While the Synology BeeStation was designed to be a simple way to create your own private storage cloud. When working from your home network you may prefer to access your BeeStation directly. So in the video we show you how to enable a local account and the SMB service, in order to make your BeeStation act like a traditional file server.
In order to use your BeeStation as a file server. You will need to enable the following services:
- Sign into your BeeStation using the BeeStation web portal.
- Locate the Settings icon and click it to display a quick menu.
- From the quick menu choose Settings.
- Now from the sidebar of System Settings select Advanced Settings.
- Click on the Local Access tab.
- Use the toggle button to enable Local Account.
- From the Create Local Account panel, add a username and password.
Note: If you use the same username and password as the one for your Windows account. You will not be prompted for access credentials when you try and access network shares from your computer. However, this may only work if on your Windows computer, you are using a local user account, and not a Microsoft account.
- When you click Save, you will be logged out of System Settings and returned to the Home Screen of the BeeStation web portal.
Note: Just to let you know, Server Message Block (SMB) is the most common way computers share files and network resources like printers. So, your BeeStation should be able to act as a file server for any Windows, macOS, iPadOS, Chromebook, or Linux computer.
- From the BeeStation web portal, once again click on the Settings icon and choose Settings.
- Using the sidebar of System Settings, select Advanced Settings and click on the Local Access tab.
- Scroll down to SMB Service, and using the toggle button enable it.
- You will be present with a warning to “Avoid uploading photos to /home/Photos“.
- Tick the box for Got it, and click on Confirm.
- When SMB Service has been enabled you will be provide with information as to how you access your network shares.
Note: You may find that over time, or if you ever reboot your router. The IP address of your BeeStation changes. So to avoid this behaviour we recommend that you assign your BeeStation with a Static IP address.
- You can now close System Settings and use the network shares on your BeeStation.
Note: On a Synology BeeStation you cannot create your own network shares. So you will be limited to using one of three default folders. Home, Media and Time Machine. However if you connect an external USB hard drive to your BeeStation. Your BeeStation will automatically make the contents of that drive into a network share.
- Buy from Amazon – Synology BeeStation 4TB.
- Mydoodads article – Synology BeeStation | Install BeeStation for Desktop on Windows.
- Mydoodads article – Synology BeeStation | Install BeeStation for Desktop on macOS.
- Mydoodads article – Synology BeeStation | adding a (local) static IP address.
- Mydoodads article – How to access a network share from a Google Chromebook.
- Mydoodads article – How to access a network share from an Apple Macintosh computer.
- Mydoodads article – How to automatically mount network shares on macOS.
- Mydoodads article – How to access a network share from a Microsoft Windows computer.
- Mydoodads article – How to map a network drive in Windows.
- mydoodads article – Why do I have 2 BeeStation icons in macOS Finder?
- Synology support article – Synology BeeStation Product Manual.
- Microsoft support article – File sharing over a network in Windows.
- Apple support article – Connect your Mac to shared computers and servers.
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