Then, I added a remote device to Syncthing on my desktop PC and on the RPi0 (both installations of Syncthing have to have the other device added). Due to some initial problems with syncing, I unlinked my desktop and Surface Go from syncing, and moved the files and folders out of my default sync folder so that the sync folder is empty to begin with.
#Syncthing server software#
Since I installed Apple’s Bonjour software as part of Mitch Allen’s instructions above, I was able to easily connect to the RPi0’s Syncthing web admin page by going to “raspberrypi.local:8384” on my desktop’s web browser.īefore setting up Syncthing to sync files, I wanted to lockdown the web admin page by going to Actions > Settings > GUI where I checked “Use HTTPS for GUI” and added a “GUI Authentication User” and “GUI Authentication Password”.Īs a test, I rebooted the RPi0 and confirmed that Syncthing launched automatically at bootup and confirmed that authentication was required to access the web admin page remotely.Īlso, I made sure that I had Syncthing running on the desktop computer and the RPi0. Next, I followed these detailed directions for installing and configuring Syncthing to launch and load automatically when the RPi0 is powered up. I used Etcher to copy Raspbian Lite to the SanDisk Ultra 64GB microSD card and inserted it into the RPi0 before powering it up. Then, I followed Mitch Allen’s excellent directions for setting up a headless RPi0.
#Syncthing server install#
A case for the RPi0 wasn’t necessary, but I thought it prudent to get one for two reasons: 1) I have a cat and a small thing with a wire sticking out might be enticing, and 2) I plan to leave it on all the time, so a heatsink like the one included in this case kit will help dissipate heat produced by the RPi0’s CPU.Īssembling the Raspberry Pi Zero W in a C4 Labs Zebra Black Ice Case with Heatsinkīefore powering up the RPi0, I downloaded Raspbian Lite (a lean version of the Linux-based Raspbian OS for the RPi), balena Etcher (to burn the installer image to my microSD card), PuTTY (to SSH into the RPi0 to configure, administer, and install software), and Apple’s Bonjour network printer software (to easily connect to the. I will configure and control it remotely over my LAN.īefore turning to the software and preparing the microSD card for the RPi, I assembled the case and installed the heatsink on the CPU. I setup the RPi0 as a headless computer, meaning that it doesn’t have a monitor or keyboard attached. I picked up a RPi0 version 1.1, a C4 Labs Zebra Zero Black Ice Case with heatsink from Microcenter using their curbside pickup, which cost about $26 total. Raspberry Pi Micro USB Power Supply, Raspberry Pi Zero W, and C4 Labs Zebra Zero Black Ice Case
So, it made sense to combine my use of Syncthing with my enthusiasm for tiny computing by adding a third node to my Syncthing setup with a $10 Raspberry Pi Zero W (RPi0). I’ve been wanting to add a third node in my personal cloud storage solution, in part as an exercise in Linux and tiny computing and in part as another safe repository of my files. When Dropbox became more bloated with the new app design and refusing to offer a lower cost tier for those of us with modestly lower file synchronization needs, I began using Syncthing to create a folder of files synchronized between my desktop computer (at home) and my Surface Go (laptop used at work).
The Raspberry Pi and other lightweight computers demonstrate how even small computers are powerful enough for servers and desktop computing. Think Dropbox but on my own hardware.Īlso, I like tiny, low-power computers, like the Raspberry Pi 2. Syncthing helps me pickup and continue my work regardless of the device I happen to be using, because it synchronizes my files across all devices. I like Syncthing, the continuous file synchronization program.