Hi all,
I want to configure a synchronisation to a destination folder on a system with different credentials. I can configure credentials for FTP and SFTP but is it possible to do this with SMB-based synchronisation destinations, too? And if this is possible, how can I configure it in FreeFileSync?
Thank You
TheExpert
Syncing to folder with different credentials
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- Joined: 13 Aug 2018
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- Posts: 2271
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You don't mention your OS. I will assume Windows.
The first time you (try to) connect to an SMB network resource by default Windows tries to connect using its present Windows-user credentials. If that user is not known (at the network resource), Windows will connect as the "guest" user in the network resource, provided access for guest-users is permitted. If no guest access is permitted, Windows will prompt you for user credentials, which you can then provide.
Credentials ultimately all come together in the Windows Credential Manager, irrespective of whether you use a mapped network drive, or a URL or IP-address based network address.
The Windows Credential Manager is the place where Windows stores your credentials (if so selected) per network resource. And also the place where you can change or delete the stored credentials per network resource.
Note that Windows does not allow any given Windows-user to simultaneously connect to the same network resource under different user credentials. E.g.: you can not connect to ShareA on a NAS under the credentials of UserA, while simultaneously connecting to ShareB on that same NAS under the credentials of UserB.
If this is your use-case, let me know. I can then provide details on potential workarounds.
The first time you (try to) connect to an SMB network resource by default Windows tries to connect using its present Windows-user credentials. If that user is not known (at the network resource), Windows will connect as the "guest" user in the network resource, provided access for guest-users is permitted. If no guest access is permitted, Windows will prompt you for user credentials, which you can then provide.
Credentials ultimately all come together in the Windows Credential Manager, irrespective of whether you use a mapped network drive, or a URL or IP-address based network address.
The Windows Credential Manager is the place where Windows stores your credentials (if so selected) per network resource. And also the place where you can change or delete the stored credentials per network resource.
Note that Windows does not allow any given Windows-user to simultaneously connect to the same network resource under different user credentials. E.g.: you can not connect to ShareA on a NAS under the credentials of UserA, while simultaneously connecting to ShareB on that same NAS under the credentials of UserB.
If this is your use-case, let me know. I can then provide details on potential workarounds.
- Posts: 68
- Joined: 13 Aug 2018
Hi Plerry,
thank you for this detailed answer. Yes, you're right. I'm using FreeFileSync with Windows. I know, that Windows can save the credentials in the credentials manager.
I forgot to mention that I'm using a VBS script for running scheduled tasks starting FreeFileSync batch jobs to get a mail notification of the synchronisation result. For this it would be great to configure user credentials for the folders because in this case the credentials manager isn't used for login to the folders
I solved my issue with adding the same user account on the Windows system running FreeFileSync and on the Windows destination system like it is configured on the Linux based file server source. Then I let run the scheduled task in the context of this user account to get synchronized my data.
Kind Regards
TheExpert
thank you for this detailed answer. Yes, you're right. I'm using FreeFileSync with Windows. I know, that Windows can save the credentials in the credentials manager.
I forgot to mention that I'm using a VBS script for running scheduled tasks starting FreeFileSync batch jobs to get a mail notification of the synchronisation result. For this it would be great to configure user credentials for the folders because in this case the credentials manager isn't used for login to the folders
I solved my issue with adding the same user account on the Windows system running FreeFileSync and on the Windows destination system like it is configured on the Linux based file server source. Then I let run the scheduled task in the context of this user account to get synchronized my data.
Kind Regards
TheExpert
