react-native-wifi-direct

WiFi Direct (P2P) for React Native. Supports peer discovery, connection, file transfer, and data messaging.

• Android: Uses the native WiFi Direct (Wi-Fi P2P) API
• iOS: Uses MultipeerConnectivity framework

Note: Android WiFi Direct and iOS Multipeer Connectivity use different protocols. An Android device cannot discover or connect to an iOS device. Each platform operates within its own ecosystem.

Requirements

• React Native >= 0.74 (New Architecture / Turbo Modules)
• Android: minSdkVersion 24
• iOS: 14.0+
• Physical devices required (WiFi Direct does not work on emulators/simulators)

Installation

npm install react-native-wifi-direct
# or
yarn add react-native-wifi-direct

iOS

cd ios && pod install

Android Permissions

Add these to your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES"
  android:usesPermissionFlags="neverForLocation"
  android:minSdkVersion="33" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

<uses-feature
  android:name="android.hardware.wifi.direct"
  android:required="true" />

You must also request ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION (and NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES on Android 13+) at runtime before calling initialize().

iOS Permissions

Add to your Info.plist:

<key>NSLocalNetworkUsageDescription</key>
<string>This app uses the local network to discover and communicate with nearby devices.</string>
<key>NSBonjourServices</key>
<array>
  <string>_wifi-direct._tcp</string>
  <string>_wifi-direct._udp</string>
</array>

Usage

import WifiDirect, { DeviceStatus } from 'react-native-wifi-direct';

// Initialize
await WifiDirect.initialize();

// Listen for events
const sub = WifiDirect.onPeersUpdated((data) => {
  console.log('Peers:', data.devices);
});

// Discover peers
await WifiDirect.startDiscovery();

// Get available peers
const peers = await WifiDirect.getAvailablePeers();

// Connect to a peer
await WifiDirect.connect(peers[0].deviceAddress);

// Listen for connection changes
WifiDirect.onConnectionInfoUpdated((data) => {
  console.log('Connection:', data.connectionInfo);
});

// Send a message
await WifiDirect.sendData('Hello!', targetAddress, false);

// Receive messages
WifiDirect.onDataReceived((data) => {
  console.log(`${data.senderName}: ${data.data}`);
});

// Send a file
const transferId = await WifiDirect.sendFile('/path/to/file.pdf', targetAddress);

// Track file transfer progress
WifiDirect.onFileTransferUpdate((update) => {
  console.log(`${update.fileName}: ${Math.round(update.progress * 100)}%`);
});

// Disconnect
await WifiDirect.disconnect();

// Cleanup
sub.remove();
WifiDirect.dispose();

API Reference

Lifecycle

| Method | Returns | Description | |--------|---------|-------------| | initialize() | Promise<boolean> | Initialize WiFi Direct. Must be called first. | | dispose() | void | Cleanup all resources. Call when done. |

Discovery

| Method | Returns | Description | |--------|---------|-------------| | startDiscovery() | Promise<boolean> | Start scanning for nearby peers. | | stopDiscovery() | Promise<boolean> | Stop scanning. | | getAvailablePeers() | Promise<WifiDirectDevice[]> | Get list of discovered peers. |

Connection

| Method | Returns | Description | |--------|---------|-------------| | connect(deviceAddress) | Promise<boolean> | Connect to a peer by address. | | cancelConnect() | Promise<boolean> | Cancel a pending connection. | | disconnect() | Promise<boolean> | Disconnect from the current peer. | | getConnectionInfo() | Promise<ConnectionInfo> | Get current connection details. |

Group Management

| Method | Returns | Description | |--------|---------|-------------| | createGroup() | Promise<boolean> | Create a WiFi Direct group (become group owner). | | removeGroup() | Promise<boolean> | Remove the current group. | | getGroupInfo() | Promise<GroupInfo> | Get group details including connected clients. |

File Transfer

| Method | Returns | Description | |--------|---------|-------------| | sendFile(filePath, targetAddress) | Promise<string> | Send a file. Returns a transferId for tracking. | | cancelFileTransfer(transferId) | Promise<boolean> | Cancel an in-progress file transfer. |

Data Messaging

| Method | Returns | Description | |--------|---------|-------------| | sendData(data, targetAddress, isBase64?) | Promise<boolean> | Send text or base64-encoded binary data. |

Events

| Event | Payload | Description | |-------|---------|-------------| | onPeersUpdated | { devices: WifiDirectDevice[] } | Peer list changed. | | onConnectionInfoUpdated | { connectionInfo: ConnectionInfo } | Connection state changed. | | onThisDeviceChanged | { device: WifiDirectDevice } | This device's info changed. | | onFileTransferUpdate | FileTransferUpdate | File transfer progress/status. | | onDataReceived | DataReceived | Incoming data from a peer. |

All event subscriptions return an EmitterSubscription with a .remove() method.

Types

interface WifiDirectDevice {
  deviceName: string;
  deviceAddress: string;
  isGroupOwner: boolean;
  status: DeviceStatus;
  primaryDeviceType: string;
}

interface ConnectionInfo {
  groupOwnerAddress: string;
  isGroupOwner: boolean;
  groupFormed: boolean;
}

interface FileTransferUpdate {
  transferId: string;
  progress: number; // 0.0 - 1.0
  status: 'started' | 'progress' | 'completed' | 'failed';
  fileName: string;
  error?: string;
}

interface DataReceived {
  senderId: string;
  senderName: string;
  data: string;
  isBase64: boolean;
}

enum DeviceStatus {
  CONNECTED = 0,
  INVITED = 1,
  FAILED = 2,
  AVAILABLE = 3,
  UNAVAILABLE = 4,
}

Platform Differences

| Feature | Android | iOS | |---------|---------|-----| | Protocol | WiFi Direct (Wi-Fi P2P) | Multipeer Connectivity | | Cross-platform | Android-to-Android only | iOS-to-iOS only | | Group owner | Explicit via createGroup() | Implicit (advertiser role) | | Device address | MAC address | Display name | | File transfer | TCP sockets | MCSession resources | | Data messaging | TCP sockets | MCSession data | | Background | Limited | Limited |

Troubleshooting

Discovery not finding peers?

• Ensure both devices have WiFi enabled
• Android: Verify location permission is granted at runtime
• iOS: Check that the local network permission dialog was accepted
• Both devices must be relatively close to each other

Connection failing?

• Android: Try createGroup() on one device first, then connect() from the other
• iOS: The advertiser auto-accepts invitations; make sure one device is advertising

File transfer not working?

• Ensure devices are connected before sending files
• Android: The group owner acts as the file server; files are received in the app's cache directory
• Check that the file path is valid and accessible

Contributing

• Development workflow
• Sending a pull request
• Code of conduct

License

MIT