DSM 7.0 Synology Contacts to macOS/iOS contacts still not working?

[typ993]

I'm setting up a DS920+ to replace our aging macOS server setup. The services I'm replacing are file services, CalDAV, and CardDAV. I've gotten the file server and CalDAV server working with macOS and iOS, but not the CardDAV server (i.e., Synology Contacts, since CardDAV server is no longer available in the latest DSM 7 version).

I've tried setting up the clients with the URLs described in the Synology support article, but this generally fails with a "unable to verify account name or password" error.

On macOS, I've also come up with the following odd behavior:

If I set up the account (selecting the Manual option), entering the contact username and password, and the URL https://<DS IP address>:5001/carddav/contactusername/<various characters>, I do get a CardDAV account entry. If I go into the Mac Contacts app, I see that contact server entry. However, it does not have the several contact groups I've imported into that user's contact entries, only a single contact entry.

This is with iOS 15.2 and macOS 11.6.2 (Big Sur).

What are my other alternatives? Running DSM 6.2 in a VM and using that CardDAV server (sounds like that might have worked)? Manually installing the DSM 7 CardDAV Server that Synology says is no longer supported? I've also opened a support ticket with Synology on this.

 

[BobW]

What are my other alternatives?

If you are familiar with Docker you could run Baikal Caldav server for Calendar and Contacts.
Baikal Caldavserver

Personally I run everything in Docker, not using Synology native apps!

 

[SynoMan]

@typ993
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I use DSM 7 with Syno Calendar and Contacts with no problem (iOS 15.2 and macOS Monterey, but it was working the same way on Big Sur).

I use a reverse proxy for Calendar and Contacts and these are my settings for Calendar:

On macOS

Choose Advanced.

Server address: your ddns address or IP

Path: /caldav/your_account_name/

Port: 443

SSL: checked



For Contacts:

On macOS:

1. Open Contacts app
2. Open Preferences
3. Add CardDAV account
4. Account type: Advanced
5. Server address: ddns address or IP
6. Server path: /carddav/your_account_name
7. Port -> leave empty
8. SSL: checked

On iOS:

1. Settings > Contacts > Accounts > Add account
2. Server: https://ddns_address/carddav/your_account_name
3. Enter credentials and that's it.

Maybe you can try these settings. It worked for me.

 

[typ993]

Thanks for the replies! I haven't used Docker before, but am interested in using it for Homebridge.

I tried @SynoMan's approach first and set up reverse proxies for calendar and contacts. I was mostly successful: the calendar worked fine and I am able to set up the contacts account in iOS and macOS preferences. In iOS, I can see my contacts in their separate address books/groups. However, on macOS, I don't see any of the separate groups (just what I think is the My Contacts address book in Synology Contacts, which is empty). I noticed the CardDAV URL for each of these separate address books is different.

Am I overlooking something obvious here? I tried using the iOS setup URL (domainname/carddav/<contact username>, but still no separate groups in the macOS Contacts app.

 

[SynoMan]

I'm not using groups in Synology Contacts. But I can see if I create a group in Mac Contacts it shows on iOS too.

I noticed the CardDAV URL for each of these separate address books is different.

Yes, I guess you'll need to create an extra CardDAV account for each group.

Sorry, I'm not sure about this, maybe someone else is using it like this.

 

[typ993]

Yeah, after reviewing a few more threads here and on the Synology official forums, it seems there is some kind of interaction or incompatibility between the macOS contact client and the Synology server where groups are not being handled properly. Unfortunately, this appears to be one of those cases where it is difficult to find the cause.

 

[typ993]

Synology support says this is a known problem with macOS Contacts.app, so they aren't going to do anything on their end to fix what they don't see as their problem. I can't say they're wrong. I went to Apple's feedback page and Contacts.app isn't even listed, so I take that as a sign of how little attention Apple is paying to this piece of…software.

I ended up throwing in the towel and bought a license for BusyContacts for my Mac. Works fine with Synology Contacts (and shows contact groups). Not worth my time to get something else going on Docker that may or may not be supported or developed in the future (as has happened with some of the images).

 

[Telos]

I noticed the CardDAV URL for each of these separate address books is different.

The iOS CardDAV link is identical for all my address books. The Android links are different, but I use the iOS cardDAV link on Android and Mozilla Thunderbird, and it simply works.

 

[Micky]

While we are on, do you know a solution for synchronizing categories or labels added to a contact from the NAS to the contacts app on a iPad, running iOS 15.2?

 

[Telos]

While we are on, do you know a solution for synchronizing categories or labels added to a contact from the NAS to the contacts app on a iPad, running iOS 15.2?

I don't think that is possible. I'm on Android, but Syno Contacts labels don't sync to me, and labels I apply to my phone don't sync to Syno Contacts. And the labels I have on Thunderbird don't sync back to Syno Contacts. I may be too quick to point a finger, but Synology CardDAV seems to be a common culprit.

Maybe you will have a better result with iOS.

 

[Micky]

So,I'm using Baikal with CardDAV protocol to sync against iOS contacts and there is ko chance to get labels or categories working either...
It's a shame that iOS supports CalDAV/CardDAV natively but not all feature those protocols offer.

 

[EnglandUser2]

Hi Forum, this is my first and possibly last post but I have a solution to this issue.

Tested on macOS Monterey as of Monday 20th March:

To get macOS Contacts working with Synology Contacts

1. Go to Contacts app.
2. Go to Preferences...
3. Accounts
4. Add new Account using the + button in the list
5. Account Type Advanced
6. Type your local Synology account username and password
7. Server address type the IP AND the port number following. E.g. if your Synology IP address is 192.168.0.20 and DSM HTTPS port is 7900, type 192.168.0.20:7900
8. Server path caldav/username
9. Port leave empty
10. Use SSL if attempting with HTTPS (this is what was my case)
11. Click Sign in and boom!

You may also need to retype the server path in settings after the window closes. This must be a bug with macOS after all.

Hopefully the folks at Synology will pick this up in their documentation soon.
How do I sync Synology Contacts with CardDAV clients? - Synology Knowledge Center

Been driving me mad. Hope this helps.

 

[Gromush]

I have similar issue with my iPhone 13
But using solution with path /cardav/username still failed to authorize.
May someone know settings on Syno side required from defaults as I'm using?

 

[Gromush]

Hi,
By experiments I have succeed to connect on both (MAC / iPhone) contacts.
I have cloned all contacts from iCloud to syno account on Mac.
Not synced about a hour.

Fixed...

 

[Engross7629]

I created a list in the DSM contact web interface under "Group Address Book", the contacts are synchronised with MacOS contacts. Remember to remove group permissions from that " shared " list