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    Desktop and a Laptop synchronization

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by vaio_boi, Feb 10, 2009.

  1. vaio_boi

    vaio_boi Notebook Evangelist

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    If I get a desktop that has 64 bit vista and a laptop with vista 32 bit or a mac or a netbook.......what is the best way to synchronize the two or remotely synchronize them both? The reason is that if I get a desktop.....I want it to be my main computer at home (kind of like a server)...having all of my tv shows, movies, music, documents etc...And then for my laptop or a netbook, I want to carry it with me to University everyday. However, I don't want to keep on emailing myself the work I do on my desktop to my laptop and vice versa everyday. Is there a way to have the two connected somehow not just in the network of the house but far away as well? What is the best way about doing this?
     
    vaio_boi, Feb 10, 2009
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  2. zakaluka

    zakaluka Notebook Consultant

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    Windows comes with Remote Desktop, which will allow you to access files on your desktop while at the University. This is a simple solution and is free. Most guides on the net are for XP, but here's one for Vista: http://www.vistaclues.com/connect-to-a-computer-using-remote-desktop/.

    If you want a more feature-rich solution, LogMeIn.com ( https://secure.logmein.com/which bought out Hamachi) has a pay solution. It is a decent piece of software as long as you are willing to pay for it.

    If you are more DIY, you can check out a VNC server/client (such as at http://www.tightvnc.com/). Another alternative is to set up your own FTP server on the desktop ( http://filezilla-project.org/) and access it using any FTP client.

    If you don't want an online solution but just want to synchronize certain files/folders between the 2 machines, you have a lot of options. Check out http://lifehacker.com/372175/free-ways-to-synchronize-folders-between-computers and http://www.instantfundas.com/2008/10/5-free-tools-to-synchronize-files.html for a comparison of some synchronization software.

    Remote Desktop/VNC/LogMeIn/FTP
    Pros: Fast on most networks, only one copy of the file exists, changes are made in realtime.
    Cons: Only works if you have a network connection of some sort. Losing network connectivity can mean any changes you made are lost (save often!).

    Synchronization
    Pros: Offline, don't need an active network all the time.
    Cons: Must remember to synchronize, or there might end up being 2 separate versions of the same document. Different synchronization software behaves differently if there is a conflict. Might have to purchase the synchro software if you can't find the features you need in free ones.

    EDIT: If you use a network solution (vs offline synchronization), you will also have to look into how to open a port in your router / firewall on the home setup to ensure you can connect to your desktop.

    If you have a more specific question, please don't hesitate to ask.

    Regards,

    z.
     
    zakaluka, Feb 10, 2009
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