How to Use the Remote Synchronization Setup Wizard in Act! versions 2013 and later

Question:
You would like to know how to use the new Remote Synchhropnization Setup Wizard in Act! 2013.

Products:
Family: Act!
Product: Act! Pro, Act! Premium
Version: 2013 and later

Answer:
The Remote Synchronization Setup Wizard provides a quick, intuitive method for setting up a single remote database for synchronization with the main database. If you need to setup multiple remote databases and have access to additional remote and sync setup features, then access the Synchronization Panel from the Tools menu.

Follow the steps below to use the Remote Synchronization Setup Wizard:

Open the main database on the server and log in as an Administrator database user.
From the main menu select Tools > Synchronize Database > Set Up Remote Synchronization. The Remote Synchronization Assistant opens. Click Next to continue.
Type in the name you would like to use for the new remote database.
Choose the location you would like the remote database file (.RDB file) to be created. This file will copied to the machine where the remote database will be used. Click Next to continue.
Select the database user that this remote database is intended for. Selecting a particular user will create a sync set that allows the uses to sync all contacts that they have access to. If you choose All Users, this will any user to sync that remote database and give them access to all contacts. This is not recommended for large databases with many users. Click Next to continue.
On the next screen, you will need to select how the remote database will be connecting and syncing to the main database.

Remote computer has network access from the remote to this machine
Choose this option if the remote database can connect to host machine through a network. Click Next.
1. Select the computer hosting the database and the sync service. This will default to the machine you are running this wizard on.
2. Select the port through which synchronization will occur. The default port is 65100, but you may choose another port in the dynamic/private TCP port range (49152-65535). Ensure that this port is not being blocked and the host machine is listening on it. Click Next.
3. Review the information to ensure it is correct. If not, click the Back button and make any needed corrections. If correct, click Next to create the remote database file.
4. Once the remote database file is created, additional information will be displayed - review if needed. Click the Save Text button to save the information in text if you want to review it later. Click Finish to complete the setup.
Remote computer does not have network access from the remote to this machine
Choose this option if the remote database cannot connect to the host machine through a network, and instead will be syncing via the Internet.

Network Synchronization
Select this option to sync via the host's public IP address using the Network Synchronization Service. Click How do I install and configure the Act! Network Sync Service? if you need instructions on how to install and configure this service.
1. Select this option, then click Next.
2. Type in the public IP address of the host machine. If you do not know this, click the link for What is my public IP address to direct you to web search that will display the public IP address of the machine you are on (you must have Internet Explorer® 7 or higher installed to use this link).
3. Select the port through which synchronization will occur. The default port is 65100, but you may choose another port in the dynamic/private TCP port range (49152-65535). Ensure that this port is not being blocked and the host machine is listening on it. Click Next.
  
  Important Note: In order to synchronize through Internet using the Network Sync Service, you may need to configure you network's router for port forwarding, to direct incoming sync traffic to the sync port you selected in Step 3. Click Understanding Port Forwarding With Act! for more information on using port forwarding with Act!.
4. Review the information to ensure it is correct. If not, click the Back button and make any needed corrections. If correct, click Next to create the remote database file.
5. Once the remote database file is created, additional information will be displayed - review if needed. Click the Save Text button to save the information in text if you want to review it later. Click Finish to complete the setup.
Internet Synchronization
Select this option to sync via a web address using the Act! Internet Synchronization Service. Click How do I install and configure the Act! Internet Sync Service? if you need instructions on how to install and configure this service. You must have Microsoft® Internet Information Services (IIS) set up on the computer that hosts the main database.
1. Select the HTTP address (URL or web address) through which synchronization will occur. This will be the path to the ACT! Internet Sync web directory on the host machine. If using an IP address for the URL, this must be the server's external IP address. Also, the URL must end with the web directory for the ACT! Internet Sync service, which is by default "ACT Internet Sync" (note there is no ! after 'ACT')
  
  Examples:
  http://My Server/ACT Internet Sync
  http://123.456.78.910/ACT Internet Sync
2. Click Next when you have entered in the URL information.
3. Review the information to ensure it is correct. If not, click the Back button and make any needed corrections. If correct, click Next to create the remote database file.
4. Once the remote database file is created, additional information will be displayed - review if needed. Click the Save Text button to save the information in text if you want to review it later. Click Finish to complete the setup.
Once you have created the remote database file (.RDB), you will need to copy that file onto the Desktop of the remote machine that will be using the remote database.
To restore the database, close Act!, then double-click on the .RDB file you copied to the Desktop.
When Act! opens, you will see a box that allows you to select the location the remote database will be restored to. Click OK to create the remote database.
Once the remote database has been restored, you will get a prompt to delete the .RDB file for the remote. Since .RDB files can only be unpacked and restored one time, it is recommended you click Yes to delete the file.
After you click your response, you will be able to login to the new remote database.

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