Mobile device will not connect to Zorin OS with Zorin Connect

Zorin OS is a highly polished Ubuntu-based Linux distribution providing an excellent alternative to Windows and MacOS. It is a an operating system that is gaining popularity (distrowatch) for many reasons. One of those reasons is the ability to integrate your Android mobile device with Zorin OS by utilizing the built-in Zorin Connect.

Once your mobile device is paired with Zorin Connect via your local area network, the technology releases a number of features and benefits including:

• The ability to share files and web links between devices
• Send and receive SMS text messages from and to the desktop
• View your mobile device’s notifications on your desktop, including incoming calls
• Control slideshows and multimedia on your desktop from your mobile device
• Issue commands on your mobile device to execute on Zorin

And there’s plenty more.

Zorin OS Firewall can prevent the pairing of your mobile device with Zorin Connect

Zorin Connect | Pair Devices

If Zorin Connect fails to detect your mobile device on your local area network, then follow these steps to create a rule in your firewall to enable communication between them.

Step 1 – Open Zorin OS Settings

Zorin OS Settings

Click the Zorin ‘start’ button on your task bar and select Settings from the main menu.

Step 2 – Open Firewall Configuration

Zorin OS | Add Firewall Rule

In Settings, select Privacy and Firewall Configuration.
You will then be prompted to authenticate yourself by entering your password.

Step 3 – Check Firewall Status

Zorin OS | Firewall Status

At this point, you can opt to turn off the Zorin Firewall to see if Zorin Connect discovers your mobile device successfully.

Step 4 – Zorin Connect Protocols and Ports

At the time of writing, Zorin Connect communicates using the following protocols and ports:

• IPv4 TCP 1716
• IPv4 UDP 1716
• IPV6 TCP 1739

To check this is still the case, hold down Ctrl + Alt + T at the same time to open a terminal window on your desktop. Highlight the command below then hold down Ctrl + C to copy it to the clipboard. Then, right-click and select Paste in the terminal window. Make sure that Zorin Connect is running when you do this.

sudo lsof -i -P -n | grep gjs

Zorin Connect | Protocols and Ports

The lsof command displays information about files that are opened by processes. grep filters the output list to show results for gjs, the process name for Zorin Connect.

Step 5 – Create Firewall Rules

Zorin Firewall | Create Firewall Rules for Zorin Connect

Click the Report tab in the Firewall configuration window. Then, click the Application column header to group the instances of gjs-console together.

Select the top instance of gjs-console to prevent the list from jumping around. Then press the plus (+) symbol at the bottom of the window.

Zorin OS | Add Firewall Rule

A firewall rule will be created automatically. Make sure to click the Add button and then the Close button to return to the Firewall Report.

Add firewall rules for the remaining two instances of gjs-console.

Step 6 – Review Firewall Rules for Zorin Connect

Click the Rules tab in the Firewall configuration window to review the rules you have just set up for Zorin Connect.