We set up your Synology before handing it over to you — disks installed, DSM set up, network configured, a first IPv4 assigned. In the setup mail you get:
- DSM URL (something like
https://12345.nas.xaweho.de:5001/or your own subdomain, if you’ve already provided one) - Admin username (typically
admin-12345or a name of your choosing) - Initial password (generated by us — please change it right away on first login)
- Model and HDD configuration of your Synology
Please keep this mail — for some actions we’ll need the details again.
First login
Open the DSM URL in your browser. You’ll land on the Synology login. Enter username and password.
On the very first login, DSM offers you the setup wizard — which you can skip with us. We’ve already taken care of it: the volume is created, RAID is running, the standard packages are installed. You can start configuring right away.
What to take care of in the first 10 minutes
In our experience, this list leads to the fewest problems later on.
1. Change the password
Top right, click your profile picture → Personal → Account. Set a new password — best generated from your password manager, at least 16 characters, no reuse.
Nobody should ever need the initial password we sent you again.
2. Enable 2FA
In the same area, the 2-Factor Authentication tab. Set it up with a TOTP app (Aegis, 2FAS, the Apple password manager — anything with RFC 6238 support will do).
More details, and printing your recovery codes, in our follow-up article on securing the admin account.
3. Check language and time zone
Control Panel → Regional Options → Language and Time:
- Language: German (or whatever you prefer).
- Time zone: Berlin.
- NTP: enabled, with
time.synology.comorpool.ntp.org.
A wrongly set clock causes problems later with SSL certificates and 2FA — so get it right immediately.
4. Set up notifications
Control Panel → Notification → Email Service. Enter an SMTP setup so you get mails when:
- A disk reports a SMART error
- The volume is filling up
- DSM updates are available
- A backup job fails
We recommend entering a separate mail address here that you actually read. If you don’t have your own SMTP, you can also use our mail server plan — or push notifications via the Synology mobile app.
5. Check the first volume and storage status
Storage Manager → Storage Pool and Volume. You should see:
- Storage Pool 1: healthy, with your disks and the chosen RAID level (typically SHR or SHR2)
- Volume 1: created, with Btrfs as the file system (our default — good for snapshots)
If anything isn’t “Healthy” or a disk status shows “Warning”: open a ticket, we’ll take a look right away.
What to configure next
Depending on what you plan to do with the Synology:
- File sync and cloud storage: Set up Synology Drive
- Photo auto-upload: Synology Photos
- Backup target for your devices: create SMB shares (see Setting up SMB shares)
- Your own domain instead of our subdomain: Point your own domain at your Synology and Let’s Encrypt certificate
What not to touch on the DSM side
A few things we deliberately leave you access to, but which can leave marks:
- Network settings: we’ve configured the IP address — better not to change anything in the interface configuration, otherwise your NAS is no longer reachable.
- Hardware settings: HDD hibernation off, because in a data center it brings no benefit and only prolongs spin-up times.
- Firewall: if you change rules, be careful — if you lock yourself out, we can only get into DSM via VNC. Better to open a ticket first.
Frequently asked questions
I see an SSL warning on login — is that normal? Yes. The initial DSM certificate is self-signed. In the first days you can ignore it. As soon as we’ve set up a Let’s Encrypt certificate (or you’ve set up your own), the warning disappears.
How often is DSM updated automatically? By default, not at all — major updates we plan together with you, smaller security updates we install automatically on request for many customers. More in Planning DSM updates.
Can I create additional users? Yes. Control Panel → User & Group. Practical if you don’t want to give everyone the admin account — a separate login per family member or employee, with rights restricted to only the necessary shares.
I’ve locked myself out of my admin account — what now? Open a ticket. We connect via VNC to the local DSM login and can reset the password or activate an emergency account. Please don’t try to do it yourself via DSM recovery mode — in the worst case, that resets everything.
Which packages are already installed? By default, DSM’s own tools: File Station, Storage Manager, Package Center, Resource Monitor. On request, we install more — Synology Drive Server, Synology Photos, Mail Plus etc. — before handing over the NAS. Ask us if something is missing.
What’s next
Securing the admin account on your Synology — 2FA, password, login protection
A Synology exposed to the internet is a brute-force magnet. Here's how to harden the admin account, protect against login floods and sleep better at night.
Setting up Synology Drive for file sharing and sync
Synology Drive is the Dropbox replacement on your Synology — sync client, sharing links, version history. Here's how to get it running.
Setting up Synology Photos — photo auto-upload and album management
An iCloud Photos replacement on your own hardware. How to set up Synology Photos, enable auto-upload, and use face and object recognition.
Configuring Snapshot Replication for version protection
Btrfs snapshots protect your data against ransomware, accidental deletion and broken updates. What it is, how to set it up, and why it doesn't replace a backup.