react-native-wifi-p2p

react-native-wifi-p2p is a library to provide WiFi Direct (Peer-To-Peer, P2P) service to react-native.

Important: currently only Android support realized. If you want to provide iOS support, then you should to note to react-native-multipeer repository.

This library will not work on emulator. If you want to use this library, you should test working it on real devices.

Test project with all API cases you can find here.

React Native Compatibility

To use this library you need to ensure you match up with the correct version of React Native you are using.

p.s. React Native introduced AndroidX support in 0.60, which is a breaking change for most libraries (incl. this one) using native Android functionality.

react-native-wifi-p2p version	Required React Native Version
1.x.x	>= 0.60
0.x.x	<= 0.59

Contents

• Installation
  • npm install
  • grand permissions
  • link library
• Overview API
  • API methods
  • Consts usage
  • Caveats
• Example of usage

Installation

Install library from npm

npm install react-native-wifi-p2p --save
# or with yarn
# yarn add react-native-wifi-p2p

Allow grant permission to WiFi module

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="io.wifi.p2p"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0">

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW"/>
+   <uses-permission
+               android:required="true"
+               android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION"/>
+   <uses-permission
+           android:required="true"
+           android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE"/>
+   <uses-permission
+           android:required="true"
+           android:name="android.permission.CHANGE_WIFI_STATE"/>
+   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
+   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
+   <!-- If your app targets Android 13 (API level 33) or higher, you must declare the NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES permission. -->
+   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES"
+   <!-- If your app derives location information from Wi-Fi APIs, don't include the "usesPermissionFlags" attribute. -->
+        android:usesPermissionFlags="neverForLocation" />
    ...

Link library

Note: You should skip it if you use react-native >0.60

• Append the following lines to android/settings.gradle

include ':react-native-wifi-p2p'
project(':react-native-wifi-p2p').projectDir = new File(rootProject.projectDir, '../node_modules/react-native-wifi-p2p/android')

• Insert the following lines inside the dependencies block in android/app/build.gradle:

compile project(':react-native-wifi-p2p')

• Open up android/app/src/main/java/[...]/MainApplication.java

  • Add import import io.wifi.p2p.WiFiP2PManagerPackage; to the imports at the top of the file.
  • Add new WiFiP2PManagerPackage() to the list returned by the getPackages() method. Add a comma to the previous item if there's already something there.

Overview

API

Initialization

• initialize()
• startDiscoveringPeers()
• stopDiscoveringPeers()

Subscribers & Actions annunciators

• subscribeOnPeersUpdates(callback)
• subscribeOnConnectionInfoUpdates(callback)
• subscribeOnThisDeviceChanged(callback)

Interaction with other devices

• getAvailablePeers()
• connect(deviceAddress)
• connectWithConfig(connectionArgs)
• cancelConnect()
• createGroup()
• removeGroup()
• getGroupInfo()
• getConnectionInfo()
• sendFile(pathToFile)
• sendFileTo(pathToFile, address)
• sendMessage(message)
• sendMessageTo(message, address)
• receiveFile(folder, fileName, forceToScanGallery)
• receiveMessage()

CONSTANTS

• WifiP2pDevice statuses
• Events of library

API

Initialization

initialize()

This method must calling before any using of others method, because here happened start initialization of react-native-wifi-p2p module. Recommend to initialize it on root files, but if your application has specific logic, then you can call it before directly using. Notice, that recommend called only once.

initialize()
    .then((isInitializedSuccessfully) => console.log('isInitializedSuccessfully: ', isInitializedSuccessfully))
    .catch((err) => console.log('initialization was failed. Err: ', err));

startDiscoveringPeers()

startDiscoveringPeers() starting emit action to discover available devices. Note, that this function doesn't return any information about available devices/peers. It return information about successfully start.

startDiscoveringPeers()
    .then(() => console.log('Starting of discovering was successful'))
    .catch(err => console.error(`Something is gone wrong. Maybe your WiFi is disabled? Error details: ${err}`));

stopDiscoveringPeers()

stopDiscoveringPeers() prevent emit action to discover available devices. Note, that this function doesn't return any information about available devices/peers. It return information about successfully stopping of discovering.

stopDiscoveringPeers()
    .then(() => console.log('Stop discovering was successful'))
    .catch(err => console.error(`Something is gone wrong. Maybe your WiFi is disabled? Error details: ${err}`));

Subscribers & Actions annunciators

subscribeOnPeersUpdates(callback)

subscribeOnPeersUpdates(callback) allow to subscribe on events, that will notify about availability of nearby devices.

const subscription = subscribeOnPeersUpdates(({ devices }) => {
    console.log(`New devices available: ${devices}`);
});

// in order to remove a subscription (on unmount for example)
subscription.remove();

subscribeOnConnectionInfoUpdates(callback)

const subscription = subscribeOnConnectionInfoUpdates((event) => {
    console.log('Connection Info Updates: ', event);
});

// in order to remove a subscription (on unmount for example)
subscription.remove();

subscribeOnThisDeviceChanged(callback)

const subscription = subscribeOnThisDeviceChanged((event) => {
    console.log('This device changed: ', event);
});

// in order to remove a subscription (on unmount for example)
subscription.remove();

Interaction with other devices

getAvailablePeers()

If you don't want to always get notification from event emitter, when peers list has changed, you can use this method. This method will return info about nearby devices, that is available for searching, at the time of the call this method.

Important: before using this method you also need to call startDiscoveringPeers. In other case you always will get empty array.

getAvailablePeers()
    .then(({ devices }) => console.log(devices))

connect(deviceAddress)

Connect to network. The devices found from the subscribeOnPeersUpdates method. Should use deviceAddress field from necessary device from array. This field represent a MAC address that is used to connect.

connect('22:47:da:9d:58:83')
    .then(() => console.log('Successfully connected'))
    .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));

connectWithConfig(connectionArgs)

Connect to network. The method takes two arguments deviceAddress and an optional groupOwnerIntent. groupOwnerIntent specifies to the OS the intentsity with which the device initiaiting the connection wants to be the group Owner.(i.e the server). It takes a value between 0 and 15, 0 and 15 being the least and most likely group owners respectively. i.e device specifying groupOwnerIntent 15 is more likely to be a group owner. Link to andrdoid documentation [https://developer.android.com/reference/android/net/wifi/p2p/WifiP2pConfig]

connectWithConfig({ deviceAddress: '22:47:da:9d:58:83', groupOwnerIntent: 15 })
    .then(() => console.log('Successfully connected as group Owner.'))
    .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));

cancelConnect()

Cancel connection from network. Should use when you want to reconnect or turn off wifi.

cancelConnect()
    .then(() => console.log('Connection successfully canceled'))
    .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));

If you want to disconnect, then you can use the following chain of functions:

getGroupInfo()
    .then(() => removeGroup())
    .then(() => console.log('Succesfully disconnected!'))
    .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err))

createGroup()

P2P STAR is a peer-to-peer strategy that supports a 1-to-N, or star-shaped, connection topology. In other words, this enables connecting devices within radio range (~100m) in a star shape, where each device can, at any given time, play the role of either a hub (where it can accept incoming connections from N other devices), or a spoke (where it can initiate an outgoing connection to a single hub), but not both. So achieve this goal you can use createGroup method, so create your own group.

createGroup()
    .then(() => console.log('Group created successfully!'))
    .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));

removeGroup()

Before exit of application you need to call this method, if earlier you created group via createGroup() method.

removeGroup()
    .then(() => console.log('Currently you don\'t belong to group!'))
    .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));

createGroup()
      .then(() => {
        setTimeout(() => {
          getGroupPassphraseInfo().then(passphrase => console.log(passphrase));
        }, 3000);
      })
      .catch(err => console.error("Something gone wrong. Details: ", err));

getGroupInfo()

You can call it after createGroup() method is executed. Info from this method also is available in subscribeOnThisDeviceChanged. This method was created basically for supporting API <= 17. See issue thread.

getConnectionInfo()

This method in the main is used in sendFile() flow. It's needed for saving WifiP2pInfo internally of this library. Also this method returns actual connection information. Fot its usage see description of sendFile method.

sendFile(pathToFile)

You should call this method if you want to copy file from client side to server using wi-fi p2p feature. Before sending you should execute next steps:

1. Create group on server side
2. Connect to server-group from client side
3. After establishing connection you should call getConnectionInfo() on client side
4. Call receiveFile(directory, fileName) on server side (receiveFile return Promise<string> - path to saved file)
5. Call sendFile(pathToFile) on client side, after resolving getConnectionInfo()

import { PermissionsAndroid } from 'react-native';

PermissionsAndroid.request(
                  PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
                  {
                      'title': 'Access to read',
                      'message': 'READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
                  }
              )
          .then(granted => {
              if (granted === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED) {
                  console.log("You can use read operation")
              } else {
                  console.log("Read operation permission denied")
              }
          })
          .then(() => {
              return PermissionsAndroid.request(
                  PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
                  {
                      'title': 'Access to write',
                      'message': 'WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
                  }
              )
          })
          .then(() => {
              // `/storage/emulated/0/Music/Bullet For My Valentine:Letting You Go.mp3` - example of `pathToFIle`
              return sendFile('path/to/file')
                  .then((metaInfo) => console.log('File sent successfully:', metaInfo))
                  .catch(err => console.log('Error while file sending', err));
          })
          .catch(err => console.log(err));

sendFileTo(pathToFile, address)

Same function as above but you can specify the address (a peer address in the same group as this device is).

sendMessage(message)

You should call this method if you want to send from client side to server (group) using wi-fi p2p feature. Before sending you should execute next steps:

1. Create group on server side (side, which will receive message)
2. Connect to server-group from client side
3. After establishing connection you should call getConnectionInfo() on client side (also recommend do it on group-server side)
4. Call receiveMessage() on server side (receiveMessage return Promise<string> - message from client)
5. Call sendMessage(message) on client side, after resolving getConnectionInfo()

Note: you cannot send character encoding for string and by default this library uses UTF-8.

sendMessageTo(message, address)

Same function as above but you can specify the address (a peer address in the same group as this device is).

receiveFile(folder, fileName, forceToScanGallery)

If you expect, that someone may send you a file - you can call this method in order to receive it.

If you want to save file with the same name as it's on client device, then before sending file you can sendMessage about its fileName.

forceToScanGallery is an optional parameter, which indicate whether should we scan and detect new files or not in order to show them in Gallery app. By default it's false.

Note: if you expect file to be received you should request permissions for writing to the storage:

PermissionsAndroid.request(
          PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
          {
              'title': 'Access to read',
              'message': 'READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
          }
      )
          .then(granted => {
              if (granted === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED) {
                  console.log("You can use the storage")
              } else {
                  console.log("Storage permission denied")
              }
          })
          .then(() => {
              return PermissionsAndroid.request(
                  PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
                  {
                      'title': 'Access to write',
                      'message': 'WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
                  }
              )
          })
          .then(() => {
              return receiveFile('/storage/emulated/0/Music/', 'BFMV:Letting You Go.mp3')
                  .then(() => console.log('File received successfully'))
                  .catch(err => console.log('Error while file receiving', err))
          })
          .catch(err => console.log(err));

receiveMessage()

If you expect, that someone may send you a message - you can call this method in order to receive it. This opens a port to listen to ONE incoming message.

receiveMessage()
    .then(message => console.log(`Received message: ${message}`))

stopReceivingMessage()

If you didn't receive the message from receiveMessage() as expected, stopReceivingMessage() closes the listening port. If the port is already closed, this method does nothing.

CONSTANTS

WifiP2pDevice statuses

import {
    CONNECTED,
    INVITED,
    FAILED,
    AVAILABLE,
    UNAVAILABLE
} from 'react-native-wifi-p2p/device-info-statuses';

Events of library

import {
    PEERS_UPDATED_ACTION,
    CONNECTION_INFO_UPDATED_ACTION,
    THIS_DEVICE_CHANGED_ACTION
 } from 'react-native-wifi-p2p';
import {subscribeOnEvent} from 'react-native-wifi-p2p';

// example of usage
subscribeOnEvent(PEERS_UPDATED_ACTION, (event) => {
    console.log(event);
});

Caveats

On Android >= 6.0 you should ask permissions before usage of this library (since this grants are required):

Note: you should ask this grants before startDiscoveringPeers

Note: on Android 10 you will probably need to ask ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION instead of ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION.

Note: if you are targeting Android 13+ you also need to ask NEARBY_WIFI_DEVICES permission in runtime. You can do it using react-native-permissions library, if you are using react-native < 0.70

import { PermissionsAndroid } from 'react-native';
...
PermissionsAndroid.request(
                  PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION,
                  {
                      'title': 'Access to wi-fi P2P mode',
                      'message': 'ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION'
                  }
              )
          .then(granted => {
              if (granted === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED) {
                  console.log("You can use the p2p mode")
              } else {
                  console.log("Permission denied: p2p mode will not work")
              }
          })

If you are using Android Oreo (8.0) or higher, then you also need to request FINE_LOCATION permission, and location should be enabled.

Example of usage

import React, { PureComponent } from 'react';
import {
  StyleSheet,
  View,
  Button
} from 'react-native';
import {
  initialize,
  startDiscoveringPeers,
  stopDiscoveringPeers,
  subscribeOnConnectionInfoUpdates,
  subscribeOnThisDeviceChanged,
  subscribeOnPeersUpdates,
  connect,
  cancelConnect,
  createGroup,
  removeGroup,
  getAvailablePeers,
  sendFile,
  receiveFile,
  getConnectionInfo,
  getGroupInfo,
  receiveMessage,
  sendMessage,
} from 'react-native-wifi-p2p';
import { PermissionsAndroid } from 'react-native';

type Props = {};
export default class App extends PureComponent<Props> {
  peersUpdatesSubscription;
  connectionInfoUpdatesSubscription;
  thisDeviceChangedSubscription;

  state = {
    devices: []
  };

  async componentDidMount() {
      try {
          await initialize();
          // since it's required in Android >= 6.0
          const granted = await PermissionsAndroid.request(
              PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION,
              {
                  'title': 'Access to wi-fi P2P mode',
                  'message': 'ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION'
              }
          );

          console.log(granted === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED ? "You can use the p2p mode" : "Permission denied: p2p mode will not work");

          this.peersUpdatesSubscription = subscribeOnPeersUpdates(this.handleNewPeers);
          this.connectionInfoUpdatesSubscription = subscribeOnConnectionInfoUpdates(this.handleNewInfo);
          this.thisDeviceChangedSubscription = subscribeOnThisDeviceChanged(this.handleThisDeviceChanged);

          const status = await startDiscoveringPeers();
          console.log('startDiscoveringPeers status: ', status);
      } catch (e) {
          console.error(e);
      }
  }

  componentWillUnmount() {
    this.peersUpdatesSubscription?.remove();
    this.connectionInfoUpdatesSubscription?.remove();
    this.thisDeviceChangedSubscription?.remove();
  }

  handleNewInfo = (info) => {
    console.log('OnConnectionInfoUpdated', info);
  };

  handleNewPeers = ({ devices }) => {
    console.log('OnPeersUpdated', devices);
    this.setState({ devices: devices });
  };

  handleThisDeviceChanged = (groupInfo) => {
      console.log('THIS_DEVICE_CHANGED_ACTION', groupInfo);
  };

  connectToFirstDevice = () => {
      console.log('Connect to: ', this.state.devices[0]);
      connect(this.state.devices[0].deviceAddress)
          .then(() => console.log('Successfully connected'))
          .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));
  };

  onCancelConnect = () => {
      cancelConnect()
          .then(() => console.log('cancelConnect', 'Connection successfully canceled'))
          .catch(err => console.error('cancelConnect', 'Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));
  };

  onCreateGroup = () => {
      createGroup()
          .then(() => console.log('Group created successfully!'))
          .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));
  };

  onRemoveGroup = () => {
      removeGroup()
          .then(() => console.log('Currently you don\'t belong to group!'))
          .catch(err => console.error('Something gone wrong. Details: ', err));
  };

  onStopInvestigation = () => {
      stopDiscoveringPeers()
          .then(() => console.log('Stopping of discovering was successful'))
          .catch(err => console.error(`Something is gone wrong. Maybe your WiFi is disabled? Error details`, err));
  };

  onStartInvestigate = () => {
      startDiscoveringPeers()
          .then(status => console.log('startDiscoveringPeers', `Status of discovering peers: ${status}`))
          .catch(err => console.error(`Something is gone wrong. Maybe your WiFi is disabled? Error details: ${err}`));
  };

  onGetAvailableDevices = () => {
      getAvailablePeers()
          .then(peers => console.log(peers));
  };

  onSendFile = () => {
      //const url = '/storage/sdcard0/Music/Rammstein:Amerika.mp3';
      const url = '/storage/emulated/0/Music/Bullet For My Valentine:Letting You Go.mp3';
      PermissionsAndroid.request(
                  PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
                  {
                      'title': 'Access to read',
                      'message': 'READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
                  }
              )
          .then(granted => {
              if (granted === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED) {
                  console.log("You can use the storage")
              } else {
                  console.log("Storage permission denied")
              }
          })
          .then(() => {
              return PermissionsAndroid.request(
                  PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
                  {
                      'title': 'Access to write',
                      'message': 'WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
                  }
              )
          })
          .then(() => {
              return sendFile(url)
                  .then((metaInfo) => console.log('File sent successfully', metaInfo))
                  .catch(err => console.log('Error while file sending', err));
          })
          .catch(err => console.log(err));
  };

  onReceiveFile = () => {
      PermissionsAndroid.request(
          PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
          {
              'title': 'Access to read',
              'message': 'READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
          }
      )
          .then(granted => {
              if (granted === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED) {
                  console.log("You can use the storage")
              } else {
                  console.log("Storage permission denied")
              }
          })
          .then(() => {
              return PermissionsAndroid.request(
                  PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE,
                  {
                      'title': 'Access to write',
                      'message': 'WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
                  }
              )
          })
          .then(() => {
              return receiveFile('/storage/emulated/0/Music/', 'BFMV:Letting You Go.mp3')
                  .then(() => console.log('File received successfully'))
                  .catch(err => console.log('Error while file receiving', err))
          })
          .catch(err => console.log(err));
  };

  onSendMessage = () => {
      sendMessage("Hello world!")
        .then((metaInfo) => console.log('Message sent successfully', metaInfo))
        .catch(err => console.log('Error while message sending', err));
  };

  onReceiveMessage = () => {
      receiveMessage()
          .then((msg) => console.log('Message received successfully', msg))
          .catch(err => console.log('Error while message receiving', err))
  };

  onGetConnectionInfo = () => {
    getConnectionInfo()
        .then(info => console.log('getConnectionInfo', info));
  };

  onGetGroupInfo = () => {
      getGroupInfo()
        .then(info => console.log('getGroupInfo', info));
  };

  render() {
    return (
      <View style={styles.container}>
        <Button
          title="Connect"
          onPress={this.connectToFirstDevice}
        />
        <Button
          title="Cancel connect"
          onPress={this.onCancelConnect}
        />
        <Button
          title="Create group"
          onPress={this.onCreateGroup}
        />
        <Button
          title="Remove group"
          onPress={this.onRemoveGroup}
        />
        <Button
          title="Investigate"
          onPress={this.onStartInvestigate}
        />
        <Button
          title="Prevent Investigation"
          onPress={this.onStopInvestigation}
        />
        <Button
          title="Get Available Devices"
          onPress={this.onGetAvailableDevices}
        />
        <Button
          title="Get connection Info"
          onPress={this.onGetConnectionInfo}
        />
        <Button
          title="Get group info"
          onPress={this.onGetGroupInfo}
        />
        <Button
          title="Send file"
          onPress={this.onSendFile}
        />
        <Button
          title="Receive file"
          onPress={this.onReceiveFile}
        />
        <Button
          title="Send message"
          onPress={this.onSendMessage}
        />
        <Button
          title="Receive message"
          onPress={this.onReceiveMessage}
        />
      </View>
    );
  }
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: '#F5FCFF',
  },
  welcome: {
    fontSize: 20,
    textAlign: 'center',
    margin: 10,
  },
  instructions: {
    textAlign: 'center',
    color: '#333333',
    marginBottom: 5,
  },
});