Basalt Host on a Linux desktop

This is Basalt Host with the same window as on Windows, for a Linux computer with a desktop. For a computer you never sit at, such as a home server or a Raspberry Pi, use Basalt Host with no screen instead. The two cannot be installed on the same computer.

Choose a package

Download it from the download page, under Linux desktop.

Install it

With the .deb

Open a terminal in the folder you downloaded it to, and run:

sudo apt install ./Basalt-Host-Linux-amd64.deb

With the .rpm

sudo dnf install ./Basalt-Host-Linux-x86_64.rpm

The packages also install ffmpeg where the system offers it, which Basalt Host uses to convert video for devices that cannot play it.

With the AppImage

Make it runnable, then open it:

chmod +x Basalt-Host-Linux-x86_64.AppImage
./Basalt-Host-Linux-x86_64.AppImage

Or, in your file manager, open the file’s Properties, allow it to run as a program, and double-click it. Keep the AppImage somewhere it can stay, such as a folder in your home: it updates itself in place.

Choose what to share

Open Basalt Host from your applications menu. The first time, it asks you to Choose a drive to share:

1. Choose a drive from the list, or Or choose a single folder instead.
2. Give it a name your devices will see, such as Media Drive.
3. Choose the Share button.

Basalt Host runs as you, so it can read anything your own user can. A drive mounted somewhere only another user can read will not open.

Open the firewall

Many desktops have no firewall switched on, and then there is nothing to do. If yours has one, let your devices through:

# Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint (ufw)
sudo ufw allow "Basalt Host"

# Fedora (firewalld)
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=basalt-host
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

The .deb and .rpm include these firewall profiles. With the AppImage, open the ports yourself: 7742/tcp and 7743/udp. See Network and firewall.

Keep it running

• Closing the window keeps the drive shared. Basalt Host keeps running in the background, with an icon in your desktop’s tray where it has one.
• Start when you log in, in its settings, starts it in the background when you sign in. A host set up with version 1.5 or later has this on.
• To stop sharing, choose Quit and stop sharing from its tray icon.

Updates

Basalt Host updates itself, the .deb, .rpm and AppImage alike, when nothing is playing or copying. The packages are updated by a small system helper that installs only the official release; you are not asked for your password. See Updates.

Uninstall

sudo apt remove basalt-host        # .deb
sudo dnf remove basalt-host        # .rpm

For the AppImage, delete the file. The host’s settings stay in ~/.config/basalt/ in case you install it again; delete that folder to remove them too.