Octet Help Center

1. Click Choose… next to Root Folder for TFTP and pick the folder that holds your images and configs.
2. Turn on Allow downloads (devices can GET files) and/or Allow uploads (devices can PUT files).
3. Click Start server. Octet shows your Mac’s LAN IP address and port 69.
4. From the device, copy to or from that address. On Cisco IOS / IOS-XE, for example:

copy tftp://192.168.1.50/c9300-17.15.06.bin flash:
copy running-config tftp://192.168.1.50/lab-sw1-config.txt

Each transfer gets a live progress bar with speed and time left, and a line in the transfer log. Uploads are written to a hidden temporary file and only replace the real file once they finish, so a failed upload never damages an existing file. Close the window and Octet keeps serving from the menu bar; choose Quit Octet from the menu bar icon to stop it completely.

• Octet uses UDP port 69, the standard TFTP port, so devices work with their default settings.
• On current versions of macOS, Octet opens port 69 directly. No admin password and no Terminal are needed.
• If Octet says another app is already using UDP 69, quit the other TFTP server (including the built-in tftpd if you enabled it) and click Start again.
• Octet only listens while the server is started.

• Click Allowed devices… to limit who can use the server. Add single addresses (10.1.1.20) or ranges (10.1.1.0/24), then turn the switch on.
• Anyone not on the list gets “Access denied”, and the refusal is written to the transfer log.
• Tests from the Mac itself come from 127.0.0.1, so add that address if you test locally with the list on.
• The list is saved between launches.

If a device can ping your Mac but its TFTP copy times out, something between them is usually blocking TFTP.

• Between subnets: a router or firewall must allow UDP 69 from the device to your Mac, and the transfer traffic that follows. TFTP moves data on high, random UDP ports (1024–65535) in both directions, so allow those too, or use a firewall with a TFTP helper.
• Simplest fix in the field: put your Mac on the same network or VLAN as the device.
• Mac firewall: if it’s on, allow incoming connections for Octet in System Settings → Network → Firewall → Options.
• Device source interface: on switches with a management port or VRF, tell the device which interface to use, for example ip tftp source-interface GigabitEthernet0/0.
• Check that the device has a route (or default gateway) back to your Mac’s network.

Nothing shows up in the log when the device tries

The request isn’t reaching your Mac. See Firewalls & routing.

The log says “Refused” or the device says “Access denied”

Allowed devices is on and the device’s address isn’t on the list, or downloads/uploads are switched off.

Uploads fail

Make sure Allow uploads is on and the folder is one you can write to. If you moved or renamed the folder, click Choose… and pick it again.

How fast is it?

Octet negotiates bigger blocks with devices that support it (RFC 2347/2348/2349), which is about 3× faster than classic 512-byte TFTP. Older devices still work the classic way.

Does Octet send my files or data anywhere?

No. Files only move between your Mac and your own devices. See the privacy policy.

I switched between the website version and the Mac App Store version

The App Store version keeps its settings separately, so choose your TFTP folder and re-enter your allowed devices once.

What do I need?

macOS 14 or later.

• Use the contact form or email [email protected].
• Include your macOS version, your Octet version (bottom-left of the window), the device model, and the lines from the transfer log (Export log… saves them to a file).
• What’s new in each version: Octet release notes.