omdrop-owl for AirDrop on Linux Wi-Fi Cards

Why omdrop-owl Exists for Linux AirDrop

omdrop-owl is the Linux-side helper for AirDrop between iPhones and Linux laptops whose Wi-Fi adapter is not Apple's Broadcom chip. It is intended for users who already have the omdrop plugin and want file transfer without adopting Apple's proprietary driver stack. The repository describes support for several MediaTek, Realtek, and Intel adapters, with status depending on the exact card and kernel combination.

The project is not a general AirDrop replacement for every Linux computer. It depends on AWDL behavior implemented by the wireless driver and on the separate omdrop plugin, version 0.16.0 or newer. Omarchy users can add the plugin and enable it from the bar. On other Linux distributions, the README directs users to the `omdrop` CLI because the bar icon and panel are Omarchy-only.

The central hardware distinction is important. A card marked as supporting shared mode can keep Wi-Fi connected while the AWDL interface is visible. A card marked exclusive turns Wi-Fi off while it is visible. Some entries have only worked unreliably, and some are explicitly listed as failing. The README therefore gives a useful warning against treating the word Linux as sufficient compatibility information.

The AWDL and omdrop Data Path

The package builds OWL from the commit recorded in `pins`, applies the repository's `patches/`, and stages the resulting helper and portable tools under `/usr/lib/omdrop`. The installed components include `omdrop-discoverable`, `omdrop-awdl`, a polkit policy for the helper, and system configuration for the AWDL interfaces.

NetworkManager is instructed to leave `awdl0`, `mon0`, and `awdlibss0` unmanaged. A systemd `.link` file prevents udev from changing the MAC address of `awdl0`. On NixOS, the module also opens TCP port `8771` on `awdl0` and prevents NixOS from restarting `wpa_supplicant` when OWL adds or removes an interface. Those details show that the project is not only a discovery utility. It changes network and device-management behavior around a special wireless interface.

The driver-specific behavior is data-driven in `userspace/owl-profiles`, with one line per driver. A driver without a specific line falls back to the `*` profile, but that fallback requires an explicit opt-in. Profiles can be overridden locally in `/etc/omdrop/owl-profiles`, so an unsupported adapter can be tested without rebuilding the package. The README says the likely candidates are cards that can inject frames from a monitor interface while connected to Wi-Fi, although actual behavior varies by mac80211 driver.

Installing omdrop-owl on Arch, Debian, Fedora, or NixOS

On Arch and Omarchy, the README gives the AUR package as the shortest install path. This is the appropriate route for an Omarchy user who wants the repository's packaged integration rather than a local source build.

yay -S omdrop-owl

For Debian or Ubuntu, install the build dependencies, build the Debian package, and install the generated package. The resulting package installs the helper root-owned under `/usr/lib/omdrop`, together with its polkit policy, NetworkManager rule, and udev link configuration.

sudo apt install build-essential cmake git pkg-config dpkg-dev \
  libev-dev libpcap-dev libnl-3-dev libnl-genl-3-dev libnl-route-3-dev
tools/build-deb.sh
sudo apt install ./omdrop-owl_*.deb

Fedora uses the corresponding source-package commands. The README says the resulting RPM contains the same files, and that `sudo dnf remove omdrop-owl` removes them all.

sudo dnf install rpm-build cmake gcc gcc-c++ make git libev-devel libpcap-devel libnl3-devel
tools/build-rpm.sh
sudo dnf install ./omdrop-owl-*.rpm

NixOS users consume the repository as a flake, then enable its module in their configuration. The module installs the helper and policy, configures the interfaces, opens TCP `8771` on `awdl0`, and exposes omdrop's helper and `send-to-peer` on `PATH`.

inputs.omdrop-owl.url = "github:t4t5/omdrop-owl";

imports = [ inputs.omdrop-owl.nixosModules.default ];
services.omdrop-owl.enable = true;

The README also documents `services.omdrop-owl.interface` and `services.omdrop-owl.allowUntested` as options that write `/etc/omdrop/infra-iface` and `/etc/omdrop/allow-untested`.

First omdrop Setup and File Transfer

A first use requires the omdrop plugin. On Omarchy, add it with the following command and then enable it from the bar.

omarchy plugin add https://github.com/netmojo-systems/omdrop-plugin.git

On a non-Omarchy Linux system, the README uses the CLI workflow instead. The plugin repository is cloned, its setup command installs `~/.local/bin/omdrop` and the receiver, and the installed command is then used to advertise and send files.

git clone https://github.com/netmojo-systems/omdrop-plugin.git
omdrop-plugin/bin/omdrop setup
omdrop on 10m
omdrop peers -n
omdrop send <device> <file>
omdrop off

`omdrop on 10m` makes the Linux system visible for ten minutes. `omdrop peers -n` lists nearby Apple devices and their names. The send command requires the selected device name and a file path. Received files are placed in `~/Downloads`.

If the transfer or discovery path fails, the README identifies `omdrop doctor` as the diagnostic entry point. It lists missing components. This is especially relevant after a source install because the helper, NetworkManager rule, polkit policy, and interface configuration are separate parts of the installation.

Do not leave visibility enabled longer than necessary. The project supports shared mode on some hardware, but exclusive mode intentionally turns Wi-Fi off while the AWDL interface is visible. The README does not document a separate firewall rollback procedure or a detailed recovery procedure for every driver failure.

Shared and Exclusive AWDL Modes

The hardware table makes omdrop-owl's mode distinction concrete. MediaTek MT7925 is listed as shared, while the MT7612U USB adapter is exclusive. Realtek RTL8852AE and RTL8852CE are shared with opt-in status, while several Intel adapters are listed as exclusive. MediaTek MT7921 and MT7922 have worked in exclusive mode but are marked unreliable, with shared mode failing in the listed issue.

Shared mode is preferable when the system must remain connected to an access point during discovery or transfer. Exclusive mode is a different tradeoff: the Wi-Fi connection is turned off while the system is visible. That can simplify compatibility for cards that cannot maintain the required behavior alongside a normal connection, but it is not suitable for users who depend on uninterrupted Internet access.

The driver profile is the place to inspect this behavior. The README identifies `userspace/owl-profiles` as the source for per-driver settings and `/etc/omdrop/owl-profiles` as a local override read before the packaged table. The `allow-untested` option is a boundary for exploring new hardware, not a compatibility promise. The repository explicitly warns that a card name can cover chips with different behavior, so a machine report, PCI ID from `lspci -nn`, or kernel version can be more informative than the marketing name.

Testing Unsupported Wi-Fi Cards

omdrop-owl includes a hardware-testing path for adapters that are absent from the supported table. The process starts by identifying the driver, placing the access point on channel 6, 44, or 149, enabling untested drivers, and copying the fallback `*` profile into a local driver profile. The fallback profile is not enabled by default because the project's support status for unknown hardware is unknown.

The opt-in command is specific and creates the configuration directory if necessary.

sudo mkdir -p /etc/omdrop && echo 1 | sudo tee /etc/omdrop/allow-untested

After copying the `*` line to `/etc/omdrop/owl-profiles` with the driver's name, the repository provides a test script. The README says it walks through sending a photo in both directions, watches Wi-Fi for five minutes after teardown, and writes a report.

sudo tools/test-card.sh

There is also a reconnect diagnostic. If Wi-Fi stops after teardown, the README suggests changing `/etc/omdrop/reconnect-after` to `0` and running the test again. The file is deleted after the diagnostic. This procedure is specific to the project's AWDL lifecycle and interface handling. It does not establish that an unknown card is supported in production.

The repository's `justfile` provides development-oriented equivalents such as `just build`, `just install`, and `just test`. These commands are for contributors or local checkout workflows. The README does not document a universal rollback command for every distribution, so package removal should be matched to the package manager used for installation.

Maintenance, Packaging, and the Real Alternative

The repository is not archived. Its last push was on 2026-10-14, and it lists releases `v0.2.0`, `v0.1.1`, and `v0.1.0` from October 2026. The license is not identified in the supplied repository information, so the practical upgrade and redistribution decision cannot be settled from this project page alone.

The packaging work is substantial for a Shell-led helper because it includes compiled OWL components, patches, helper privileges, polkit policy, NetworkManager behavior, udev rules, and NixOS integration. An upgrade therefore requires checking whether the pinned OWL commit, patch set, package files, and system configuration change together. Fedora removal is documented as removing all installed files. Debian and Ubuntu removal commands are not given, while Arch/Omarchy uses a package-manager workflow.

omdrop-owl is an alternative for Linux users with the listed non-Apple chips, not a claim that a native Apple path is inferior on every machine. Another practical boundary is the Qualcomm WCN6855 entry: the README marks shared mode as failing and says exclusive mode is unavailable because the card has no ad-hoc mode.

Editorial conclusion

Adopt omdrop-owl when you use Linux with a listed Wi-Fi driver, need AirDrop to nearby Apple devices, and can accept its AWDL and interface-management requirements. Do not adopt it for an unsupported card, a Qualcomm setup without ad-hoc mode, or a network that cannot tolerate temporary visibility changes. Check the hardware table, shared or exclusive mode, and `omdrop doctor` first; the project-specific boundary is whether your driver can maintain the required AWDL interfaces without breaking Wi-Fi.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. Issues
2. README
3. Releases
4. t4t5/omdrop-owl on GitHub