Syncing with UNC path

[Vampire337]

I just set up FreeFileSync as a docker container on an existing PhotonOS Linux virtual machine. I want to sync a folder "/users/myname/documents" with "\\mylaptopname\c$\users\myname\Documents". I've been poking around in the webui and have been able to find the local storage location just fine, but I've had no luck with finding a way to add a UNC path. I tried symbolic links in the storage folder and that seems to not work. Is there a guide I haven't found which explains setting up a sync between a local folder and a network (UNC) share?

[xCSxXenon]

You could mount the network path and use the local mount point in FFS or use the UNC path directly

[Vampire337]

Using the UNC path directly doesn't appear to work (this is what I was trying to do initially). When I attempt to enter "\\mylaptopname\c$", FreeFileSync interprets it as "/config\\mylaptopname\c$" when I hit Compare. Since that doesn't seem to work, I was expecting to be able to add the UNC location (and credentials) in Other Locations, but I didn't see anywhere to enter it.

I will try mounting the UNC path externally. Where would I enter the credentials to connect to the UNC path to a CIFS share on another PC?

[whalehead99]

I am very interested in installing FreeFileSync on my NAS in a docker container. I want to be able to 'sync' all my files from the 'hostNAS' to a 'backupNAS' on the same network. How did you solve mounting a UNC path including the credentials? Do you have a link to the Linux virtual machine you used? I don't have a lot of docker/linux experience, but I am learning - I have about 9 docker containers that are running well - and a few (many) more I'm struggling with :). I current have my desktop run freefilesync.batch files and the desktop takes care of running these. I'd prefer to do this entirely on the NAS's and remove this burden from my desktop. Thoughts? Help? Thanks!

[John1234]

Why not Implement SFTP server on your Nas and do it that way that way you don't need UNC paths.

[whalehead99]

Interesting... I don't know what SFTP server is or how to implement it, but I will look into this, thank you.
I would still need FreeFileSync in a docker container, though. Thoughts?

[John1234]

Sftp is provided by open SSH server which most network attached storage servers already load by default but you can check it by using the SFTP command on your ffs software.
Choose the address of your Nas along with your user ID.


This command will tell you if SSH/sftp is running on your Nas and what port.


sudo ss -tulnp | grep ssh

sudo apt install openssh-server
Will do the install if it's not already there.

[therube]

\\mylaptopname\c$\users\myname\Documents

Is your Target location?
Are you able to access that from the source computer using (oh, Linux) - using not sure, but some equivalent to Windows Explorer (& outside of any "docker container")?

I'd think that C$ to be an atypical way to access a share.
If you set up a specific share to your laptop, & specifically shared \Documents (can you do that without sharing the intervening directories ?), does that then work?

So something like:
\\VAMPSLAP\C\users\myname\Documents