It can be a little awkward to always have to connect your Kindle or Amazon Fire Tablet to your Linux computer with a USB cable every time you want to transfer files. Fortunately there are many ways to connect the devices wirelessly.
Using ES File Explorer
One of the simplest methods to transfer files wirelessly between your Kindle or Amazon Fire Tablet and your Linux PC is with ES File Explorer. This app is available in the Amazon App Store and Google Play. The basic version is free, but there is also a premium version.
If you haven’t done so yet, purchase and install ES File Explorer on your Amazon device. Check your Linux machine to determine which network it’s connected to.
Under Network in the left navigation bar, select Net Manager.
Select Join a Network.
Select the same network that your Linux machine is connected to, Enter your password if prompted, then select Connect. ES File Explorer will notify you that you have joined the network.
Then select the back button, and select View on PC in the Network Menu. Select Turn On.
An IP address will appear in the window. This will transfer your files over your local network by FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
Open your preferred web browser in Linux, and type it in the address bar. I used Firefox for my wireless connection.
You can now navigate the internal storage of your Amazon device and click on the file names to download them to your Linux computer.
You can also reverse this process by setting up a simple Samba file server on Linux. Move any files on your Linux PC that you want to access from your Fire Tablet into the folder allocated for your server. Then, in ES File Explorer, select LAN and Scan to find and access your server folders.
Using Your Kindle Email Address
Every Amazon or Kindle Fire device you own has its own email address. Using this address is one of the simplest ways to send files from your Linux computer to your Amazon device. I particularly like to use mine to send ebooks I edited in Calibre to my Amazon Fire Tablet. On the Amazon website, first make sure that you have added the sending email address to the list of preferred email addresses. navigate to your Manage Your Devices page under Manage Your Kindle. Under Amazon Devices, select Fire Tablet.
Find the desired device in the list, then copy the email address that appears under the device name. Open your email program, then place the Kindle email address in the To field. Attach the document to the email. You don’t need to add a subject to the email. Just click send. Note that only certain file types are supported; doc, html, htm, rtf, jpeg, jpg, mobi, azw, gif, png, bmp, and pdf.
Using the Amazon Email App
Most Kindle and Amazon Fire Tablets come with a built-in email app. You can use this to easily send files back and forth to yourself. You can even do it by sending an email to the same email address it originated from.
Just click on the email icon on your Fire Tablet’s desktop, then select the three lines in the upper left hand corner to access the left navigation bar. Then click Add Account. Enter your email address and password in the two screens that follow.
Most email providers limit the file size that you can send in a single email. That really is the only limitation for sending files back and forth between your Linux PC and your Fire Tablet. There are ways to reduce file size. For example, if you’re sending image files, try exporting or saving them in jpeg, jpg, or png format. Video files can be compressed into a zip or tar file, or you can just send yourself a link to where the video is located online. For security purposes, don’t use this method to send sensitive information like account numbers, usernames and passwords.
Using the Amazon Cloud
Certain files are automatically uploaded to the Amazon Cloud service. For example, if you purchase an ebook for the Kindle or Amazon Fire Tablet, you can download it to your device, or read it in the Kindle Cloud Reader.
Your Fire Tablet is also automatically set up to upload any pictures you take with your device to the Amazon Cloud. There is also an Amazon Cloud Drive extension for Google Chrome, as well as an Amazon Drive app on Google Play. Or you can just bookmark the Amazon Drive website in your browser. It’s a good idea to observe basic security procedures for this method, too. If the data is something that could compromise your security, don’t send it across the cloud.
Conclusion
There are plenty of easy ways to transfer files between your Fire Tablet and your Linux PC without any pesky wires. Hopefully, one of these solutions will work for you.
Living the Linux Lifestyle 