Dropbox provides software that can synchronize local folders with your Dropbox cloud storage.
Requesting an Account
If you do not already have a Dropbox account, use the Princeton Service Portal Dropbox Account Request form to request one. The form must be filled out by the user requesting the account. Only Princeton faculty, graduate students and staff in academic departments are eligible for accounts. For special cases such as service accounts, include an explanation in the comment field on the form.
Installation for Windows
- If you have administrator access to your computer, then simply follow the prompts in your invitation email to download and install the client. You can also download the client by browsing to the Dropbox install page
- If you don’t have administrator access, but you have the KACE software distribution tool installed, browse to the Kace Software Library (see below) and select the Dropbox client.
- Otherwise, contact your departmental computer support staff to help with the installation.
Installation for Mac
- If you have administrator access to your computer, then simply follow the prompts in your invitation email to download and install the client. You can also download the client by browsing to the Dropbox install page
- If you don’t have administrator access, but you have the KACE software distribution tool installed, browse to the Kace Software Libary (see below) and select the Dropbox client.
- Otherwise, contact your departmental computer support staff to help with the installation.
Accessing the Kace Software Library
- Browse to https://www.princeton.edu/kace
- If an "Oops! Permission Denied error" appears, make a VPN connection first
- For information about using VPN at Princeton, see https://kb.princeton.edu/6023
- Log in as NetID@princeton.edu, enter your password and respond to the Duo prompt
Installation for Linux
- The simplest way to synchronize a folder from a Linux system with Dropbox is to use the command line client. The installation procedure is described in Dropbox's Linux installation help file in the section “Dropbox Headless Install via command line”. The command line client provides all of the Dropbox file synchronization capabilities but does not provide Dropbox-specific graphical interface features such as customized folder icons.
- Dropbox also provides client software that implements graphical interface customizations for certain Linux desktop environments. The options and dependencies are described in the same Linux installation document that describes the command-line client. OIT does not support Linux desktop environments, and therefore we are only supporting the command line client.