# Insula Network

Insula Network is encrypted file transfer between **your own running Insula desktop processes** on the same account. Sign in on each machine (a free account is enough). The other process must be online.

It is not available during [Open Remote](/wiki/08-remote-servers). Hub and the file-tree strip hide while a remote is attached.

## Requirements

- Signed in on this computer (Account from the dash). A free account works.
- This machine registered as a device on the account.
- Both processes online. Sleep or a dropped connection takes a peer off the roster until it comes back.
- A project open on the **receiver** so incoming files have a destination.

Some networks cannot complete a direct connection. There is no relay; those transfers fail to start.

## Send files

With a project open, the file tree shows an **Insula Network** strip of online peers.

1. Drag one or more files from the tree onto a peer row.
2. A transfer modal tracks progress.

Or open **Hub** from the dash, select a peer, then **Transfer** and pick files.

If you are not signed in, Hub tells you to log in and offers **Open account**.

## Receive files

An incoming offer shows file count, size, and the sender label.

1. If no project is open, pick a recent project or browse for a folder.
2. **Accept** or **Decline**.
3. Accepted files land in the project root. A name collision becomes `file (2).ext`. Folders get a prefixed subdirectory.

## Cancel

**Cancel** on the sender or receiver while the transfer is in progress. Files that already finished stay. The file that was still writing is removed. Cancelled transfers show **Transfer cancelled**, not an error.

## Devices and processes

A **device** is a registered machine (the list on your Insula Labs dashboard). A **peer** is one running Insula window.

Five windows on one laptop are five peers and one device. Free accounts can have **5** peers on the mesh at once; paid raises that to **25**. Device sign-in limits are separate: **2** free, **10** paid. See [Subscriptions](/wiki/09-subscriptions).

## Related topics

- [What is Insula](/wiki/01-what-is-insula)
- [Remote servers](/wiki/08-remote-servers)
- [Subscriptions](/wiki/09-subscriptions)
- [FAQ](/wiki/11-faq)