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WiFiCopy-SimpleShare User Guide

WiFiCopy SimpleShare - User Guide

Version 1.9.0 | Last Updated: November 2025

Table of Contents

Introduction

WiFiCopy SimpleShare makes it easy to share folders on your Windows computer with other devices on your local network. Share files securely with password protection and automatic encryption.

Key Features

  • ✅ Easy Share Creation - Create shares with just a few clicks
  • 🔒 Password Protection - Every share requires unique credentials
  • 🔐 SMB Encryption - All data transmitted securely (always enabled)
  • 🛡ī¸ Automatic Firewall Setup - No manual configuration needed
  • 📊 Session Monitoring - Track active connections
  • 🎨 Modern Interface - Clean, intuitive design with dark mode

System Requirements

Operating System

  • Windows 10 (version 1809+) or Windows 11
  • Windows Server 2016 or later
  • Administrator privileges required

Software

  • .NET 8.0 Runtime (included with Windows 11)
  • SMB protocol enabled (default on Windows)

Network

  • Active network connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
  • Network profile set to Private (not Public)

Installation

Using the Installer (Recommended)

  1. Download SimpleShare-Setup.exe
  2. Right-click → "Run as administrator"
  3. Follow the installation wizard
  4. Launch from Start Menu or desktop shortcut

First Launch

⚠ī¸ Always run as administrator:

  1. Right-click SimpleShare.exe
  2. Select "Run as administrator"
  3. Click Yes on UAC prompt

Getting Started

Main Window Sections

1. Header

  • Application title and help link
  • Network status indicator

2. System Information

  • đŸ’ģ Computer Name - Your hostname (e.g., DESKTOP-PC)
  • 🌐 FQDN - Fully qualified domain name
  • 📡 IP Address - Local network IP (e.g., 192.168.1.100)

3. Create New File Share

  • Folder selection
  • Share configuration
  • User credentials

4. Active File Shares

  • List of current shares
  • Session counts
  • Management buttons

5. Status Bar

  • Operation status
  • Version info

Creating a File Share

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Select Folder

  • Click "Browse..."
  • Choose the folder to share
  • Click "Select Folder"

2. Choose Share Name

  • Auto-filled from folder name
  • Use letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores only
  • No spaces or special characters
  • Examples: MyDocuments, Photos2024, Project-Files

3. Create Username

  • Use letters and numbers only
  • 3-20 characters
  • No spaces or special characters
  • Each share should have unique username
  • Examples: john, user123, projectaccess

4. Set Password

Requirements:

  • Minimum 8 characters
  • At least one uppercase letter (A-Z)
  • At least one lowercase letter (a-z)
  • At least one number (0-9)
  • At least one special character (!@#$%^&*()_+-=[]{}|;:,.<>?)

Good Examples:

  • MyDocs2024!Secure
  • Blue$Sky789
  • Project#Access2024

💡 Tip: Check "Show" to see password as you type

5. Choose Permissions

  • Read - View files only (no modifications)
  • Change - Read, write, and delete files (Recommended)

6. Encryption Status

✅ SMB Encryption Always Enabled - All data transmitted securely

7. Create Share

Click "Create Share" and wait for completion

What Happens:

  • User account created
  • Folder permissions set
  • Network share created
  • SMB encryption enabled
  • Firewall rules configured
  • Network discovery enabled

Accessing Shares

From Windows

Method 1: File Explorer

  1. Open File Explorer
  2. Type in address bar: \\COMPUTER-NAME\SHARE-NAME
  3. Press Enter
  4. Enter username and password
  5. Check "Remember my credentials" (optional)

Example: \\DESKTOP-PC\MyDocuments

Method 2: Map Network Drive

  1. File Explorer → This PC
  2. Click "Map network drive"
  3. Choose drive letter
  4. Enter: \\COMPUTER-NAME\SHARE-NAME
  5. Check "Reconnect at sign-in"
  6. Enter credentials

Method 3: Network Neighborhood

  1. File Explorer → Network
  2. Find your computer
  3. Double-click to see shares
  4. Double-click share to access

From macOS

  1. Finder → Cmd + K
  2. Enter: smb://COMPUTER-NAME/SHARE-NAME
  3. Click Connect
  4. Select "Registered User"
  5. Enter credentials

Tip: Use IP address if name doesn't work: smb://192.168.1.100/ShareName

From Linux

GUI:

smb://COMPUTER-NAME/SHARE-NAME

Command Line:

sudo mkdir /mnt/share
sudo mount -t cifs //COMPUTER-NAME/SHARE-NAME /mnt/share -o username=YOUR-USERNAME

From Android

  1. Install SMB-capable file manager (Solid Explorer, FX File Explorer)
  2. Add network location → SMB/CIFS
  3. Enter host IP, share name, credentials

From iOS/iPadOS

  1. Files app → "..." menu
  2. "Connect to Server"
  3. Enter: smb://COMPUTER-IP/SHARE-NAME
  4. Select "Registered User"
  5. Enter credentials

Managing Shares

Share List Information

Each share displays:

  • Share Name - Name of the share
  • Description - Associated username
  • UNC Path - Network path (clickable to copy)
  • Local Path - Folder location (clickable to copy)
  • Encryption - Always shows "Encrypted"
  • Sessions - Active connection count
  • Remove - Delete share button

Copying Paths

Click on any path to copy to clipboard:

  • UNC Path → \\DESKTOP-PC\MyDocs
  • Local Path → C:\Users\John\Documents

Refreshing

  • Auto-refresh: Every 30 seconds
  • Manual: Click "Refresh" button

Removing Shares

  1. Click "Remove" button
  2. Confirm deletion
  3. Share deleted immediately

Note: Folder and user account remain on your computer

Network Status

Network Profiles

đŸŸĸ Private Network (Recommended)

  • ✅ File sharing works normally
  • Best for home and office networks
  • Correct setting for SimpleShare

🟠 Public Network (Warning)

  • ⚠ī¸ File sharing may not work
  • Best for public Wi-Fi
  • Change to Private if on trusted network

đŸ”ĩ Domain Network

  • ℹī¸ May be restricted by IT policies
  • Contact IT department if issues occur

Changing Network Profile

  1. Click network status in SimpleShare
    • OR -
  2. Windows Settings → Network & Internet
  3. Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet
  4. Click network name
  5. Select Private under Network profile type

⚠ī¸ Security Warning: Only use Private on trusted networks!

Session Management

Understanding Sessions

  • Session = Active connection from a device
  • Limit: 20 concurrent sessions (Windows non-server editions)
  • Sessions remain until device disconnects or times out

Session Counter

Total Sessions: X/20

Color coding:

  • Blue (0-15) - Normal
  • Orange (16-19) - Warning, approaching limit
  • Red (20+) - At capacity

Clearing Stale Sessions

When to clear:

  • Total sessions at or near 20
  • Can't connect from new device
  • Devices disconnected but sessions remain

How to clear:

  1. Click "Clear Stale Sessions"
  2. Confirm action
  3. Idle sessions (5+ minutes, no open files) are disconnected

Security

Built-in Security Features

1. SMB Encryption

  • All data encrypted in transit
  • SMB 3.0+ protocol
  • Cannot be disabled

2. Password Protection

  • Strong password requirements
  • Secure storage (SecureString)
  • Unique credentials per share

3. User Isolation

  • Separate user account per share
  • Limited folder access
  • No system access

4. Firewall Configuration

  • Automatic rule creation
  • SMB traffic only (port 445)
  • Rules removed with share deletion

5. Rate Limiting

  • 5 seconds minimum between creates
  • 10 operations max per minute
  • Prevents abuse

6. Input Validation

  • All inputs sanitized
  • Command injection prevention
  • Path validation

7. Audit Logging

  • Windows Event Log integration
  • All security events logged
  • Review in Event Viewer

Viewing Security Logs

  1. Press Win + X → Event Viewer
  2. Windows Logs → Application
  3. Filter by source: SimpleShare

Best Practices

✅ Do:

  • Use strong, unique passwords
  • Set network to Private on trusted networks only
  • Remove unused shares
  • Keep Windows updated
  • Monitor session counts
  • Use Read permissions when appropriate

❌ Don't:

  • Share system folders
  • Use weak passwords
  • Share on public Wi-Fi
  • Leave shares active when not needed
  • Ignore security warnings

Troubleshooting

"Administrator Required"

Solution:

  1. Right-click SimpleShare
  2. Select "Run as administrator"
  3. Click Yes on UAC prompt

Permanent fix:

  • Right-click shortcut → Properties
  • Advanced → "Run as administrator"

Cannot Access Share from Network

Check Network Profile:

  • Must be set to Private
  • Click network status in SimpleShare

Try IP Address:

  • Use \\192.168.1.100\ShareName instead of computer name

Verify Firewall:

  • Windows Security → Firewall & network protection
  • Allow an app through firewall
  • Enable "File and Printer Sharing" for Private networks

Restart Services:

Restart-Service LanmanServer
Restart-Service LanmanWorkstation

Share Creation Fails

Verify:

  • Folder exists and is accessible
  • Share name uses valid characters only
  • Username doesn't already exist
  • Password meets requirements

Check Event Log:

  • Event Viewer → Application → SimpleShare

Rate Limit Warning

Normal behavior - Wait 5 seconds and try again

Session Limit Reached

Solutions:

  1. Click "Clear Stale Sessions"
  2. Disconnect unused devices
  3. Restart SMB service: powershell Restart-Service LanmanServer

Slow Transfer Speeds

Solutions:

  • Use wired Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi
  • Check network congestion
  • Verify SMB 3.0+ in use: Get-SmbConnection
  • Temporarily disable antivirus scanning
  • Use faster storage (SSD vs HDD)

Password Not Working

Solutions:

  • Verify username and password (case-sensitive)
  • Clear saved credentials:
    • Control Panel → Credential Manager
    • Remove old credentials
  • Reset by removing and recreating share

FAQ

General

Q: Works on Windows 10 Home?

A: Yes, all Windows 10/11 editions supported.

Q: Can I access from internet?

A: No, local network only (by design for security).

Q: How many shares can I create?

A: No hard limit, but 20 concurrent sessions max.

Q: Need static IP?

A: No, but recommended for easier access.

Security

Q: Safe on public Wi-Fi?

A: No, never use on public networks.

Q: Can someone hack my share?

A: Strong passwords + encryption make it very difficult. Use Private network only.

Q: Is data encrypted?

A: Yes, in transit (SMB encryption). Not at rest on disk.

Q: What if I forget password?

A: Select Reset Password via SimpleShare for the file share.

Technical

Q: What SMB version is used?

A: SMB 3.0+ with encryption.

Q: Can I use on domain network?

A: Yes, but may be restricted by IT policies.

Q: Does it work with VPN?

A: Yes, if VPN allows local network access.

Q: Can I share external drives?

A: Yes, any folder you have access to.

Q: What happens to user accounts?

A: They persist after share removal. Delete manually if needed.

Performance

Q: Why are transfers slow?

A: Check network speed, use Ethernet, verify SMB 3.0+, check disk speed.

Q: Does encryption slow transfers?

A: Minimal impact (5-10%) on modern CPUs.

Q: How many devices can connect?

A: 20 concurrent sessions maximum.

Advanced Topics

Verify Encryption

Get-SmbShare -Name "ShareName" | Select-Object Name, EncryptData

Should show EncryptData: True

View Active Sessions

Get-SmbSession | Format-Table ClientComputerName, ClientUserName, NumOpens

Manual Session Clear

Get-SmbSession | Where-Object { $_.ClientComputerName -eq "DEVICE-NAME" } | Close-SmbSession -Force

List All Shares

Get-SmbShare | Where-Object { $_.Name -notlike '*$' } | Format-Table Name, Path, EncryptData

User Account Management

  1. Win + X → Computer Management
  2. Local Users and Groups → Users
  3. Find and manage user accounts

Support Resources

  • Online Help: https://www.wificopy.app/simple-user-guide
  • Privacy Policy: https://www.wificopy.app/simpleshare-privacy
  • Event Logs: Event Viewer → Application → SimpleShare
  • Version: Check bottom-right corner of application