How to Backup Files From One Computer to Another on Local Network? |
Backup Cow P2P is the best software to backup files from one computer to another over local network. This local network backup utility is very easy-to-use, and you just need 3 simple steps to back up data from one pc to another.
Step 1: Download Backup Cow P2P. The backup program has a FREE version.
Free download is also available on the Download page of Backup Cow product website.
Step 2: Install and run Backup Cow P2P on computers on your local network.
You need run Backup Cow P2P on both backup source and target computers.* For example, if you want to backup files from your computer to another computer, HAO-PC, then you need install the backup program on your computer and HAO-PC.
The above screenshot is a main program window of Backup Cow P2P. in which you can see two computers, My Computer, and HAO-PC, appear in Backup Destination. And the available storage size numbers are also showed. The two computers will automatically connect each other on LAN (local area network after the backup application is running. And you will see "Connected" on the right bottom corner of the program window. Actually, you may backup files between two computers now.
* If you just want to backup to another PC's network drive/network share/shared folders, you may just need to install the backup application on the source computer.
Step 3: "Drag and Drop" Files and Folders into the backup destination.
You just need to drag the files and folders you wish to backup from Windows Explorer, then drop them to the backup target computer, for example, HAO-PC, then the program will pop up a window to let you confirm to start the backup job or proceed to make other backup settings.
You may click "OK" to start the backup task, and the software will automatically backup files to another PC (HAO-PC).
That's it! The above three simple steps will complete backing up from "My Computer" to another computer (HAO-PC), and you don't need to take care of any network settings on both two computers on the local network.
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Definitely, you may also click "Next" to continue setting other backup options in addition to choosing the backup location. You may setup backup schedule, encrypt backup data, create a backup filter as well as set the number of backup versions you want to keep.
Backup Schedule
You may select when and how often you backup your files from one computer to another.
The backup scheduler includes the following options:
When you select once a day, a week, or a month, you may select a concrete hour time so that you may start backup at designated time on the day of a backup cycle.
In addition, there is a check box of "Backup Now (Immediately) to allow you backup your files to another pc immediately or later. This option is helpful for you to avoid network traffic peak time to backup files to another network computer. For instance, you may setup a backup schedule to proceed backups during off-work time in your office. It is necessary to consider when you may back up data from one computer to another in order to reduce impact on your colleagues especially in case of limited local network bandwidth during work hours.
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If you continue to click "Next", then you will go to "Advanced" tab, in which you can set encryption password for your backup jobs, generate a backup filter, and perform backup versioning.
Backup Encryption
You may check the box of "Encrypt backup files" to enable the backup encryption feature. You may set backup password so that all your files and folders will be encrypted when you backup data from one computer to another on network.
In addition to backing up files from one computer to another efficiently, you must consider another import issue-data privacy and security. The data encryption feature of Backup Cow will protect your data that are stored on another computer.
Backup Filter
You may set up a backup filter to select which backup files can be backed up from one computer to another. There are several backup filtering options including file type, file size etc.
So, if you want to back up files from one computer to another with a file filter, Backup Cow P2P can meet your needs.
Backup Versioning
Backup version feature allows users to keep backup versions in case some backup source files will be mistakenly modified or deleted.
When you click "Save Deleted Files", the default setting is "Keep deleted/replaced files with 5 versions only."
After Backup Cow P2P transfers files to another computer from the source computer, the backup system will monitor all the updates of the sources, and it will sync the backp copies on backup target computers. The network file sync feature can ensure the backup files are updated. On the other hand, if the soruce files are changed incorrectly, Backup Cow P2P can retrieve an older version of your backups.
After you make all the backup option settings in "Advanced" tab, you may click "OK" to proceed and backup files from one pc to another.
Backup Files to Multiple Network Computers
Backup Cow P2P can not only backup files to another one computer, but also backup to multiple computers on network. That is to say, you select more than one target computers as your multiple backup destinations.
The above screenshot shows you can backup files to MAC-PC, Johson, and HAO computers, etc, as long as Backup Cow PCP is also running on those PCs on LAN (Local Area Network) or WLAN (Wireless LAN, also called wifi network). So Backup Cow P2P is the most powerful backup tool to backup files from one computer to another over network.
The backup software instructions above are about how to backup one computer to another on local network. In fact, Backup Cow P2P is not only a LAN backup software for backup between computers, but also a handy network drive backup tool, and a remote backup utility as well. Please click the webpage links in "See Also" section under "FAQs" to read the related articles.
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FAQs on This Topic
It is not required to run Backup Cow on another PC If the backup destination is a network shared folder or network drive that show up in your computer's Windows Explorer. (Usually, in network area, or My Network Place PC or Network Neighborhood)
You may read more on How to Backup to Network Drive (network share or shared folders). Please note that you must have permissions to write and read the files and folders on the network share. If not, you need install the pc backup program on another computer.
Yes. If your local network is connected by Wi-Fi instead of by cable, Backup Cow can work Fine. All the backup operation process is the same as you backup data from one pc to another over Ethernet Cable LAN. Usually, file transfer speed in the wireless local area network will be slower than local network that is connected by cable. But as long as the local network connection condition is fine, the backup efficiency is good enough to complete any type of backup tasks at work or at home.
It is not required to buy two licenses. If you just want to backup your pc to another in one way, you just need purchase one license of Backup Cow P2P. Unlike other computer backup systems, Backup Cow license quantity is based one the quantity of the users who will inititate backup process. So Backup Cow P2P is the best backup solution for users who don't have much budget to buy backup software.
Yes, Backup Cow can back up files to another computer over Internet, Intranet, WAN, VPN or other remote networks.
You may read "How to Backup to Another Computer Over Internet" and know more how this remote network backup software works.
Yes, Backup Cow P2P is Windows backup software. It can work on all desktop or laptop computers where Windows OS is running. The OS system of Windows computers can be Win XP, Win 7, Win 8, Windows 2003, Windows 2008, and so on. And it is one of the most affordable Windows computer backup systems.
Yes, Backup Cow P2P can backup ipad or ipone to any computer as long as the pc backup program is running on that computer. It is an easy way for you to transfer files between ipad/iphone and computer. You may get the iPhone/iPad App here. So Backup Cow is not only for you to backup files from computer to computer, but also to bakup photos from iphone/ipad to your computer.
Yes, Backup Cow has a permanent free version that allows users to backup data from one computer to another up to 1GB size. The free version backup software also lets you have free trial of all the features for both local network backup and remote backup. You may try before you pay for upgrade to the best backup solution.
Actually, when you drag and drop files into one target computer, a window will pop out to show backup destinations you may select (Other computers where Backup Cow P2P is also running). Another way to start the backup process is to click "New Backup Job" button under the Backup tab in the main program window.
Yes. You may restore backup files to another computer even that computer is not the owner computer of the backup files. For example, in the following screenshot, you backed up the file eula.3082.txt from HAO-PC to MAC-PC. But HAO-PC crashed; you may restore the file from MAC-PC to another PC, Wilson-PC. It can be very flexible.
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Backup Cow is the best local network backup software to let you back up files from one pc to another pc. As long as all networked computers are in the same local network (LAN or WLAN, local wifi network), the network PCs will connect together automatically after the pc backup application is running on each Windows computer), you can backup your computer to another or backup to other network computers on local network.
See Also:
* How to backup files to another computer over Internet
* How to backup files to network drive, network shared folder, or NAS(network attached storage)
* How to backup iphone/ipad to computer
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