Resilio Sync Setup for Android 4+ Clients (legacy)

Intended Audience

This post will be of interest if you want to use Resilio Sync to selectively back up folders on Android 4+ clients to a legacy FreeNAS server (version 11.1 or below).

A later version of this post using a modern FreeNAS server (version 11.2 or above) can be found here.

Assumptions

  1. The reader has a working knowledge of FreeNAS.
  2. The Resilio Sync plugin has been installed on the FreeNAS server. If not, refer to this post first.

Overview

The instruction here is for setting up the Resilio sync client software on Android 4.0 or later clients to selectively back up data from them on to a FreeNAS server. The app screens that follow refer to the version of the Android sync client indicated in the screenshot below.

 Screenshot_20170330-202244

Step 1: Install and start the sync client.

When starting the client, you will be prompted for a user name. I like to use a device identifier. While on this screen, switch off Use mobile data for sync so you’re only backing up when connected to wifi.

Edit: Since rebuilding my Resilio backups, recognising that I have a client-server backup arrangement using Resilio, I’ve resorted to the sync name ‘resilio’ across all devices.

Screenshot_20170328-155450

After granting Sync access to files on the phone, you will be presented with the client UI.

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Step 2: Add a location to backup.

Click the + button in the bottom right corner and then select Add backup.

Screenshot_20170328-155526

Choose your location. In this example, Add Camera Backup is chosen.

Screenshot_20170328-155532

Step 3: Request session connection with the sync server

Click on the Camera backup folder.

Screenshot_20170328-155605

Click on Share and select a means of delivering the session request to the server.

Screenshot_20170328-155616

Step 4: Establish a session connection on the server.

From the sync server, select Manual connection from Options and then enter the link or key for the session request.

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Step 5: Create storage location for the backup.

After clicking Next, the sync server will suggest a backup location under /media.

screenshot.62

Change this to something more meaningful.

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Step 6: Initiate the backup

Click Connect and you will be returned to the server sync WebUI. The status will say Connecting… and will then change to Pending Approval.

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A notification will be flagged on the client UI.

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Click on the notification and then select the tick to initiate backup

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Backup activity can be observed from the Folders screen of the client UI and from the sync server desktop WebUI.

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Finally, change the preference on the client UI to Auto-start the app when the phone is restarted.

Screenshot_20170330-161638

References

  1. Sync Interface on Android

Revision History

  1. Use sync name resilio across all devices. (170619)

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