Setting Up Syncthing on Your Raspberry Pi

Ben
Ben
@benjislab

Syncthing is a free, open-source file synchronization application that allows you to synchronize your files across multiple devices securely over the internet. It is a fantastic tool for keeping files up-to-date on all your devices without relying on cloud services. Here’s how you can set up Syncthing on your Raspberry Pi to create a private, efficient file-syncing system.

Equipment Needed

  • Raspberry Pi with Raspberry Pi OS installed
  • Internet connection
  • Access to a terminal on the Raspberry Pi

Step 1: Update Your Raspberry Pi

Before you start, make sure your Raspberry Pi is up to date with the latest packages. Open a terminal and run:

sudo apt  update  sudo apt upgrade

This will help ensure compatibility and security with the Syncthing installation.

Install Syncthing

  1. Add the Syncthing repository: Syncthing isn’t available directly from the default Raspberry Pi OS repositories, but you can add it manually. First, install the necessary software to add a new repository securely:
sudo apt install curl apt-transport-https
  1. Add the Syncthing repository key:
curl -s https://syncthing.net/release-key.txt | sudo apt-key add -
  1. Add the repository:
echo  "deb https://apt.syncthing.net/ syncthing stable"  | sudo  tee/etc/apt/sources.list.d/syncthing.list
  1. Update and install Syncthing:
sudo apt  update  sudo apt install syncthing

Configure Syncthing to Start Automatically

Syncthing should be configured to start automatically when the Raspberry Pi boots up:

  1. Enable the Syncthing service for your user account: Replace pi with your username if different:
systemctl enable [email protected] systemctl  start  [email protected]
  1. Check the status of the Syncthing service:
systemctl  status  [email protected]

Accessing Syncthing

Syncthing runs a web interface on port 8384. You can access it by opening a web browser and navigating to:

http://<your-raspberry-pi-ip>:8384

Replace <your-raspberry-pi-ip> with the actual IP address of your Raspberry Pi.

Configuring Devices and Folders

Within the Syncthing web interface, you can add other devices with which you want to synchronize files. Each device you wish to sync with must also have Syncthing installed. Use the unique device ID to pair devices securely.

You can also specify which folders you want to sync. Syncthing allows you to configure these settings with detailed options for how and when files are synchronized.

Conclusion

With Syncthing installed on your Raspberry Pi, you now have a powerful tool to synchronize your data across multiple devices without relying on third-party cloud storage providers. This not only enhances your control over your data but also increases your privacy and security. Syncthing’s versatility makes it ideal for personal backups, sharing files across your home network, or ensuring you have access to your files on any device, anytime.