7 Easy Steps To Install Syncthing on Ubuntu 22.04

In this guide, we want to teach you to Install Syncthing on Ubuntu 22.04 and Access the GUI dashboard via the Web Interface. Syncthing is an open-source file synchronization application. With Syncthing, you can easily make file synchronization across multiple devices securely. Also, it allows your devices to communicate directly with each other over the internet or a local network. The most eye-catching Syncthing features include:

• Decentralized Synchronization
• Security
• Real-Time Sync
• Cross-Platform Compatibility
• Web Interface
• Versioning and File Restoration
• Open Source and Community-Drivenv

Now you can proceed to the following steps to start your Syncthing Installation on Ubuntu 22.04.

7 Easy Steps To Install Syncthing on Ubuntu 22.04

Before you start your Syncthing Setup on Ubuntu 22.04, you must log in to your server as a non-root user with sudo privileges and set up a basic firewall. For this purpose, you can check the Ubuntu 22.04 Initial Setup Guide.

Then, follow the steps below to complete this guide.

Step 1 – Run System Update and Install Required Packages For Syncthing

First, you must run the system by using the command below:

sudo apt update

Then, run the command below to install the required packages for Syncthing setup:

sudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https wget curl -y

Step 2 – Add Syncthing Package Repository on Ubuntu 22.04

At this point, you can easily add the Syncthing APT package repository on your Ubuntu server. To do this, add the Syncthing GPG key with the following curl command:

# sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
# sudo curl -L -o /etc/apt/keyrings/syncthing-archive-keyring.gpg https://syncthing.net/release-key.gpg

Then, add the Syncthing stable repository on Ubuntu 22.04 with the following command:

echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/syncthing-archive-keyring.gpg] https://apt.syncthing.net/ syncthing stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/syncthing.list

Step 3 – Quick Synthing Installation on Ubuntu 22.04

At this point, you can update your packages and use the following command to install Syncthing:

# sudo apt update
# sudo apt install syncthing -y

Once your installation is completed, you can verify it by checking the Syncthing version:

syncthing --version

Step 4 – Manually Start and Enable Syncthing Service

Now you must start and enable your Syncthing service on Ubuntu by using the following commands:

# sudo systemctl enable syncthing@username.service
# sudo systemctl start syncthing@username.service

Note: Remember to replace the username with your actual user.

Then, verify your Syncthing is active and running with the following command:

sudo systemctl status syncthing@username.service

Example Output:

Step 5 – Allow Syncthing Traffic Through UFW Firewall Rules

Syncthing communicates over the network on TCP port 22000. So you must allow port 22000 and the GUI traffic through the UFW firewall on Ubuntu 22.04 with the following command:

# sudo ufw allow 22000/tcp
# sudo ufw allow syncthing-gui

Then, reload the firewall to apply the new rules:

sudo ufw reload

Step 6 – Run Syncthing on a Local IP Address on Ubuntu 22.04

By default, Syncthing is running on localhost. If you want to run Syncthing on a local IP address, you must make some changes in the ~/.local/state/syncthing/config.xml file. Open the file with your desired text editor like Vi editor or Nano editor:

sudo vi ~/.local/state/syncthing/config.xml

Note: You can find your config files path by using the command below:

syncthing -paths

At the file, look for the <gui enabled…> section. It will look like this:

Then, you must change the ‘tls‘ value to ‘true‘ and change the default localhost to your local IP address. It will look like this:

When you are done, save and close the file. Next, restart the Syncthing service to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart syncthing@username.service

Step 7 – Access Syncthing GUI via the Web Interface

At this point, you can easily access your Syncthing GUI dashboard by typing your server’s IP address in your web browser followed by 8384:

https://your-server-ip:8384

You will see the following screen. First, you must set a GUI Authentication User and Password. From the Danger message click on Settings.

From the settings, click on the GUI tab, set username and password, and click save.

Next, you will see the Authentication screen. Enter the username and password, and click Log in.

Now you have set up your Syncthing and you will see your dashboard on Ubuntu 22.04.

Now you can configure Syncthing on your other device and start to connect them and file synchronization. You can easily add your remote device on Syncthing.

For more information, you can visit the official documentation page.

Conclusion

Syncthing is popular among users who are looking for privacy. It allows for the synchronization of data without storing it on third-party servers. It’s also a good choice for those who want to set up their own file-sharing and synchronization system without relying on commercial cloud services.

At this point, you have learned to 7 Easy Steps To Install Syncthing on Ubuntu 22.04 and access the GUI dashboard. Hope you enjoy using it.

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