Sharing files between machines

krystah · 2011-12-08 14:07:40

Hiya.

I started using Slackware approximately 1 year ago and just recently made the jump to Arch. Loving it.

Prior to this, I have just been using Windows, so my knowledge in common applications and usage is still rather limited.
During this year of fiddling, fixing and breaking, I have come to the conclusion that I would really like to find a more effecient
way to share files (not large, mainly rc-files) between computers.

For half a year or so I just installed Dropbox and shared them that way, but it just seemed to "Windowsy" and weird. I prefer using the CLI,
but other Linux'y solutions are very welcome. Right now I send the files I want to share on a mail to myself and download them from my mail,
and this feels like something my mother would do. I am ashamed. Please enlighten me!

Best regards,
Krystah

lifeafter2am · 2011-12-08 14:18:20

I use this for quickly sharing files between machines: http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=32312

If you looking for something more Dropbox like you could do something like this: http://bbox.nois3lab.it/ ; or maybe this: http://sparkleshare.org/

VirtualRider · 2011-12-08 14:21:22

Hi,

I assume that you want to share files between computers with Linux as their OS. Take a look at sshfs. You can mount directories of remote computers with it. For me, it is the best way to share some files. Another way would be to use Samba, which is a more common way, i think. Samba is freezing my system while transferring bigger files and turns out to be slow, probably because of some kind of misconfiguration by me, which i couldnt determine, yet.

Regards
VR

nomilieu · 2011-12-08 14:29:17

You could set up a nfs.
It really just depends on what your needs are (i.e., this just for home, or you need to get to it from elsewhere?).

Last edited by nomilieu (2011-12-08 14:31:32)

krystah · 2011-12-08 14:34:30

Wow, thanks for the swift replies! I will read up on the options you have mentioned and do some experimenting, thanks a load!

Krystah

jdarnold · 2011-12-08 15:37:00

I guess one question would be what sort of connection do the computers you want to share files with have? If it is a home network, then personally I would just use Samba, even for Linux sharing, as it is most flexible and allows sharing for other OSes too. But if it is for a work and a home machine, then Dropbox is pretty good for smaller files. Not sure why you say it is "Windows-y". Its Linux client works well and is just a daemon that keeps the remote storage in sync.

Awebb · 2011-12-08 15:59:21

Maybe he doesn't know about the dropbox cli interface in AUR.

I use dropbox+symlinks. Exuse my weird explaination, I'm at work, burried under logfiles, just taking a 5min break ~.~

computer1:
~/.conf/real.rc
create ~/Dropbox/symlink_to_real.rc

computer2:
~/Dropbox/symlink_to_real.rc copy once to ~/.conf/real.rc
create ~/Dropbox/symlink_to_real.rc

Both computers will now share the same ~/.conf/real.rc

/dev/zero · 2011-12-08 19:20:02

krystah wrote:

I have come to the conclusion that I would really like to find a more effecient way to share files (not large, mainly rc-files) between computers.
For half a year or so I just installed Dropbox and shared them that way, but it just seemed to "Windowsy" and weird. I prefer using the CLI, but other Linux'y solutions are very welcome. Right now I send the files I want to share on a mail to myself and download them from my mail, and this feels like something my mother would do. I am ashamed. Please enlighten me!

I'm reminded of this :-)

VirtualRider wrote:

I assume that you want to share files between computers with Linux as their OS. Take a look at sshfs. You can mount directories of remote computers with it. For me, it is the best way to share some files.

+1

I recently discovered sshfs on the Arch Wiki and am loving it. One of those things which I wish I knew about when I first started using Linux. Definitely consider using sshfs if you're mainly sharing between unices.

RichAustin · 2011-12-08 19:53:11

Personally I just use Dropbox. I even have Thunderbird email setup on it - just create a thunderbird folder in dropbox, and then create a link called .thunderbird in your home folder replacing the original .thunderbird.

Other than that I use rsync via an open-ssh connection with a very simple syntax such as:

# Backup Pictures
rsync -Cavz /media/data/Pictures/ richard@192.168.1.3:/backups/data/

Samba, as has been said already is useful as well.

Trygil · 2011-12-08 20:28:53

Awebb wrote:

computer1:
~/.conf/real.rc
create ~/Dropbox/symlink_to_real.rc
computer2:
~/Dropbox/symlink_to_real.rc copy once to ~/.conf/real.rc
create ~/Dropbox/symlink_to_real.rc
Both computers will now share the same ~/.conf/real.rc

Wow, I literally just facepalmed. I've been using a git repo, but this is a much more elegant solution. Thanks for sharing!

echo.unity · 2011-12-08 20:34:33

Well if I need to transfer small files internally and fast w/o sending it to some other server I use:

python -m SimpleHTTPServer

Brcher · 2011-12-12 22:04:42

sshfs was amazingly easy to set up. Like, 10 minutes easy. Definitely worth looking into if you want something simple.

(full disclosure: I already had sshd running on my desktop)

If you're only sharing a few files, scp may do as well. (scp user@remote-pc:/location/of/file /where/you/want/it/to/go)

It really depends on where you're sharing, though. Is it all to/from computers you own? The advantage of being web-browser based is a pretty huge one for dropbox/most email, if you're using others' computers.

Awebb · 2011-12-12 22:30:47

Brcher wrote:

The advantage of being web-browser based is a pretty huge one for dropbox/most email, if you're using others' computers.

Dropbox has a web interface with additional features. I'm not going to advertise this any further, but the only three downsides are bandwidth, file space and how much you trust the host.

redguardtoo · 2011-12-21 07:24:13

I bought a private repo at github.com and put all my rc files under version control.

For larger multimedia files (pdf,video, mp3), I use dropbox.

I also use ipmsg(windows)/qipmsg(linux) to transfer huge files (20G, for example) between computers.

Last edited by redguardtoo (2011-12-21 07:24:55)

Arch Linux

#1 2011-12-08 14:07:40

Sharing files between machines

#2 2011-12-08 14:18:20

Re: Sharing files between machines

#3 2011-12-08 14:21:22

Re: Sharing files between machines

#4 2011-12-08 14:29:17

Re: Sharing files between machines

#5 2011-12-08 14:34:30

Re: Sharing files between machines

#6 2011-12-08 15:37:00

Re: Sharing files between machines

#7 2011-12-08 15:59:21

Re: Sharing files between machines

#8 2011-12-08 19:20:02

Re: Sharing files between machines

#9 2011-12-08 19:53:11

Re: Sharing files between machines

#10 2011-12-08 20:28:53

Re: Sharing files between machines

#11 2011-12-08 20:34:33

Re: Sharing files between machines

#12 2011-12-12 22:04:42

Re: Sharing files between machines

#13 2011-12-12 22:30:47

Re: Sharing files between machines

#14 2011-12-21 07:24:13

Re: Sharing files between machines

Board footer