Dropbox Enable LAN Sync

Dropbox how it works

Imagine a situation where you have Dropbox installed on your desktop and you drop some files into the Dropbox folder.

What happens next?

Files are uploaded into the cloud (Dropbox servers)
Dropbox server gets the file(s) and looks for an existing match on its servers.
If the file is new (or modified) it sends sync request to the entire linked Dropbox clients
The new (or modified) file(s) is downloaded to the linked clients
Sync is complete

That’s fine and works great.

Next we will learn a feature called Dropbox Enable LAN Sync

But what if we can change the speed of the sync process to be much faster?

Well, Dropbox Enable LAN Sync can reduce the time of sync process.

It actually does only steps 1,4 and 5, leaving the slower steps 2 and 3 behind.

How does it happen?

Right-click the mouse on your Dropbox icon and click on preferences

Check Enable LAN Sync

So you will ask a question- Why not to check this feature by default forever?

Well, it needs your firewall to allow a port for the Sync to be opened leave this port vulnerable.

Also, it makes some network noise on your LAN.

Following the last paragraph- Another scenario to use it?

Well, it can sync your mobile faster in case your desktop and mobile are on the same LAN (Wireless/Wired router)

And it can sync your desktop and Media Center with large GB movies.