2BrightSparks Help and Support

Introduction

This article shows how to create a network share to backup or synchronize files from a desktop (source) to a computer on the network (destination).

You must first share your destination folder on the network. 

You can do this by:

- Run Windows File Explorer on your networked PC
- Right-click on the directory you want to sync with (or store your backup files)
- Select Properties from the pop-up menu
- Click on the Sharing tab and Advanced Sharing button
- Check the Share this folder option
- Click the Permissions button
- Tick the Full Control item under Permissions for Everyone
- Click OK

Now on your desktop:

- Run SyncBack
- Modify/create your profile
- Go to the Simple page
- Enter the UNC path (\\HostName\ShareName\path\ or \\IPAddress\ShareName\path\) in the Destination/Right
- If your Destination/Right computer requires username and password credentials to connect to it, you may need to save these credentials under: Expert > Network settings page, and test the connection
- Click OK to save the profile.

Note: it's likely that network access to files hosted on machines running later versions of Windows (by another networked machine running an earlier version of Windows) may be more problematic due to (more) restrictive security in the newer version of Windows, and/or security modes, access tokens, etc., that differ between the two systems). Older versions of Windows are generally less restrictive in that respect, so you may have more success installing on the machine with the newer Windows version and accessing the older machine/version's files over the network. Such a setup may thus be able to access the files on both sides more easily.

Older versions of Windows are generally less restrictive in that respect, so you may have more success installing on the machine with the newer Windows version and accessing the older machine/version's files over the network. Such a setup may thus be able to access the files on both sides more easily.

SyncBack Touch

An alternative to using a network share is to use SyncBack Touch. SyncBack Touch is a cross-platform file server. It lets SyncBackPro and SyncBackSE copy files to and from another device, e.g. Windows, macOS, Linux or Android device, over the network (LAN or Internet). SyncBackFree cannot use SyncBack Touch.

Simply install SyncBack Touch on the device you want to access the files on and then create a profile in SyncBackPro/SE to use that device.There are advantages to using SyncBack Touch in this case, e.g. you can copy open/locked files and don't need to worry about Windows passwords.