Noob: Beginner questions not finding answers to online..

[pixelrogue]

Hello everyone,

Took the plunge and have one day into the Synology (DS200+.) Tons of great videos and online support which has been great.

Bumping into a few topics where searches are off target or information may not be as readily available and hoping folks here might have insight.

1. Static IP & Quick Connect
   Trying to assign a static IP bound to the router. The way I had this was through CP > Network ? General > IPv6 default gateway: > Manually configure DNS server ? Preferred DNS server: <enter desired IP address here>
   When this is activated, Quick Connect stops working... no connection. Turn of checkbox for Manually configure DNS server and Quick Connect works.
   
   
2. Drive App on iOS
   Drive App does not appear to be connecting from a remote network. Think everything is properly set up, however not getting Drive to work when on a different network. DS File works fine (why have two similar apps, what are the key differences? Finding DS File a pain w/the login screen at every juncture, even when automated it is annoying.
   
   
3. iOS Files
   iOS Files is the intended main app. DS File is a pain for its authentication (see above.)
   Drive works fine though requires setting up a shared folder to get that working.
   ....so w/the shared folder turned on, how does on HIDE the directory labeled "Shared with me" ~ not being used, gets in the way. In a related note, the desired folders sit inside Teams Folders. Any way to surface those one level so there is no need to Share > Files > Drive > Teams <want to remove teams level> > select location to save/read.
   Any tips to making the trip to save or access files on Synology through iOS Files shorter (less taps, layers, directories?)
   Terms of uploading from iOS, not seeing a confirmation when files have been successfully uploaded. A manual check to confirm is too much each time...I see it working, however no confirmation. Are files uploaded in the background from iOS by chance?
   
   
4. Media
   Currently I have apps such as sonarr/radarr/jellyfin running on a Mac, and they are running from within docker.
   Moving everything to Synology and curious if the recommended best practices are to keep these apps to docker or run them natively on Synology? (terms of ram, it is the base 2 and will upgrade once I get this bad boy configured and running smooth...lots to do.)
   Took a while to get docker and apps running on the Mac...presume it is not possible to just load the docker configs on Synology and expect them to run as is, as directories, IPs etc will all be different? Wishful thinking on my part.

 

[Rusty]

Static IP & Quick Connect

Could be that your provider does not allow running DNS queries other than using their own DNS servers (just an idea). What DNS have you been trying to use?

Drive App on iOS

More info needed. How are you trying to connect exactly (fqdn, QC, vpn+static, etc)? What error do you get? How have you configured it all regarding your router, firewall etc?

iOS Files

The short answer here is no there is not. You will have to play by both Apple and Syno rules.

recommended best practices are to keep these apps to docker or run them natively on Synology?

Docker all the way, do NOT try and run them natively. Mono platform has been terminated as a supported 3rd party framework on Syno already in DSM6, and with DSM7 more strict rules (and no root access) anything outside of Docker (bare metal) will have to go through a strict process of being a "verified and working" solution by Synology.

Took a while to get docker and apps running on the Mac...presume it is not possible to just load the docker configs on Synology and expect them to run as is, as directories, IPs etc will all be different? Wishful thinking on my part.

Look at this as running those apps on 2 separate docker hosts. Mac was emulating Linux images/repos so running those on Syno will be a breeze.

Just configure docker on the NAS, stop the container on Mac, transfer the volumes (persistent data), and configure the containers on your NAS while connecting them to the data you have transferred. The end result, you will get the same app running on a different IP address (NAS instead of Mac), but apart from that all configuration and settings of that particular container(s) will remain the same.

 

[fredbert]

(why have two similar apps, what are the key differences?

A not exactly accurate analogy but let's try...

Synology Drive and apps are like Dropbox / Box for accessing and sync'ing a specific set of folders: personal and 'team' (team folders are NAS shared folders that have been enable for Drive in the Admin Console).​

​

File Station and apps are more like Windows Explorer / Mac Finder for network shares. A user can access any share that they have access to.​

I agree that using Drive app from within iOS Files is the better way due to the need to login DS file for every connection.

A more flexible alternative to DS file is FileBrowser or FileBrowser Pro (I've used these for years) and you can choose which service to access the NAS: WebDAV, SMB (though don't over the Internet), SFTP, AFP (if you still use it, but not over the Internet). You can save favourite folder from this app in iOS Files. There are other free apps if you don't want to pay, or try FileBrowser Go as a trial without paying in-app.

 

[pixelrogue]

Could be that your provider does not allow running DNS queries other than using their own DNS servers (just an idea). What DNS have you been trying to use?

More info needed. How are you trying to connect exactly (fqdn, QC, vpn+static, etc)? What error do you get? How have you configured it all regarding your router, firewall etc?


The short answer here is no there is not. You will have to play by both Apple and Syno rules.


Docker all the way, do NOT try and run them natively. Mono platform has been terminated as a supported 3rd party framework on Syno already in DSM6, and with DSM7 more strict rules (and no root access) anything outside of Docker (bare metal) will have to go through a strict process of being a "verified and working" solution by Synology.


Look at this as running those apps on 2 separate docker hosts. Mac was emulating Linux images/repos so running those on Syno will be a breeze.

Just configure docker on the NAS, stop the container on Mac, transfer the volumes (persistent data), and configure the containers on your NAS while connecting them to the data you have transferred. The end result, you will get the same app running on a different IP address (NAS instead of Mac), but apart from that all configuration and settings of that particular container(s) will remain the same.

Appreciate the thoroughness of the response. Some of the concepts I tend to understand, some I fudge through and others are foreign... no formal training and learned bits and pieces along the way. Would you say the same for Plex, when Plex can be either and has a supported app for Synology? Maybe easier to just keep it all in Docker?

DNS​

No changes were made to default settings of Synology DNS. Router is using 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4​

Provider not allowing DNS queries ~ unsure. This would be the first mention or any reference to dns queries being blocked w/having same isp for years (and have managed getting networks going, port forwards dockers, media etc. and the like manually on Macs....again level of knowledge minimal and finding my way through.​

​

Gut is saying DNS queries are not being blocked and would be something to explore when other options have been exhausted.​

​

Drive App​

When "DS file" app seems to work fine from a remote network, however "Drive" app does not, it points me to something that needs to change w/in the Synology settings?​

​

Synology ~ added openvpn profile, turned on firewall. Disabling these made no change.​

Router ~ no special edits to router for Synology beyond effort to assign static ip (see above.)​

​

Appreciate sharing the docker perspective...thank you...docker it will be (after these higher priority basis are resolved!)

​

​

​

-- post merged: 30. Jun 2021 --

A not exactly accurate analogy but let's try...

Synology Drive and apps are like Dropbox / Box for accessing and sync'ing a specific set of folders: personal and 'team' (team folders are NAS shared folders that have been enable for Drive in the Admin Console).​

​

File Station and apps are more like Windows Explorer / Mac Finder for network shares. A user can access any share that they have access to.​

I agree that using Drive app from within iOS Files is the better way due to the need to login DS file for every connection.

A more flexible alternative to DS file is FileBrowser or FileBrowser Pro (I've used these for years) and you can choose which service to access the NAS: WebDAV, SMB (though don't over the Internet), SFTP, AFP (if you still use it, but not over the Internet). You can save favourite folder from this app in iOS Files. There are other free apps if you don't want to pay, or try FileBrowser Go as a trial without paying in-app.

I am familiar w/FileBrowser (it has been around a while) and curious if FileBrower would remove some of the middle man steps or plays well w/Apple Shortcuts?

Prior to Synology I have been experimenting w/webdavs, different servers and have apps like Transmit (older app) that seem to cover the same purposes...albeit still adds yet another layer/tap for frequently used tasks.

This brings me to a future question (lower priority until later) around creating iOS shortcuts where one can
1) select a handful of photos
2) select share > shortcut
3) shortcut handles saving files to predetermined location and then after upload moves selected files to recycle
(auto purge is a huge time saver for apps that have it...many photo apps seem to offer this function now.)

Looking to save taps when right now you need to select photos > select share > select application > navigate to desired save location > confirm (sometimes this can be 1-3 taps) > manually reselect the photos that were just moved > delete.

 

[fredbert]

I am familiar w/FileBrowser (it has been around a while) and curious if FileBrower would remove some of the middle man steps or plays well w/Apple Shortcuts?

Prior to Synology I have been experimenting w/webdavs, different servers and have apps like Transmit (older app) that seem to cover the same purposes...albeit still adds yet another layer/tap for frequently used tasks.

Within iOS Files the access to favourited locations in FileBrowser seem to jump direct without the need to relogin each time: some connections say when they have to do it in the app but then the login is retained for further attempts, and sometimes I find the the access is retained for days/weeks ... haven't investigated what or which of my FB locations persist their connections longer than others. I use WebDAV and SFTP (using a different port to SSH access) for remote access and also have SMB ones for home and VPN accesses.

So having a favourited FB location in iOS Files is definitely quicker than DS file, or iOS Drive.

I use Transmit on Mac and it's similar. FileBrowser has just been released for Mac: it's interesting and much cheaper but I prefer Transmit.

iOS shortcuts

It's not something I've played with.

 

[pixelrogue]

mmmm....so at least the Go version of SB there is no way to add it as directly to iOS Share sheet, rather need to go through iOS Files app first at which point it is about the same as other apps in terms of speed of task (and actually the Synology Files app is accessible directly from the share sheet w/o the need to go through Files first.)

 

[fredbert]

Can't you use 'Send copy' and select FB [Go/ /Pro]? Or do something similar... not exactly sure which app or what content you're trying to use.

FB via iOS Files seems a reasonable workflow for occasional use.

 

[pixelrogue]

Any app - goal is quickest way to save files from iOS Camera Roll to Synology....typically 1 of 3 places so ideally looking to create shortcuts.

Select photos ABC and send to Synology location ABC
Select photos EFG and send to Synology location EFG

Same patterns over and over, ideal for screen.

----
And at the moment, priority is getting Synology iOS Drive app working from remote network....
puzzled how "DS file' works fine from remote but not Drive.