Dropbox syncing over WLAN.

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bigboy529

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Hi all, the network noob again.
How can I get Dropbox LAN syncing to work between devices on a wifi network? Maybe the question should rather be how do I set up a WLAN?

Setup, TP-Link Archer D9 used as main router and ADSL modem. Intellinet AP wired to the TP-Link.
Windows 7 PC connecting wirelessly on 2.4 GHz, Windows 7 laptop connecting wirelessly to 2.4 GHz, iMac connecting wirelessly to 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.

At this point I can't wire the iMac and PC, but that's the plan eventually, so for now I'll need to set up a WLAN, I thought it's as simple as connecting each to the same wifi SSID, but clearly not.
 
Doesn't dropbox do all its syncing in the cloud?

Files saved to a dropbox folder are going to automatically populate on all pc's with dropbox installed, linked to that account or shared dropbox folder?

I assume you want to sync folders locally, without using data uploading to the cloud?

EDIT: https://www.dropbox.com/en/help/137
 
Last edited:
sand_man said:
Doesn't dropbox do all its syncing in the cloud?

Files saved to a dropbox folder are going to automatically populate on all pc's with dropbox installed, linked to that account or shared dropbox folder?

I assume you want to sync folders locally, without using data uploading to the cloud?

EDIT: https://www.dropbox.com/en/help/137
Click to expand...
Correct

Dropbox - > Internet - > Dropbox
 
It uses the internet to know when to sync...it will look locally for the file that was updated or created. If it can source it locally, it should use your LAN to sync the other PC's on your network.
 
So the file will be available on the lan a lot sooner than it would be uploaded to the cloud? Assuming it's quite a large file? Upwards of 30mb? But eventually it will be uploaded.

Not sure what OP is trying to do specifically but there might be a better way....?
 
I would have though local share would be the more practical way of doing it. Smb.
 
Currently if I dump files in the Dropbox folder on Machine A it gets uploaded to the cloud. But then after the upload, machine B goes and downloads all that new files from the cloud in to its Dropbox folder.

As I understand, if machines are on a LAN this should work differently. I'll dump files in to the Dropbox folder on machine A and it will be uploaded to the cloud. But then machine B will pull that files in to its Dropbox folder over the LAN rather than using the internet to download it from the cloud again.

It's not so much a issue of wasting data, it's more a issue of time and being stuck with South African ADSL speeds of hardly 1 Mbps up and 6 Mbps down.
 
Awesome when it works. I don't use Dropbox all that much these days but the main advantage for me was when I turn on my laptop anything new/changed will sync in seconds rather than minutes. I run a Dropbox Docker on unraid specifically just for the lan sync.
 
rorz0r said:
Awesome when it works. I don't use Dropbox all that much these days but the main advantage for me was when I turn on my laptop anything new/changed will sync in seconds rather than minutes. I run a Dropbox Docker on unraid specifically just for the lan sync.
Click to expand...


Exactly what I'm after, syncing in seconds rather than minuts or hours.
 
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