dashbeam

Project Overview

DashBeam is a peer-to-peer take on WeTransfer, except files never land in cloud storage: they stream directly between two devices over an encrypted QUIC connection. The desktop build pairs Tauri 2 with a Rust engine, discovers nearby devices over mDNS, and falls back to a relay plus hole punching when a direct path is unavailable. The receiver verifies every chunk against a BLAKE3 hash. Alongside the desktop app there are an Android build, a command-line client, and a no-install web receiver.

Item	Value
Latest version	v0.7.2
Stack	Tauri 2, Rust, React
Transport	Iroh, QUIC + TLS 1.3
UI languages	25
License	AGPL-3.0

Files never touch a server, and only devices holding the ticket can dial in.

Key Features

• Nearby transfer: mDNS lists devices on the same LAN, and Pair and Send pairs and transfers in one step
• Paired devices: pair once with a code over the internet, then hit Send without copying a ticket
• Tickets and links: receivers can scan a QR code, open a https://app.dashbeam.net/receive?ticket=… link, or paste a ticket
• Resumable transfers: the BLAKE3 tree verifies each chunk, so a reconnect asks only for missing pieces
• Multi-receiver broadcast: one share can be sent to several devices at once
• Network roaming: a transfer survives switching from Wi-Fi to cellular because the connection is bound to the device key, not its IP
• Self-hosted relays: point Settings → Infra at your own relay and discovery service to avoid public relay throttling
• History and preview: preview files before accepting, keep a local transfer log, and run in the tray at login

Interface and Workflow

• Send panel: drop files or folders to generate a ticket, with QR code, system share, and copy actions
• Device list: Settings → Devices shows nearby and paired devices, and discoverability can be set to everyone, paired only, or off
• Tray presence: the desktop app keeps running in the tray and shows which paired devices are online
• Debug mode: optional verbose logs record connection setup, hole punching, and relay paths for speed investigations

Target Audience

• Designers moving large files daily
• Cross-platform development teams
• Privacy-focused individual users
• Network admins in office LANs
• Travellers transferring files offline

Quick Start

1. Download the installer for your OS: Setup.exe, .msi, or the portable ZIP on Windows, the universal .dmg on macOS
2. On first launch, check Settings → Devices and confirm the discoverability scope, which allows nearby devices by default
3. Click Send, drop in files or folders, and wait for the ticket and QR code
4. If the receiver is on the same LAN, pick the device under Nearby and choose Pair and Send
5. For remote receivers, send the link or QR code; a browser can receive directly, while very large files work better in a native client
6. Enter your own relay address under Settings → Infra to lift the public relay rate limit
7. After an interruption, reopen the same ticket and the client resumes from the verified chunks

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
OS	Windows 10 or later, macOS, Linux (deb/rpm/AppImage), Android
Architecture	x86_64, arm64, armv7 (Android)
Disk space	About 10 to 15 MB for the installer, plus space for received files
Network	mDNS allowed for LAN discovery, UDP access to a relay for remote transfers

Notes

• Relay path: on symmetric NAT or locked-down corporate networks roughly one transfer in ten rides the relay end to end, so speed depends on relay bandwidth
• mDNS limits: guest Wi-Fi and some VPNs block multicast, so use a pairing code when the Nearby list stays empty
• Web receiver ceiling: browser receiving is bounded by tab memory, so files of several GB belong in the desktop or CLI client
• Config location: desktop settings live in settings.json inside the app data directory and need a restart after manual edits
• Ticket as authority: a ticket contains the device identity and file hash, so forwarding it grants the recipient download access