How to replace Google Drive with a Synology NAS

If you have a large team working in your office, Google Drive may not always be the right collaboration tool. To make sure your important work files are stored on a server you control and are readily accessible without needing to rely on an erratic internet connection, look at an offline solution. And it looks like Synology may have the perfect replacement for you.

Synology may be better known for its awesome NAS enclosures, but its real virtue lies in the accompanying software. Synology Drive packs a lot of modern goodies that you’ve come to expect from Google Drive while adding an extra layer of privacy. Businesses and individuals can benefit from the perks that Synology Drive brings to the table.

Now that you’ve decided to switch away from Google’s service, here’s everything you need to know about setting up Synology Drive as a Google Drive alternative.

When to use Synology instead of Google Drive

Google Drive is easily accessible and may be a more feasible option for many users when compared with a Synology NAS (network-attached storage). This is particularly true if you need the tool for a single purpose, like backing up data.

Google Drive could be your best bet for purposes requiring less than a terabyte of data. It has plenty of integrated bells and whistles, and the introductory rates are affordable. It all boils down to how much value you place on your personal or business data and how important it is to keep your files in your storage space instead of in someone else’s cloud servers.

If you need more storage space, check out Google One, which is a subscription service that includes Google Drive storage, Google VPN, and other niceties. The payment plans start at $2 a month or $20 yearly for 100GB of storage. Plans go as high as $300 a month for 30TB of storage. The sweet spot is $10 a month or $100 a year for 2TB of data, which is cheaper than most 2TB HDDs.

With a NAS, you don’t need to pay a monthly fee, but there’s an upfront cost attached, and it’s a hefty one. Even if you pay a monthly fee for Google Drive, it will take years to match what you’ll pay for your own network storage. Still, there are cases, such as shared team projects, where you need spacious local storage, creating a more compelling need for the switch to a Synology NAS.

How to manage your files on a Synology NAS

Synology has some file management systems in place with some overlap, which can be confusing if you’re new to this. Consider the following as you decide what will work best for how you plan to use your network drive.

Map your Synology NAS to Finder or File Explorer on your Mac or Windows PC

File managers on Mac and Windows can connect to your network drive, giving you access to your files on Synology, like from internal storage. This way, you don’t need to log in to your NAS’s interface, and your files remain accessible in the same files app you’re used to without taking up space on your computer’s storage. Here’s how to set it up.

1. Go to your
   
   Synology DSM
   
   in a web browser and open
   
   Control Panel
   
   .
2. Select
   
   File Services
   
   .

   
   

3. Under the
   
   SMB tab
   
   , enable the
   
   SMB
   
   and
   
   WS-Discovery
   
   options and click
   
   Apply
   
   .

   
   

4. In Mac’s Finder, click
   
   Go
   
   in the top menu bar.
5. Select
   
   Connect to Server
   
   or use the
   
   Cmd
   
   +
   
   K
   
   shortcut.

   
   

6. Enter your NAS’s
   
   local address
   
   . This address could be a custom name you’ve given, like
   
   smb://xyz.local
   
   , or a local IP address your router assigned to the NAS, usually in the 192.168.X.XXX format.

   
   

7. For Windows, right-click
   
   This PC
   
   in File Explorer and select
   
   Map network drive
   
   .

   
   

8. Click
   
   Browse
   
   and select the drive label.

   
   

9. Select your
   
   Synology NAS
   
   from the list.

   
   

10. Enter your login credentials.

    
    

Your Synology NAS is visible in Finder or File Explorer. It’s recommended to pin the folders you frequently use to the sidebar for quick access. After mounting a local network drive, the files are only accessible when you’re on your home network.

Give Synology permission to back up and sync your computer’s folders

Google Drive has seemingly inspired some elements of Synology’s alternative, conveniently named Drive. Aside from borrowing the name and a few smart features, Synology Drive supports syncing and backup for your computer, which functions similarly to the sync tool that Google Drive offers. This is handy when you want to sync some of your folders with multiple devices and people on your network. It only takes a handful of steps to get Synology Drive up and running.

1. Go to your
   
   Synology DSM
   
   in a web browser and open
   
   Package Center
   
   .
2. Search for
   
   Synology Drive Server
   
   .
3. Click the
   
   Install
   
   button and let it run until the process is complete.

   
   

4. The Drive app installs along with the admin console. You can now use Drive’s web app to transfer files from other directories.
5. Download the
   
   Synology
   
   
   Drive Client
   
   for your computer from
   
   Synology’s website
   
   . You are asked to provide details about your NAS model, its OS version, and your login credentials.

   
   

6. Select
   
   Backup Task
   
   .

   
   

7. Select the folders you want Synology to keep a copy of.

   
   

8. Select your backup preferences.

   
   

9. Check your backup information, then select
   
   Done
   
   .

   
   

10. For syncing, create a new
    
    Sync Task
    
    from the Drive app on your computer.

    
    

11. Select the folders on your NAS and computer that you want to keep in sync, then click
    
    Done
    
    .

    
    

12. To alter advanced settings for the sync, select it and click
    
    Sync Rules
    
    .

    
    

With the backup tool, you can back up and access your files through the NAS by mapping them to your computer’s file manager. By enabling syncing, a copy of the files and folders is created and takes up space on the internal storage of all synced computers. They are distinct features that have some overlap, so you can use one method or both simultaneously.

Pros and cons of leaving Google Drive for Synology

Synology Drive is a versatile tool with many smart features. Think of it as a spruced-up version of the regular file manager, which gives it some advantages and a few disadvantages that we’ll discuss below.

Synology Drive for Android

The original Synology Drive app for Android was already a step up from the company’s deprecated file management app DS File. But Synology Drive recently got a major design overhaul, bringing a modern and clutter-free interface that easily rivals Google Drive. The tabbed interface lets you quickly jump to your custom file selection, like the ones you recently visited, starred, or labeled. Additionally, you can browse the app based on the file kind, such as photos, videos, audio, and documents.

You can save files offline on your phone for offline access when you can’t connect to the internet. And a good thing about the app is that the bottom navigation bar is dynamic, so it changes based on the app section you’re in to show you the most relevant options depending on the content. While the app has long allowed you to back up your files on your phone to your NAS, this new app version supports data backup even on mobile data (as long as QuickConnect is enabled on your Synology NAS).

Synology Drive has even added a built-in music player in the app with a fun little animation on the app’s home page. However, the app doesn’t support opening common document file formats like PDF. The company could integrate Synology Office (more on that later) within the Drive app to make the user experience even better.

Connecting to your Synology NAS over the internet

Cloud storage apps like Google Drive have become popular partly because you can access your files anywhere. All you need is an internet connection. It’s possible to do that with your NAS, and the simplest way is to use Synology’s solution: QuickConnect.

You can turn it on by navigating to

Control Panel

>

External Access

>

QuickConnect

>

Enable QuickConnect

. Make sure you have a Synology account (not your NAS user account) linked to your NAS for the feature to work. This way, you get a custom web address where you can sign in to your NAS from virtually anywhere in the world.