How to Set Up File Sharing for a Remote or Satellite Office

Why a Second Office Changes Everything

Local network file sharing — shared folders, LAN transfer tools, NAS devices — works because all machines are on the same physical network. When you add a second office location, that assumption breaks. The two offices each have their own local network, and without additional infrastructure, they cannot see each other.

This article covers the realistic options for connecting satellite offices for file sharing, from the simplest cloud-based approaches to more robust VPN-based setups.

Understanding the Options

The options fall into three categories:

1. Cloud storage as the bridge — both offices sync files to a central cloud location
2. VPN between offices — the two office networks are joined into one extended network
3. A hybrid approach — cloud for routine access, LAN tools for heavy lifting within each office

Option 1 — Cloud Storage as the Connection Layer

For most dual-location small businesses, the practical answer is cloud storage. Both offices sync a shared folder on Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or SharePoint. Changes made in Location A appear in Location B after sync completes.

When this works well:

• Files are not excessively large (cloud sync times are acceptable)
• No strict data residency requirement prevents cloud storage
• Collaboration between offices is document-level, not session-level (no need for live simultaneous access to large binary files)

When this breaks down:

• Large files (design, video, engineering) where upload time makes same-day exchange impractical
• Industries where client data cannot go to third-party cloud services
• Applications that store database files (accounting software, CAD applications) that cannot be cloud-synced without corruption risk

Option 2 — Site-to-Site VPN

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) joins two separate networks across the internet, creating a single logical network that spans both office locations. From a machine in Office A, you can access a file server or NAS in Office B as if it were on the local network at \\SERVER\Projects.

Two approaches:

Hardware router VPN (recommended for permanent setups): Both offices use a VPN-capable router (Ubiquiti UDM, Netgear BR500, or similar) configured with a site-to-site tunnel. Once configured, the connection is permanent and transparent — no VPN client software required on individual machines. A file server in Office A is accessible from Office B without any staff action.

Configuration involves:

• A static IP or dynamic DNS for each office's internet connection
• VPN credentials and matching tunnel configuration on both routers
• Testing that machines on each side can reach machines on the other

Software VPN (simpler, less robust): A software VPN solution (OpenVPN, WireGuard, Tailscale) runs on a machine in each office. Tailscale is worth particular attention for small offices — it creates peer-to-peer encrypted connections between named machines without requiring router configuration. A machine in Office A with Tailscale installed can reach a machine in Office B by its Tailscale address, even through different ISPs and NAT configurations.

Transfer speed consideration: A site-to-site VPN routes file transfers through the internet. Speed is limited by the upload bandwidth of whichever office is sending. At 100 Mbps upload on each side, transferring 10GB takes approximately 14 minutes. Fast for the internet, but much slower than local LAN.

Option 3 — Hybrid: LAN Sharing Within Each Office, Cloud Between Offices

This is often the most practical setup for small studios and practices with two locations:

• Within each office: Local network sharing handles daily file distribution — fast, no cloud needed, no internet dependency
• Between offices: Cloud storage handles files that need to cross locations

The workflow:

1. Project files and large assets live on a NAS or shared folder within each office
2. Files that need to cross locations are specifically uploaded to a shared cloud folder
3. The receiving office downloads and works with a local copy

This keeps the cloud layer thin and avoids the bandwidth overhead of syncing everything. Staff develop a simple habit: "if Office B needs this, put it in the cross-office folder."

Option 4 — Replication Between Two NAS Devices

For practices with data that must remain on-premises at both locations (regulatory requirements, need for offline access at each site), two NAS devices can be configured to replicate specific folders between themselves.

Synology HyperBackup and QNAP Hybrid Backup Sync both support NAS-to-NAS replication over the internet. The primary office NAS replicates to the satellite office NAS on a schedule (hourly, nightly, or near-real-time). Each office has a local copy of all files. Changes in one location are pushed to the other.

This provides:

• Local-speed file access at each office
• No dependency on cloud services
• Redundancy (if one NAS fails, the other has a copy)

The trade-off: replication speed is limited by internet upload bandwidth, so there is always a lag before changes appear at the remote site.

Within-Office Infrastructure Still Matters

Regardless of which between-office solution you choose, ensure each office has robust internal file sharing first. The satellite office staff still need to share files with each other within their own building.

Staff at each location benefit from:

• A shared folder on a machine or NAS for centralised access
• A LAN transfer tool for ad-hoc peer-to-peer handoffs within the office

Oxolan works within each individual office network, providing fast direct transfers between colleagues at the same location — independent of the between-office infrastructure layer.

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