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Keeping folders synced between several machines

Is there any software that allows you to sync the files arbitrary folders on four computers over the LAN and keep it going over the internet when LAN is not available? Internet syncing is too slow for two of the computers which will always be on the LAN and the other two are laptops. I'd like them to synchronize away from home.

I would have called it the holy grail of home networking, but for some reason this seems to be a very unique request. All the software I can find either uses only LAN only or only internet, or, like DropBox, uses cloud storage. DropBox is cool and does sync over LAN, but I don't need cloud storage and I can't afford DropBox's price just to keep my computers in sync. Also DropBox won't LAN sync without an internet connection, which the kind of setup I have in mind should be able to do.

Free and open is preferred. If there is no such software, free or otherwise, can I string it together using free utilities? The computers are all running Windows 7 and one Windows Server 2008. About 150 GB is in question and we have plenty of room on each computer.

EDIT: I set up OpenVPN, so I have what amounts to a LAN at all times. Now I just need software that syncs four ways instead of two.

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jnm2
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    What you are trying to sync will affect which tools will best suit your needs. So what are you trying to sync? A single folder/file? An entire user profile? Just your bookmarks and shortcuts? More than one user profile? Custom folders and files? – music2myear Jan 05 '12 at 16:40
  • I would like to sync all user files on all computers. My question is a little different since I want an internet fallback and I have four computers. – jnm2 Jan 05 '12 at 16:54
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    Seems to me that "Waste" could get you most of the way there. Granted, I haven't used it in many years. URL: http://wasteagain.sourceforge.net/introduction.shtml – James T Snell Jan 05 '12 at 17:12
  • Do you have enough storage "on the internet" or do you need some 3rd party storage location? – horatio Jan 05 '12 at 17:17
  • I'm taking care of offsite storage separately from this. – jnm2 Jan 05 '12 at 17:50
  • Googledocs? Or is it more than office things? Sync center and VPN? Bit of an overkill for a 'Home' scenario but you do have a Windows Server! Data volume really will matter if large sync's will happen with remote laptops, if it's just a few documents then there are many solutions – HaydnWVN Jan 06 '12 at 14:51
  • It's documents, pictures and music. I am actually setting up a VPN at the moment. – jnm2 Jan 06 '12 at 14:57

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Since you've got a vpn working so we no longer need to worry about path selection or firewall traversal, just about any two-way sync tool will work. I like Microsoft SyncToy, for example.

To make it work, just choose one computer to be the master, and set up a sync pair between the master and each of the other computers (3 sync pairs in total).

Joel Coehoorn
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