Strada
guide

Strada is a peer-to-peer file sharing platform built for creative professionals working with large media files.

Instead of uploading files to a cloud server, Strada connects your computer directly to your collaborator's computer — meaning files transfer faster, stay private, and don't incur cloud storage fees.

Think of it like a direct phone call rather than leaving a voicemail.

⚠️ Important: All transfers will be initiated from my end. You don't need to start a transfer yourself — just accept the invitation and your files will come through. If you have a paid account, you will be able to initiate transfers.

Step 1: Create Your Free Account

Go to strada.tech and sign up for a free account. No credit card is required. Your account comes with a free 7-day trial.

After that, you can stay on the free Review tier at no cost — this gives you full access to browse, play back, and review any files shared with you, which is all most clients need.

Use Google Chrome as your browser for the best experience. Strada is browser-based and works on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android.

Step 2: Download and Install the Strada Agent

The Strada Agent is a small background app that connects your computer to the Strada network and makes your drives available for sharing and receiving files.

Who needs the Agent? Anyone who wants to share files from their computer, or who will be doing frequent large transfers. If you're only reviewing/browsing files shared with you, you may not need it — but installing it is recommended for the best transfer performance.

System requirements:

  • Mac: Apple Silicon (M-series) recommended — MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, Mac Studio. Runs on macOS with the Agent in the top menu bar.

  • Windows: Windows 11 required. Needs a modern NVIDIA or AMD GPU. The Agent lives in the lower system tray.

To install:

  1. Log in to your account at strada.tech. If no Agent is connected yet, you'll see a blue download button — click it.

  2. Run the installer. On Mac, grant Strada permission to access your files when prompted (this is required). On Windows, allow it through Windows Defender if prompted.

  3. Once installed, open the Agent and log in with your Strada credentials.

  4. In the Agent Dashboard, check the box next to your desktop/computer to make it visible on Strada.

  5. Open Chrome, go to strada.tech, and under "My Computers" confirm your machine appears and is accessible.

Windows installation note: If the Agent gets stuck initializing, make sure your antivirus allows it. If it still won't connect, open the Services app, find "StradaAgentHelper," right-click → Properties → Log On tab → set to "Local System," then restart the service.

Step 3: Connect Your Drives

Once the Agent is running, you can give Strada access to any drives or folders you want to share or receive files to.

In the Agent Dashboard, go to Manage External Connections and check the boxes for any drives you want to include. Strada automatically detects mounted drives — USB, Thunderbolt, and NAS shares all work. You don't need to add them manually.

If a drive doesn't appear: Make sure it's properly mounted in your OS (visible in Finder on Mac or File Explorer on Windows). System/backup drives like Time Machine cannot be shared.

For best performance:

  • Use a wired Ethernet connection rather than Wi-Fi.

  • Disable sleep mode on your computer and connected drives (a restart may be required after changing this setting).

  • Enable "Wake for network access."

  • Aim for at least ~10 Mbps upload speed per simultaneous viewer.

Step 4: Accept an Invitation

When someone shares a drive or folder with you, you'll receive an email invitation. Click the link in that email — it will take you directly to the shared media in your Strada account.

From there you can:

  • Browse and preview files instantly (no download required)

  • Play back video files in the browser player

  • Download individual files or folders

  • Transfer files directly between computers (if both parties have the Agent installed)

Step 5: Transferring Files

There are two ways to move files:

Standard Download — best for smaller files (under 5 GB). Select a file or folder in Strada, click the Download icon in the player or browser, and the file streams peer-to-peer directly from the host computer to yours. Track progress in the Jobs Panel.

Agent-to-Agent Transfer — recommended for large files (5 GB+) or entire projects. This runs as a background process between two Agents, meaning it continues even if you close your browser or log off. To use it: navigate to the files you want, right-click and select "Transfer," then in the Transfer Window navigate to the destination drive and click "Transfer Here." Monitor progress in the Jobs Panel.

Key difference: Agent-to-Agent transfers preserve the original folder structure; standard downloads flatten all assets into one folder.

Step 6: Sharing Files with Others

To invite someone to a drive or folder you own:

  1. In your Strada browser at strada.tech, navigate into the drive or folder under "My Computers."

  2. Click the Invite button (upper right of the Media Browser).

  3. Enter the recipient's email address and assign their permission level (Admin, Member, or View-only on paid plans).

  4. Hit send — they'll receive an email with a link to access the shared content.

Permissions can be changed at any time after the invitation is sent.

Troubleshooting

Agent showing a red dot / not connecting: Quit the Agent, relaunch it, and log in again. On Windows, check the Services app (StradaAgentHelper → Local System). On Mac, open Terminal and run: /Applications/StradaAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/agent-helper service uninstall then restart.

Strada denied access to a drive (Mac): Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Files and Folders (or Full Disk Access), find Strada, and re-enable it. Restart Strada after.

Strada denied access to a drive (Windows): Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → File System, ensure apps can access the file system, and confirm Strada is enabled.

Transfers are slow: Strada always tries to establish a direct peer-to-peer connection first. If that's not possible (due to your ISP or network configuration), it will fall back to a relay server, which is slower. If you're consistently seeing slow speeds, email support@strada.tech to export a transfer log and have the engineering team diagnose the connection type. For corporate networks or firewalls, the following ports need to be open: STUN 3478 UDP, Relay 7842 UDP, and P2P range 50,000–60,000 UDP.

Wrong email / account issues: Contact support@strada.tech — accounts are tied to email addresses and the team can assist with migrations.

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