Synology for dummies.

[SCHURK]

Where can I find the Synology for dummies book. Or :A non guru book. This forums seems to be for guru's only. I own 2 Syn 207+ diskstations, but I spend more time figuering out how they are supposed to work than actually using them. At the moment I use them as a regular NAS drive, but they should be capable of doing a lot more..

[triad]

I don't know a book like this.
But you can ask us and we will tell you our know-how.

don't be shy

[Franklin]

Greetings SCHURK

The SynologyWiki (note- work in progress) is probably the resource you are looking for. Please refer to my sig links for further info.

Hope this helps

[ramatsu]

But you can ask us and we will tell you our know-how.

don't be shy

Ok, here goes...

I have a DS211j that I've been trying to get set up for several weeks. I have a minimal understanding of networking, but am generally able to dig into technical topics enough to get by. (I've kept a mixed Mac/PC network operational for 15 years, but never with a dedicated server, just simple peer-peer. I can make sure that we can all see each other's shared directories and get internet access, but can't figure out how to set up a second router behind our main one.)

There is no shortage of information about managing and setting up the Synology, but it's all written from the system view, not the user's view. What I mean by that is that while the details are clear for the most part, there is no context about what common user needs a given function serves, or what the larger use case implications are for a given setting. The audience for this info is clearly knowledgeable folks like yourself, who have that context already and just need the technical details.

For example... Following the instructions at http://www.synology.com/us/solutions/ba ... achine.php, I set up a Time Machine share on the DiskStation. The DS appears appears in the Shares sidebar of the Mac Finder (Snow Leopard), and the TM share shows up inside that. But that's it. I can manually transfer files to and from any of the shares I've set up, and permissions appear to be working ok. But even though my Time Machine share, configured according to directions, shows up there, the Time Machine preferences panel can't see it, so I can't use it. That's half of the reason I got the Synology, to share a large backup volume across multiple Mac users.

I wish the wiki article showed what this should look like in my Finder window. Sometimes I see two items called "DiskStation" and "DiskStation (Time Machine)", but sometimes I see a single item called "diskstation". (Note the difference in capitalization.) I have no idea why it's sometimes one way and sometimes the other, and Support didn't comment on that part of my trouble ticket. The kind of consumer, user-centered documentation that I wish was available would show the Finder sidebar state, which would let me know if what I'm seeing is ok or not. (Note that I'm not even asking that the Synology be engineered to consumer standards, in which users would be protected from setting it up in states that were not ok, just that the docs thow us a line.)

And if these are two known states and one will work and the other won't, the article would provide typical help with this, e.g.: "If you see "diskstation" instead of "DiskStation," you need to change the ___ setting in ____." (I recognize that this might be one of the many edge cases that can't be captured in documentation like that, but I'm using it as an example of something I haven't seen much in any of the Synology support docs.)

I've got trouble tickets in, and am in communication with support, but with a 1-2 day turnaround for each iterative answer, it feels like identifying the issue might take a year.

The biggest thing about this is that since there was no use-case based step by step setup, I am haunted by the sense that there is some simple setting I've omitted that is so basic and obvious to the NAS illuminati that it's not even occurring to Support that I could have gotten this far without having done that.

I suppose this amounts to a long-winded plea for what you've already said doesn't exist, but I guess I have to ask again. Really, there's no "How to set up a DiskStation for Time Machine and media server" for dummies? It feels like Synology is just a few good user-centered tutorials or wizards away from having a product that could work for a MUCH larger audience than those who are comfortable with the level of networking expertise currently required, so it's boggling my mind that no one has done this yet. There's so much money being left on the table.

Thanks for any help or direction you can provide, or at least for listening

[Simple Simon]

BUMP
Echoing ramatsu -- I am a new user of a pre-configured DS1511+ 5x1TB diskstation. I bought it mostly for disk-fault-tolerant backup of data. I've got it installed in a local network based on a WinXP box, a Cisco WRT610N router and running Cisco "Network Magic" 5.5.9195.0

I worked through quick start guide, and tutorials, and the support forum. I am not a networking guy, just a user who wants to get his stuff backed up and move on. I thought I was in the top 10% of computer users for understanding how to make things work, but so far I can't make heads or tails out of any of the instructions.

Specifically, in File Browser I can see the DiskStation, in which I have created both a volume and a folder. I can also see My Computer and all its drives. But I can't move any files into the folder on the DiskStation using File Browser. I can't map the DiskStation as a network drive.

Will appreciate any pointers.

[jaapk2002]

I understand the "frustration / difficulties" both of you have. when I first unpacked and installed my DS1511 I was anxious to start, but I first had to wait for the SHR to finish.

Then I was ready to start copying, but my video, music, etc. folders were not visible / accessible. Aaaargghhhh, read the ....manual. So I did. I noticed that I had forgotten to set the permissins of my shared folders.

Don't know if this helps, but I suggest to go through the settings and make sure nothing was over looked.

Regards,

Jan

[jhunt]

Well some 5 or 6 months later, and I'm here scratching my head wondering what I have missed.

I just want my files backed up and to access them remotely. Not a big ask. But it looks like for any decent guide or support you need to be a technical wiz in the upper echelons of computer wizadry.

Did either of you guys above get your NAS sorted in the end?

[Bluehigh]

In sort of the same boat. I've had my DS211J for about a year. I've managed to learn--the hard way--pretty much what I need to know to do what I want to do: Home network, media serve, backup, and remote access. I agree, the documentation is not ready for prime time when it comes to newbies. There is far too much assumption of a higher level of expertise than what an average Joe would have.

To be frank I think that it probably is detrimental to sales. If there were documentation that catered to the absolute novice--step by step from the bottom up with an assumption of zero knowledge--it would hugely expand the user base. That being said, through the forums and my own research I've managed to educate myself to do what I need to do.

So, with that in mind, jhunt, do you have any specific questions to a specific problem?

D.

[bbarnard]

In hindsight, I would not have purchased from Synology.... The products may be good but it is very very hard for a dummy to use. If they want to sell to home users they need to create the step by step info without acronyms.