Unofficial WAN Client

Unofficial WAN Client is a Linux-first desktop client for watching the WAN Show on Floatplane with low-latency live playback, live chat, desktop notifications, and optional Friday-night auto-watch scheduling.

Download

• Latest AppImage: https://github.com/NeonN3mesis/unofficial-wan-client/releases/latest

Launch the AppImage on Linux after making it executable:

chmod +x Unofficial.WAN.Client-*.AppImage
./Unofficial.WAN.Client-*.AppImage

Highlights

• Low-latency live playback tuned for Floatplane's IVS live stream, with manual catch-up that can jump much closer to the live edge on demand
• Local-only desktop app with a backend bound to 127.0.0.1
• Managed Chrome/Chromium sign-in flow for using your own Floatplane account
• Opaque local playback routes instead of raw upstream media URLs
• Live chat relay, tray/background mode, and Linux autostart support
• Desktop notifications for go-live, reconnect-required, staff-reply, and metadata-update events
• Mini-player mode, always-on-top, and live playback controls for catching up to the stream
• Recovery notices for reconnect, buffering, and playback problems instead of silent failures
• Optional auto-watch window that can restore the app and start playback when the stream goes live

Features

• Sign in with your own Floatplane account through a managed local browser flow
• Watch the show in a focused desktop player with live-edge catch-up controls and lower live delay than the original browser workflow
• Keep chat and playback together in one window instead of juggling browser tabs
• Run the app in the tray and let it auto-open when the WAN Show goes live
• Enable mini-player mode or pin the window on top while doing other things
• Get explicit reconnect and recovery feedback when auth, network, or playback needs attention

Low-latency live playback

• The client is optimized around Floatplane's live delivery path instead of treating the stream like ordinary buffered playback.
• During a real WAN Show live test on April 3, 2026, the client held around 5.3s behind live in steady playback, and manual catch-up reached roughly 0.6s behind live.
• The goal is simple: keep chat usable relative to the live discussion without turning playback into a stuttering mess.

Screenshots

Live player and chat

Live player with diagnostics

Quick start

1. Download the latest AppImage from the releases page.
2. Launch the app on Linux.
3. Click Connect Floatplane.
4. Finish sign-in in the managed browser window.
5. Return to the app and click Finish Sign-In.
6. Optionally enable auto-watch and edit the weekly watch window.

Desktop defaults

• Auto-watch is off until you enable it.
• The default watch window is Friday, 19:00 to 00:00, using the local system timezone.
• When auto-watch detects the stream has started, the app restores or opens the main window and starts playback immediately.
• If the saved session is expired during the active watch window, the app opens the reconnect flow automatically.

Requirements

• Linux x64
• Node.js 20+ for development builds
• A locally installed Chrome or Chromium-based browser for managed sign-in
• Your own Floatplane account

Development

Install dependencies and run the local app stack:

npm install
npm run dev
npm run dev:desktop

Build and test:

npm run build
npm test

Build a Linux AppImage locally:

npm run dist:linux

Test auto-watch without a real broadcast

Launch the hidden desktop app and simulate a live launch:

npm run dev:desktop:simulate-live

Launch the hidden desktop app and simulate a reconnect prompt:

npm run dev:desktop:simulate-reauth

Or launch in background and trigger checks manually from the tray:

npm run dev:desktop:background

These Linux dev scripts launch Electron with --no-sandbox to avoid the local chrome-sandbox SUID requirement inside node_modules/electron.

Local data and security

• Desktop builds store runtime data under the Electron user-data directory, not under apps/server/data.
• The embedded server listens on loopback only.
• Playback URLs exposed to the renderer are opaque local routes, not raw upstream fetch targets.
• Clearing the session also tears down managed browser state used by the app runtime.
• Do not share cookies, storage-state files, Chrome profiles, HAR captures, or probe payloads from real accounts.

Why trust this?

• The full source is public, so you can inspect what the app does before using it.
• The desktop app keeps its local backend on 127.0.0.1 instead of exposing it on your network.
• Floatplane sign-in happens in a managed browser window, not through a custom password form inside the app UI.
• The repo includes a public security review: security-audit-2026-03-28.md
• Release artifacts ship with checksums so you can verify what you downloaded.
• You can clear the saved session from the app without manually digging through repo files.

What data is stored?

• Desktop preferences such as auto-watch settings, mini-player mode, and notification preferences
• Local session and managed-browser state needed to reuse your Floatplane login between launches
• Runtime playback and relay data under the Electron user-data directory
• Temporary in-app state such as live metadata and chat messages while the app is running

The app is designed to keep this data local to your machine. It is not a cloud service, and it does not need an external account beyond your own Floatplane login.

Known limits

• This is an unofficial client and is not affiliated with Floatplane or Linus Media Group.
• The packaged release is Linux-first.
• Floatplane polls/voting interactions are not currently implemented yet.
• Upstream Floatplane changes can break playback, chat, or sign-in behavior without warning.
• Real-world reliability still depends on more live-show usage over time, especially across upstream changes.
• If you are uncomfortable storing a local reusable Floatplane session on your machine, you should use the website instead.

Terms-of-service risk

• This project is unofficial and may violate Floatplane's Terms of Service, especially where it reuses session state, interacts with internal delivery endpoints, relays playback, or reproduces chat behavior outside Floatplane's first-party clients.
• Floatplane could change its service, block access patterns used by this app, suspend accounts, or object to public distribution of unofficial clients at any time.
• Use your own Floatplane account only if you understand and accept that risk.
• In short: use at your own risk.

Contributing

• Contributor guide: CONTRIBUTING.md
• Security policy: SECURITY.md
• Release process: releasing.md

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Note: This client proudly reports a Firefox session under the hood for real floaters.