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NAS

Hi, I want to set up a home NAS device which syncs with my Dropbox cloud account.
I have the option of buying a new NAS with Dropbox installed on it, or somehow reusing my old NAS boxes which can't install Dropbox, by e.g. installing Dropbox on a router (or other network hardware), which then acts as the go-between.
I can't leave a PC server running 24-7 and I don't really want to spend all that money on a new NAS. I would prefer to buy a second-hand router for example if that would do the job.
I have heard a Pi might work but would overheat?
What options do I have?

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Здравко

@slystav wrote:
... So the Pi and router are both ARM architecture? ...

Hi @slystav,

Is this a news for you?! 🤔 Actually, most present day embedded devices are running on ARM. 😉

@slystav wrote:
... What architecture would be required for a standard Dropbox app? ....

In present, only Intel architecture is directly supported (including AMD, of course). 32-bits version are going slowly deprecated in favor of 64-bits one.

@slystav wrote:
... Could I for instance use an android phone or an old Windows tablet, with an OTG-USB hard drive or similar? ...

Here isn't clear what actually you mean (anyway, the answer is the same)! If you mean using a phone for sync, No, all Dropbox mobile applications don't provide sync; they just provide access. If you mean ability to running some supported sync version, as I told already, there is NOT such an application. Not yet, at least.

@slystav wrote:
....
I can't believe there is no simple solution, a new NAS with proprietary app can be really expensive!

Ohh... Yes, you are right! 🤷 Unfortunately! In same time would be so simple, Dropbox just to recompile their Linux application for ARM, nothing more... 🙄 Hmm...

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Rich

@slystav wrote:
I want to set up a home NAS device which syncs with my Dropbox cloud account. ... What options do I have?

Dropbox doesn't support NAS devices. Any Dropbox client that you find on a NAS is usually created by the NAS company or a third-party; not Dropbox. Your best bet for information will be a Google search. A lot of people have either used a NAS with a third-party Dropbox client or built their own solution. You'll find a lot more information that way.

slystav

Thanks Rich.
Yes I've been coming to that conclusion. My old NAS has an out-of-date and now unsupported dropbox client. I've looked at new Synology and QNap NAS which have their own pre installed clients. They would be perfect but for the cost.
I don't want a DIY Linux build.
I thought perhaps a router or Pi with the client on it, and a direct USB HDD could work? Perhaps this avoids the lack of networking support?

Здравко

@slystav wrote:
...
I thought perhaps a router or Pi with the client on it, and a direct USB HDD could work? ...

Hi @slystav,

Actually, would be possible in theory; there are builds for Raspberry Pi on supported OS-es. For example I use Ubuntu on Pi and it works fine. Unfortunately, Dropbox refuses support ARM architecture for all of supported OS-es (including Linux, Mac, and Windows); take a look here. 🤷 There you can see how long the "idea" resides, just so - just untouched, and status doesn't change from "Not for right now".

If you want to use Pi or some old NAS, you don't need DIY kernel, but DIY application (till Dropbox provides some official support).

slystav

Thanks! So the Pi and router are both ARM architecture? What architecture would be required for a standard Dropbox app? Could I for instance use an android phone or an old Windows tablet, with an OTG-USB hard drive or similar?
I can't believe there is no simple solution, a new NAS with proprietary app can be really expensive!

Здравко

@slystav wrote:
... So the Pi and router are both ARM architecture? ...

Hi @slystav,

Is this a news for you?! 🤔 Actually, most present day embedded devices are running on ARM. 😉

@slystav wrote:
... What architecture would be required for a standard Dropbox app? ....

In present, only Intel architecture is directly supported (including AMD, of course). 32-bits version are going slowly deprecated in favor of 64-bits one.

@slystav wrote:
... Could I for instance use an android phone or an old Windows tablet, with an OTG-USB hard drive or similar? ...

@slystav wrote:
....
I can't believe there is no simple solution, a new NAS with proprietary app can be really expensive!

Ohh... Yes, you are right! 🤷 Unfortunately! In same time would be so simple, Dropbox just to recompile their Linux application for ARM, nothing more... 🙄 Hmm...