2

So, the Samsung Galaxy s5 connects just fine to my computer via the USB 3.0 port BUT when it connects it uses MTP. I can see the phone's files, transfer files, and so on via MTP and the transfer speed is about 20 to 30 MB/s or something like that.

But the cable is 3.0, my computer is 3.0, and there's an option that says 3.0 (I have other USB storage that is 3.0 so I miss the high speed :) However, when I click on the USB 3.0 option on the phone nothing really happens. I can no longer use MTP, of course, but I don't see another option for the device.

Has anybody else come across this? How do I use the USB 3.0 option with the Samsung Galaxy s5 in Ubuntu 14.04?

2 Answers 2

2

Answer to original question:

You should continue to use USB 2 with MTP until Linux libraries are updated, or you can use something like Wifi File Transfer (web based) or ES File Manager (supports SFTP for file transfers over SSH) and Samba, etc.

However, please consider that USB 2 is faster than what many external hard drives can provide, is faster than almost all insertable SD cards, and the bus of the Samsung is totally saturated by USB 3 transfer speeds (its a phone, not a PC) and it can't do transfers to the SD Card and the USB 3 at the same time. Basically, you won't get any additional speed. Try it under Windows with USB 3 and then try it again under Ubuntu with USB 2 ... and you tell me if there is an appreciable speed difference.

You can try USB 3 and then tether the phone to enable USB networking. You can then attempt a file transfer via one of the above methods, such as ES File Manager and SFTP (uses your SSH server). However, for the reasons above, you likely won't get speeds much above USB 2. Basically, USB 3 support on a phone is more of a marketing gimmick.

0

From what I see it's a technical issue with the Android OS. Certain android applications are restricted from being moved from the internal memory to your internally mounted external SD card. That's part of android's protection: your "external" SD card is no longer considered as an USB mass storage device. The reasoning popped out at me when I began to think about my HP Touchpad running CM10 (ICS). When I mount it to my Linux Desktop, it's still recognized as USB Mass storage device.

Using MTP protects permissions, users, groups, and other file management parameters. Unfortunately, libmtp has not yet been updated to support USB 3.0 speeds. We can only hope it will be as USB 3.0 is becoming more and more prevalent.

The only way I see one can benefit from USB 3.0 transfer speeds to and from android devices (Kit-Kat and beyond) now is to use an OTG 3.0 thumb drive, until that glorious day when USB 3.0 is supported by libmtp.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .