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FAQ

How do I keep settings across updates?​

Mount a host directory to /config:

-v /path/to/config:/config

Does SeedSync collect any data?​

No. SeedSync does not collect or transmit data.

SeedSync can't connect to my remote server​

  • Verify the hostname/IP and SSH port
  • Confirm username/password or SSH key
  • Check the Logs page for specific errors

FTPS transfers fail with a TLS or certificate error​

When the transfer protocol is ftps, the Logs page may show TLS handshake or certificate-validation errors such as "certificate verification failed", "self-signed certificate", or "hostname mismatch".

This means Verify FTPS Certificate is enabled and the server's certificate could not be validated — common with seedboxes that use self-signed or hostname-mismatched certificates.

To fix:

  • If your provider's certificate is properly issued (CA-signed, matching hostname), this usually indicates a real problem worth investigating with them.
  • Otherwise, open Settings, turn Verify FTPS Certificate off, and restart. The data channel stays TLS-encrypted, but the certificate is no longer authenticated (SeedSync logs a WARNING each time it connects this way). See the security note for the trade-off.

If the error is a generic TLS handshake failure (not a certificate error), confirm the server actually offers FTPS on the configured Remote FTP Port (commonly 21) and that it supports explicit AUTH TLS.

FTPS transfers stall or never start behind a firewall/NAT​

FTPS uses passive mode, which opens extra outbound data connections to ephemeral high-numbered ports on the server. If scanning works but transfers hang at "Logging in..." or never move data, a restrictive egress firewall is the usual cause.

  • Allow outbound TCP from the container to the seedbox on the FTPS control port (typically 21) and the provider's passive-mode port range.
  • The container only makes outbound connections, so it works behind NAT without inbound port-forwarding — but the egress range must be open. See the egress note.

FTPS transfers never start, but scanning works​

If files appear in the dashboard (scanning succeeds) but downloads never begin when the transfer protocol is ftps, the most likely cause is a protocol mismatch: your seedbox offers SSH/SFTP but does not offer FTPS (or offers it on a different port than configured).

Scanning always uses SSH, so it keeps working even when FTPS is misconfigured — which makes this symptom look confusing. The transfer side, meanwhile, can't establish an FTPS session.

To fix:

  • Confirm your provider actually offers FTPS, and on which port. Set that as Remote FTP Port in Settings (it is not the same as Remote Port, which is SSH).
  • Check the Logs page for FTPS connection errors (connection refused, TLS handshake failure, certificate errors).
  • If your provider does not offer FTPS at all, switch Transfer Protocol back to sftp in Settings and restart. SFTP uses the same SSH connection that scanning already relies on.

Locale errors in logs​

Some servers require a matching locale. Add these environment variables to the container:

-e LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8
-e LANG=en_US.UTF-8

SeedSync can't find a shell on my remote server​

SeedSync automatically detects the available shell on the remote server, checking /bin/bash, /usr/bin/bash, and /bin/sh in order. If none of these are available or your provider restricts shell access, check with your provider for the correct shell path.

SeedSync fails with "scp: dest open '/tmp/scanfs': Permission denied"​

Some seedbox providers restrict writes to /tmp on the remote server. SeedSync copies its scanner utility there by default.

To fix this, open the Settings page, find Server Script Path, and change it from /tmp to a directory you own on the remote server — for example:

  • ~ (your home directory)
  • ~/.local
  • /home/yourusername

Save and restart. SeedSync will copy the scanner to the new path on its next startup.

SeedSync fails with "Server Script Path is a directory on the remote server"​

This happens when Server Script Path overlaps with your sync directory. For example, if your remote sync path is /home/user/downloads and the script path is also set to /home/user/downloads, SeedSync tries to install scanfs there — but if a folder named scanfs already exists (from a previous sync), it can't be overwritten.

To fix:

  1. Change Server Script Path to a location outside your sync tree, such as ~ or ~/.local.

  2. Remove the conflicting directory from the remote server:

    rm -rf /home/user/downloads/scanfs

    Replace /home/user/downloads with your actual remote sync path.

  3. Save and restart the container.

SeedSync fails with "command not found: python3"​

SeedSync requires Python 3.5+ on the remote server to run its filesystem scanner. Most Linux servers include Python 3 by default, but some minimal or container-based seedbox environments may not.

To fix, install Python 3 on your remote server:

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt-get install python3

# CentOS/RHEL
sudo yum install python3

If you don't have root access, check with your seedbox provider — most will have Python 3 available at a different path or can install it on request.

My seedbox has Python 3 installed at a custom path​

Some seedbox providers ship an older system Python or don't include Python 3 on the default PATH. If you've installed Python 3 to a custom location (e.g. your home directory), set Remote Python Path in Settings to the full path to the binary:

  • Example: ~/python3/bin/python3
  • Example: /home/user/.local/bin/python3

Leave it empty to use the system default python3.

Use hard links with a dedicated completion directory and enable "Delete from remote after download." See the Recommended Setup guide for full details.

Where are settings stored?​

Inside the container at /config/settings.cfg.