If you have one and want to start getting the most out of itthen you can not stop enjoying Nextcloud, which is a service that converts your plate in a cloud.
This means that you can start enjoying functions similar to that of or , but this time from your microcomputer. In addition, you will have the opportunity to add more functions that will allow you to have more options for use.
Considering the adaptation of this to these microcomputers, here we are going to explain how can you install it and make the most of it at all times.
What is NextCloud and what is this tool for on the Raspberry Pi?
Surely you have heard about Google Drive, Dropbox or any other cloud storage software that is currently used by a large number of users, this in order to obtain a backup of all your data, files and informationas well as access to them from anywhere there is Internet access. Well, the truth of all this is that Nextcloud It can be considered as an alternative to all these programs.
This is how the developers of this software have given great importance to this cloud service, especially since it has been designed to be able to give quite wide use and above all free. In addition, one of its main novelties is that this program has been adapted to be used in the raspberry pi, so now users will be able to have their cloud service from these mini PCs. So being able to add these functions to the raspberry pi it has become a benefit to many.
It’s like one of these boards for NextCloud can be had for about the 100 eurosand since they are mini computers consume very little energy, thus saving costs. This is essential if you want to give continuous operation to the cloud, since when consuming very little electricity the expenses of your invoice will not increase excessively as if it could be with a desktop computer.
To all this we must add that its use can now be expanded with USB interfaces and micro SD cards. Which will allow the cloud service to have a larger storage field. Finally, it should be mentioned that this type of system is constantly being improved in terms of functionality and performanceall this thanks to the development extremely hardware dynamic that is currently being done.
NextCloud Functions and Features What can I do with this cloud file sharing program?
NextCloud has a version for these boards called NextcloudPi, which is ready to be used in the installation program of the Raspberry Pi, this is how this version is optimally adapted to microcomputer hardware, which makes it possible to guarantee smooth operation of all components. If the installation package with the pre-installed version of this service it is possible to install correctlythen it will be possible to have a web service with database connections.
Despite the fact that this package includes an interface with all the necessary tools to host the private or company cloud, all this can be used from a Web navigator, since this is enough to operate and manage the cloud solution. In the case of the raspberry pi, the administration of Nextcloud it can be done via the command line and Secure Shell (SSH), so a few deep changes and tweaks can be made.
It should be noted that the system NextCloud – Raspberry Pi It is already pre-configured, so it offers quite a few features without the need for additional installation procedures. In this way it can be used as a Raspberry Pi NAS, as a media and file server with which you can upload photos to your smartphone directly from the cloud. All this also usually includes a series of tools such as address books, a calendar, the possibility of managing contacts and a notepad.
To all this it is important to be able to add many other functions that it offers such as file management, security features, among many others of vital importance. However, it is important to note that the raspberry pi are devices quite limited in terms of performancewhich is clearly a disadvantage. What can most affect this board in this sense are the extensive data transfers with many files and parallel access from different devices.
In this way, microcomputers are suitable for carrying out small cloud solutions, either in environments family or private. Therefore, these boards with their limited interfaces for external hard drive and micro USB cards, they’re just going to be pretty viable to do professional and redundant data backups with high reliability under certain circumstances.
What are the requirements to install NextCloud on my Raspberry Pi single board computer?
To install NextCloud As was done before, it is necessary to have some prior knowledge of at least linuxsince you will need to install this software in the raspberry pi through a Command line. However, thanks to all the technological advances now users have another method of installation that is much easier so no prior knowledge is needed. For this, you simply have to follow a few steps and meet some requirements.
In this case, both in hardware and software, which is why in order to install Nextcloud on a Raspberry Pi you will have to comply with the following:
Hardware
- You should try to use the newest and most powerful model of the raspberries Pi, in this case would be the Pi 4 with WLAN, LAN, 4 USB ports for external storage media and up to 8 GB of RAM.
- card reader for Micro SD cardthis is necessary for the preparation of NextCloud on laptops and desktop computers.
- A micro SD card to save the software image.
- A power unit suitable for the energy supply of the Raspberry Pi.
Software
- You will need the NextCloud image in the most current version.
- balenaetcher: with the free software, with NextCloud image will be transferred to Micro SD card the program versions for all common operating systems such as Windows, Linux and Macall of them available.
Learn step by step how to install Next Cloud on your Raspberry Pi board from scratch
Complying with the requirements mentioned here and if you have already downloaded the software, it will first be install balenaEtcher program either on a Windows computer or the one of your choice.
After this you only have to follow each of these steps:
- The first thing you will have to do is unpack Nextcloud’s image and it will start Balena Etcher’s program.
- Then you must click on the button “Select image” to upload image from Nextcloud and then select the micro SD card in “Select unit”.
- Now you will have to click on the button “Flash” in order to be able to write the image on the MicroSD card. After having executed the flashing you must remove the micro SD card from the computer’s card reader and now insert it into the port of micro SD cards from the Raspberry Pi.
- Here it will be placed underway the microcomputer and you will select other configuration measures to use. This will allow the cloud to be available in home network and over the Internet.
It is important that you keep in mind that you can give other uses to your microcomputer and not just use it as a cloud server. This is how you can also transform it into a video game console project, email server, among some others. Therefore, if you want to use this board for different projects, just change micro SD card and replace it with another, that is, you can remove the NextCloud and introduce the SD with retro games and so with the card you want to use.
Discover how to configure NextCloud on your Raspberry Pi to get the most out of this tool
Once you have made installing Nextcloud correctly in your raspberrypi, The next thing you should do to finish this whole process is the configuration and performance optimization of the software, since this will allow you to get the most out of this tool.
To do this, follow each of the methods that we will teach you below:
Make your Nextcloud server accessible from the outside
if you want your cloud service If the microcomputer is accessible from anywhere you need it, you will need to configure the following aspects.
You need to have a fixed external IP or a DNS addressing service
In order to have a fixed external IP service you will need to contact your Internet provider. It should be mentioned that unfortunately in many of the countries Internet providers do not offer the fixed external IP serviceso you should make sure if there is one in your country and what price this service has.
If for some reason it is not possible to have the fixed IP, then you can use a DNS addressing service. One of the most recommended is the service of NO-IP. Here you must associate your public IP to a domain permanently. In this way, NextCloud will always be accessible from outside our local network through the domain of the non-IP service.
Open ports 80 and 443 of the router
- If you want to be able to connect to your cloud when you are outside your local network, then you need to open ports 80 and 443 of your router. To do this you must access your preferred browser and there you will write the gateway of the router and press the key “Enter”. When you have done this, a new window will open where you will have to write both the password and the user to access your router.
- If you have entered this information correctly, then you will be able to access what the router configuration is. Here you will have to access the menus “Advanced Setup / NAT / Virtual Servers” and then you must click on “Add”.
- Now in the field of “Custom server” you will have to write any name. In this case as what you want to open is port 80, then it will be written NextCloud http. Now in the field of “Server IP Address” you will have to write the Internal IP where the cloud software is installed. In this case, it has been configured that the the cloud has the static IP 192.168.1.200. Therefore, in this field it will be necessary write the IP 192.168.200.
- Keep in mind that the port you want to open is the 80, so that you must select the and there write the port 80 on both internal and external ports. In order for all the changes made up to now to be applied, it will be necessary to select the button “Apply/Save”.
- After completing this process, it will be necessary to repeat it again, but this time the…