Sync'ing data between 2 machines running Xp Pro through wifi

[zahir]

Let me explain...

I have two machines, my Desktop which is a p4 1.8, 512 ram and my Ibm Thinkpad r51. I have an ADSL connection in the office. A Cat cable is connected to the modem through which my internet connection propogates. Instead of connecting a wire directly into the lan slot of my PC, it connects into a slot present on my wifi router. A wire then links back to my pc, thus providing simultaneous internet to my PC and notebook. This works out great for me because I dont only share internet connection but my 2 computers are on the same network so sharing data is a breeze... so whats the problem? Common Data!

For example, my work email comes in through pop mail. I use outlook, so is there any way to maintain identical copies of incoming emails on both machines? Basically not only emails but sync'ing other data too like files... is that possible?

[jdhurst]

Your question is not answered in any simplistic way. I do what you are doing, so at least suggestions on my part are covered by some experience.

Syncing files: This is the easy one. Put your files in one, two or three main folders on one machine. Then on the other machine, create a new Briefcase and drag the folders from the first machine into the Briefcase. This will create a replica on the other machine. Change a file in either location, run the Briefcase and let it replicate. I use this approach with the Briefcase on the Laptop and the main file storage on the desktop.

Syncing Outlook: Much more difficult without an Exchange server (which you say you do not have). What I do is the following:

1. Use Mail Call (PC Magazine) to look at and filter out mail I do not want before downloading into Outlook. I set Outlook on both machines to Leave Mail on the Server and then clear it at the end of the day with Mail Call.
2. I send mail from my Laptop because that is the machine I carry around.
3. I maintain Calendar, Contacts and Notes on my Laptop (and sync my PDA to my laptop)
4. From time to time (twice a month) I export the Calendar, Contacts and Notes folders from my Laptop, copy them to my desktop and import on the desktop.

Except for sent mail, Mail, Calendar, Contacts and Notes are very closely aligned on both machines. Works fairly well.
... JD Hurst

[marcos]

Let me explain...

I have two machines, my Desktop which is a p4 1.8, 512 ram and my Ibm Thinkpad r51. I have an ADSL connection in the office. A Cat cable is connected to the modem through which my internet connection propogates. Instead of connecting a wire directly into the lan slot of my PC, it connects into a slot present on my wifi router. A wire then links back to my pc, thus providing simultaneous internet to my PC and notebook. This works out great for me because I dont only share internet connection but my 2 computers are on the same network so sharing data is a breeze... so whats the problem? Common Data!

For example, my work email comes in through pop mail. I use outlook, so is there any way to maintain identical copies of incoming emails on both machines? Basically not only emails but sync'ing other data too like files... is that possible?

To sync email, the only solution is to use IMAP, not pop. Now you say that your work email comes in POP only. Still, double check if you can arrange to have work email to IMAP instead, and so just configure outlook.

If you can't have the work email as imap, there's still a solution. Get an account on http://fastmail.fm, that is the best email provider around. Subscribe an account level that lets you do automatic POP retrieval into you new account. From there, the possibilities are infinite, you can filter, folder, forward, consolidate or do whatever you want with email. Fastmail web interface is so well done that can replace Outlook for a lot of things.

For files, Fastmail also offer webdav that is supposed to be the next standard way to syncronize/share files, or just use the synchornized folder.

Hope this helps.

[Nolonemo]

Syncing files: This is the easy one. Put your files in one, two or three main folders on one machine. Then on the other machine, create a new Briefcase and drag the folders from the first machine into the Briefcase. This will create a replica on the other machine. Change a file in either location, run the Briefcase and let it replicate. I use this approach with the Briefcase on the Laptop and the main file storage on the desktop.
... JD Hurst

I did the above with Win98, but with WinXP, on the laptop non-main machine, I mapped the data drive on the main machine to the laptop, and set the folders in it you want to synch to "make files available offline" (or something like that), note that to do that you have to disable "simple file sharing." That will create a copy of the main drive (or folders). I have it set to synch when I start and shut down the laptop. However, XP won't sync the Outlook data file, so you still have the Outlook problem.

[marcos]

...
However, XP won't sync the Outlook data file, so you still have the Outlook problem.

There are various methods to synchonize Outlook, eg
http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/sync.htm

But everthing gets simpler if you use IMAP / server solutions as I described above.

[zahir]

Thanks for the replies guys... going thru the articles....

Abt the briefcase, if i make one on the laptop and drag files from the desktop pc on to it.... how would i update files? I get it that if i make changes on the laptop, i just right click the folder and say update.... but how do i update the files when I make the changes on the desktop pc? Does the update command on the laptop update laptop files too?

Also, any way to use briefcases to update Favorites and Chat Logs?

[jdhurst]

Abt the briefcase, if i make one on the laptop and drag files from the desktop pc on to it.... how would i update files? I get it that if i make changes on the laptop, i just right click the folder and say update.... but how do i update the files when I make the changes on the desktop pc? Does the update command on the laptop update laptop files too?

Just open the briefcase and run Update All. It is a replicator, so it will pick up changes on both sides and replace on the other side. It is also a replicator, so if you change the same file on both sides, it will not (it cannot) know what to do.
... JD Hurst

[krosenstein]

You could also use the MS Sync Toy

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en