSCP.exe" Installed right now are KSM 09 (2018.01.05), Nickel 4.20.14622, Koreader v2020.03.2 I reflashed the SD four times installing old versions and trying different things. It typically goes like this, maybe my mistake is in there somewhere? Spoiler: flash the update.img for Kobo Aura 2 V1 to SD card insert sd into reader boot select english, timezone connect to wifi device updates itself register with random email home>settings>energy saving and privacy>disable automatically share data turn off wifi connect to computer, move koboroot.tgz to disable google analytics, unmount device reboots, reconnects to computer install KSM as per https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=240302 KSM08 refers to KSM 09 thread and I follow those instructions. reboot install koreader reboot try USB enable.sh and nothing By now I'm well over ten hours in total into trying to connect an e-reader as usb storage to a phone. Shouldn't be this complicated, should it? Oh, and I tried exFAT/NTFS for USB by Paragon Software meanwhile, but it didn't see the reader either. Last edited by HarrySteiger; 04-13-2020 at 05:48 AM.

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04-10-2020, 09:16 PM	#3
hobnail Running with scissors Posts: 1,584 Karma: 14328510 Join Date: Nov 2019 Device: none	Many of us here use Calibre. What I'd do in your situation is connect the phone to my PC, copy all of the books from the phone to my PC. Then drag all of the books into Calibre. Then connect the Kobo to the PC and tell Calibre to send them to the Kobo. Thereafter whenever I buy books or get ones from the library I'd first put them in Calibre and from there put them on my phone or Kobo.

04-11-2020, 04:42 AM	#8
HarrySteiger Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2020 Device: Kobo Aura 2	Unfortunately I can't edit if I'm not fast enough, so a new post in addition to the last: edit: then again, in nickel I can connect to the phone, nickel says it's connected to a computer, but the phone doesn't see it. - I couldn't try the paragon app you recommended. I'll look for something else.

04-11-2020, 11:52 AM	#10
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	@HarrySteiger: The "no password" option means you can basically enter anything as the password. We say "nothing" for convenience, but a bogus password will do the job just fine, too . (I'd double-check the setup from a computer with a "real" SSH client first, though. i.e., OpenSSH on nix, PuTTY on Win. You'll at the very least get a more useful error message than "meep*" if something goes wrong ^^).

04-13-2020, 12:24 PM	#12
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	@HarrySteiger: I've never used KSM, and I've never used WinSCP, but a timeout is pretty clear, it's usually one (or more) of these: * SSH server is not running * You got the port wrong * You got the IP wrong * You're not on the same network (You could double-check the IP thing with a simple ping, and the port thing with slightly more advanced pen-testing tools).