lncp

lncp is the Reticulum file-transfer tool. It sends a file to a destination or listens for incoming transfers, and is wire-compatible with Python’s rncp — an lncp listener accepts an rncp sender and vice versa. The same engine is also reachable as lns cp.

Reticulum File Transfer Utility

Usage: lncp [OPTIONS] [FILE] [DESTINATION]

Arguments:
  [FILE]         File to send (send mode)
  [DESTINATION]  Destination hash, 32 hex characters (send mode)

Options:
      --config <CONFIG>   Path to alternative Reticulum config directory
  -v, --verbose...        Increase verbosity
  -q, --quiet...          Decrease verbosity
  -l, --listen            Listen for incoming transfer requests
  -w <TIMEOUT>            Fetch / transfer phase timeout in seconds
  -s, --save <SAVE>       Save received files in specified path
  -O, --overwrite         Allow overwriting received files
  -n, --no-auth           Accept requests from anyone
  -b <ANNOUNCE_INTERVAL>  Announce interval (-1=none, 0=once at startup, N=every N sec) [default: 0]
  -p, --print-identity    Print identity and destination info and exit
  -i <IDENTITY>           Path to identity file to use
  -S, --silent            Fully silent: no progress output and no log output at all (equivalent to -qq)
  -C, --no-compress       Disable automatic compression
  -f, --fetch             Fetch file from remote listener
  -F, --allow-fetch       Allow authenticated clients to fetch files
  -j, --jail <JAIL>       Restrict fetch requests to specified path
  -P, --phy-rates         Display physical layer transfer rates
  -a <ALLOWED>            Allow identity hash (can be specified multiple times)
  -h, --help              Print help
  -V, --version           Print version

Modes

Send

Give a FILE and a 32-hex-character DESTINATION hash. lncp establishes a link to the destination and transfers the file:

lncp report.pdf 0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef

The file is compressed automatically unless you pass -C/--no-compress.

Listen

-l/--listen waits for incoming transfer requests. The listener prints its own destination hash so the sender knows where to aim:

lncp -l -s ~/incoming

Fetch

-f/--fetch pulls a file from a remote listener instead of pushing to it (the listener must allow this with -F/--allow-fetch).

Options

Option	Meaning
`--config <DIR>`	Use an alternative Reticulum config directory instead of the default lookup.
`-v/--verbose`, `-q/--quiet`	Raise / lower log verbosity (stackable).
`-l/--listen`	Listen for incoming transfer requests.
`-w <TIMEOUT>`	Fetch/transfer phase timeout in seconds, counted after the link is established. Default: no timeout — the transfer runs to completion or until interrupted. Slow transports (LoRa) need no artificial cap; set this only for a hard wall-clock bound.
`-s/--save <PATH>`	Save received files in this directory (listen mode).
`-O/--overwrite`	Allow overwriting existing received files.
`-n/--no-auth`	Accept requests from anyone (overrides `-a`).
`-b <INTERVAL>`	Announce interval: `-1` never, `0` once at startup, `N` every N seconds. Default: `0`.
`-p/--print-identity`	Print the destination hash and identity hash, then exit.
`-i <IDENTITY>`	Use this identity file instead of the default.
`-S/--silent`	Fully silent: no progress and no log output (equivalent to `-qq`).
`-C/--no-compress`	Disable automatic compression.
`-f/--fetch`	Fetch a file from a remote listener (instead of sending).
`-F/--allow-fetch`	Allow authenticated clients to fetch files (listen mode).
`-j/--jail <PATH>`	Restrict fetch requests to this directory (use with `-F`).
`-P/--phy-rates`	Display physical-layer transfer rates.
`-a <HASH>`	Allow a specific identity hash; repeatable to allow several.

A few options only make sense in listen mode and warn otherwise: -F/--allow-fetch warns when no -l is given, and -j/--jail warns without -F (lncp.rs:199-204). -n/--no-auth overrides any -a allow-list (lncp.rs:213-214).

Identity and authorisation

-p/--print-identity loads (or generates) the identity and prints the rncp receive destination hash followed by the identity hash, then exits (lncp.rs:334-352):

lncp -p

0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef
Identity  : fedcba9876543210fedcba9876543210

By default a listener only accepts senders whose identity hash you have allowed with -a (repeatable). -n/--no-auth drops that check and accepts anyone. An -a hash must be 32 hex characters / 16 bytes (lncp.rs:314-332).

Examples

Send a file

On the receiver, start a listener and note its destination hash:

lncp -l -s ~/incoming -O

On the sender, transfer the file to that hash:

lncp ./report.pdf 0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef

Listen and receive with authorisation

Allow only one known sender, saving into ~/incoming and showing physical-layer rates:

lncp -l -s ~/incoming -a fedcba9876543210fedcba9876543210 -P

The sender finds its own identity hash with lncp -p.

lncp needs a running daemon (lnsd or rnsd) on the same shared instance to reach the mesh — see the lnsd Quickstart.

Keyboard shortcuts

Leviculum Documentation