Help (resolved) Sync directories between Android and Windows 10.

[Advait]

I've got Android P and Windows 10. I want to 2-way sync files between them. I don't want to use a cloud based service. I only want to do local sync with wifi or USB cable. Is Syncthing.net considered the best solution for this? Or are there better solutions for local syncing? I'm happy to pay for a good sync app. Any recommendations much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MoodyBlues]

I'm happy to pay for a good sync app.

If you were using Linux on your computer, as you are on your phone, you could use its built-in rsync command. I don't know if it's available for windows, but it's an amazing tool.

 

[svim]

+1 for Syncthing. It's free, Open Source, and available for multiple operating systems. It can be set up to only work within your LAN, or since you want to avoid proprietary cloud storage services, you can set up your own online server using something like DigitalOcean or Nextcloud.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nutomic.syncthingandroid&hl=en_US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncthing
https://syncthing.net/



DigitalOcean
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yassirh.digitalocean&hl=en_US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DigitalOcean
https://www.digitalocean.com/

Nextcloud
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nextcloud.client&hl=en_US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nextcloud
https://nextcloud.com/

 

[Advait]

If you were using Linux on your computer, as you are on your phone, you could use its built-in rsync command. I don't know if it's available for windows, but it's an amazing tool.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rsync Hmmm, here it looks like some variations of rsync for Windows...? I'll do some research. Thanks for the heads-up on rsync.

 

[Advait]

+1 for Syncthing. It's free, Open Source, and available for multiple operating systems. It can be set up to only work within your LAN, or since you want to avoid proprietary cloud storage services, you can set up your own online server using something like DigitalOcean or Nextcloud.

Cool. Thanks for the info and links, very helpful. I've never learned anything about Linux admin CLI and never have set up my own online server and never used anything like DigOcean or Nextcloud. How steep is the learning curve for a newbie like me to setup my own online Linux server? Does it require a lot of Linux CLI knowledge? I have zero CLI experience. And I don't have a lot of free time.

Would the online Linux server be purely CLI? Or could I install one of the Linux GUIs?

My guess is the learning curve for me to do this is too long and too steep. What do you think? Are there some youtube videos that go thru the setup step by step?

I wonder how much it would cost to have a good remote Linux admin set it up for me? (and show me how to use and maintain it) I'd have to search those online freelance sites.

UPDATE: I googled and it seems NextCloud is some app you run on a Linux server. I'll have to research. I thought NextCloud was like DigOcean.

UPDATE: So the steps would be setup a Linux server on Digocean and then install Nextcoud home free version. Would this involve a lot of Linux CLI knowledge? Or can I set up Nextcloud using a GUI?

Does Nextcloud have the ability to automatically 2-way sync file changes between my mobile and Windows 10 pc? If Nextcloud can't do this is there some other app that can?

Can Nextcloud sync files thru NATs?

 

[Advait]

you can set up your own online server using something like DigitalOcean or Nextcloud.

Would AWS EC2 be a good alternative to DigOcean? Looks like EC2 (PaaS) manages more levels of the stack versus DigOcean (IaaS). Reference https://serverguy.com/comparison/digitalocean-vs-aws-ec2/

Also, isn't EC2 cheaper than DigOcean?

 

[svim]

Would AWS EC2 be a good alternative to DigOcean? Looks like EC2 (PaaS) manages more levels of the stack versus DigOcean (IaaS). Reference https://serverguy.com/comparison/digitalocean-vs-aws-ec2/

Also, isn't EC2 cheaper than DigOcean?

Well even that article you posted indicated DigitalOcean will be cheaper but now the topic is moving away from just an online file server to something that's more involved. DigitalOcean is stable and expansive, and can be used to a lot more than just a file server, but AWS does have a bigger feature set. Do you intend on doing a lot more commercially-focused things with your online server(s)? Also, there's going to be a learning process no matter which service you choose and the CLI aspect is of course an option but you'll be doing your setup, maintenance, and administrative tasks through a browser web interface.
You might want to stick with setting up Syncthing for now and get all your mobile devices and computers syncing to each other just over your home network. That's going to be project as is, then later add in something like an online file server so you have a good, off-site backup.

 

[Advait]

You might want to stick with setting up Syncthing for now and get all your mobile devices and computers syncing to each other just over your home network. That's going to be project as is.

This sounds good. I'll get started with Syncthing. I just have one mobile and one pc, so should be pretty easy. Thanks!

Just curious though; does a person need to know some linux command line stuff to set up an online VPS?

 

[svim]

.....
Just curious though; does a person need to know some linux command line stuff to set up an online VPS?

No, again with services like DigitalOcean or AWS you can just use their GUI-based web interface to manage your online servers.

But if you are interested in getting more familiar with working with the CLI more, you might want to install the VirtualBox utility on your PC:
https://www.virtualbox.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirtualBox
You can set up individual virtual machines (note that each will be dependent on how much RAM is on your PC, and how much free disk space is available), install different operating systems onto each, and the end result will be your host operating system will remain as is but whenever you want to experiment with a chosen Linux distro you've installed on one of your VMs, you just start up the VirtualBox utility, chose that VM, and that Linux install will boot up. Leave it running and you can switch back and forth between operating systems whenever you want. It's a nice way to learn a new OS without getting another PC. And since the VM is an full operating system with basic networking functionality, you can experiment with different file sharing services, GUI or CLI based, between your host OS and your VM OS. It's a safer way than doing the same thing with an actual online server.

 

[MoodyBlues]

@Advait, I just want to throw something out here, in case you, or anyone, thinks Linux is all about cryptic commands issued at a command line: it's not!

Modern Linux distros, like my default, Kubuntu, are stunningly beautiful, with GUIs to do virtually everything, but with full *nix guts under the hood for those of us who prefer doing tasks CLI.

Don't let fear of not having CLI experience stop you from trying Linux on computers. You're already using it on your phone.

 

[Advait]

No, again with services like DigitalOcean or AWS you can just use their GUI-based web interface to manage your online servers.

Good news. I'll check out some youtube vids that go thru the process. Thx. When I get time (!), I want to play around with setting up a simple Linux VPS with Nextcloud. Looks like could be quite useful.

 

[Advait]

@Advait, I just want to throw something out here, in case you, or anyone, thinks Linux is all about cryptic commands issued at a command line: it's not! Modern Linux distros, like my default, Kubuntu, are stunningly beautiful, with GUIs to do virtually everything, but with full *nix guts under the hood for those of us who prefer doing tasks CLI. Don't let fear of not having CLI experience stop you from trying Linux on computers. You're already using it on your phone.

About 6 or 7 years ago I was using Ubuntu and Windows in dual boot mode. Ubuntu was great but once in a while I'd hit some technical glitch that required me to get on the forums to track down arcane CLI commands to fix it. I'm sure that now it's much better. Again, when I get time (!), I want to play around with Linux again.

 

[MoodyBlues]

About 6 or 7 years ago I was using Ubuntu and Windows in dual boot mode. Ubuntu was great but once in a while I'd hit some technical glitch that required me to get on the forums to track down arcane CLI commands to fix it. I'm sure that now it's much better. Again, when I get time (!), I want to play around with Linux again.

I've used Kubuntu, well I started with Ubuntu, since its 5.04 release--in other words, almost 15 years ago. I remember the days of manually configuring...almost everything! Because everything, like notorious 'winmodems,' were meant to work only with windows.

Those days are long gone. I can't remember the last time I had a hardware issue. Everything just works out of the box, like Logitech wireless trackballs, with no setup at all.

I hope you'll give Kubuntu a spin. It's beyond beautiful and solid as a rock!

 

[Advait]

I hope you'll give Kubuntu a spin. Its beyond beautiful and solid as a rock!

Thanks. This is one of a number of projects on my ''do when I'm finally retired'' list.