Synology VPN Configuration Guide: Fixing the Most Common Setup Mistakes

Setting up a VPN should be simple. But if you’ve ever tried configuring one on a Synology NAS, you know that’s not always the case. Dropped connections, unreachable devices, ports not responding—VPN setup on Synology can turn into a frustrating loop of trial and error.

This guide walks through Synology VPN configuration the right way. We’ll highlight the steps most tutorials gloss over, explain what commonly goes wrong, and show you how to avoid issues that can leave your network exposed or your remote access unusable.

If you’re a small IT team, a growing business, or someone handling sensitive data from home—this one’s for you.

Why Bother with a VPN on Synology NAS?

First, the basics.

A VPN allows you to securely connect to your network from anywhere in the world. Synology makes this possible by offering both VPN server and VPN client functionality directly through DSM (DiskStation Manager).

With the right setup:

• You can access shared files on your NAS without exposing it to the internet
  
• Your traffic is encrypted end-to-end, even on public Wi-Fi
  
• Remote work becomes safer and more flexible

But the key word is right setup. And that’s where most users get stuck.

Mistake #1: Rushing Through the Configuration

The DSM interface is clean. That’s great. But too many users rush through the Synology VPN configuration screens without fully understanding what each option does.

Here’s a better approach:

1. Install the VPN Server package from the Package Center
   
2. Open the app and choose a protocol: OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, or PPTP
   
   • Avoid PPTP — it’s outdated and insecure
     
   • L2TP/IPSec is good for mobile devices
     
   • OpenVPN is the most secure and flexible
     
3. Configure authentication and user permissions
   
4. Export configuration files (especially for OpenVPN clients)
   
5. Open the necessary ports on your router (we’ll talk about that next)

Mistake #2: Forgetting About Port Forwarding

VPNs need specific ports to communicate. Without them, you’ll connect to nothing.

Depending on the protocol, here’s what you’ll need:

Protocol	Ports to Open
L2TP/IPSec	UDP 500, UDP 1701, UDP 4500
OpenVPN	UDP 1194 (default)

If your router has UPnP disabled (which it should for security), you’ll need to forward these manually.

Also, assign your Synology NAS a static IP address within your LAN. Dynamic addresses will mess with routing when the device reboots.

Mistake #3: Using the Wrong Protocol for Your Needs

This depends on how you’re using the VPN.

• If your users are mostly on mobile devices, go with L2TP/IPSec. It’s natively supported on iOS and Android.
  
• If your focus is maximum security, stick to OpenVPN.
  
• Avoid PPTP entirely—it’s just not worth the risk anymore.

A lot of setup issues come down to using the wrong protocol or trying to mix them across different client devices.

Mistake #4: No Firewall Rules

Your Synology firewall is probably blocking your VPN traffic—especially if you’ve enabled the firewall and never set custom rules.

Here’s how to fix it:

• Go to Control Panel > Security > Firewall
  
• Add rules to allow traffic on the ports used by your VPN
  
• Make sure these rules are set to allow connections from all interfaces, or at least from the subnet your VPN clients will use

Missing this step will make everything look fine—until you try to connect from outside your local network.

Mistake #5: Using Weak User Credentials

One of the most overlooked issues in Synology VPN setups is leaving user accounts with default usernames or weak passwords. It doesn’t matter how well you configure the server — if someone can brute-force their way in, the entire setup is compromised.

Fix it:

• Enforce strong passwords for VPN users
  
• Disable unused DSM accounts
  
• Use 2FA for DSM access (separate from VPN, but equally important)

Pro Tip: Strong passwords are your first line of defense — and a white-label password manager helps your users stay secure without the hassle. Whether it’s DSM, VPN, or 2FA credentials, offer them a secure, branded way to manage it all.

Add a White-Label Password Manager to Your Product Suite Today.

Mistake #6: Not Testing Connections from Outside the Network

Plenty of people test their VPN setup from the same local network as the Synology NAS. It works fine — but only because you’re bypassing the router and firewall rules. Once you leave the network, it breaks.

Fix it:

• Use a mobile hotspot or external Wi-Fi to test the VPN
  
• Verify DNS resolution, port accessibility, and routing from truly external IPs
  
• Don’t assume internal tests reflect real-world scenarios
  

Mistake #7: Forgetting to Limit VPN User Permissions

Once the VPN tunnel is active, connected devices are part of your network. That means they can potentially see everything — printers, cameras, file shares, admin tools.

Fix it:

• Create dedicated VPN user accounts with limited folder access
  
• Use VLANs or firewall rules to segment access
  
• Disable shared folder browsing for unnecessary services

How to Configure Synology VPN Client?

So far we’ve been talking about using Synology as a server. But what if you want your NAS to connect to another VPN service?

Maybe to protect outbound traffic. Or access remote resources. In that case, you’ll need the Synology VPN client.

Here’s how:

1. Go to Control Panel > Network > Network Interface
   
2. Click Create > Create VPN Profile
   
3. Choose the type (OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, etc.)
   
4. Fill in server address, credentials, and import certificate if needed
   
5. Check “Reconnect when the VPN connection is lost” for reliability
   
6. Hit connect

Once connected, your NAS will route outbound traffic through the remote VPN.

What Ports Need to Be Open?

We covered the basics earlier, but it’s worth repeating since this causes most failures.

Make sure your router is forwarding the correct ports to your NAS’s static IP. Here they are again:

• L2TP/IPSec: UDP 500, 1701, 4500
  
• OpenVPN: UDP 1194 (or whatever port you specify)

Use tools like canyouseeme.org to verify they’re actually open from the outside.

Also double-check your ISP isn’t blocking these ports. Some do.

Accessing Synology NAS Remotely With VPN

Once your VPN is up and running, here’s how to access your Synology NAS securely:

1. Connect your client device to your VPN
   
2. Open File Station or use SMB to map a network drive
   
3. Access your shared folders like you would locally

Because the VPN extends your local network, it should behave like you’re inside the office or home network.

Auto-Connect Your Synology to a VPN

If you’re using Synology as a VPN client and want it to reconnect automatically:

• Enable Reconnect automatically in your VPN profile settings
  
• Use DSM Task Scheduler to run a connection script at startup (for extra reliability)
  
• Consider using ping-based watchdog scripts to monitor VPN uptime and reinitiate if the tunnel drops

It’s not fancy, but it’s reliable.

Should You Run a VPN on Synology?

If you’re a solo user or a small business looking for secure remote access, yes. It’s free, native, and doesn’t require external hardware.

But if you need:

• Centralized user management
  
• Branded VPN apps for team or client access
  
• Scalable infrastructure
  
• Activity monitoring or admin-level controls

…then Synology might not be enough.

That’s where commercial solutions come in.

A Better Option for Growing Businesses

Here’s the honest truth: Synology’s VPN works—but it’s limited.

If you’re managing multiple users, remote contractors, or clients, you need a VPN solution with better control and scalability.

That’s what PureVPN White Label is built for.

With PureVPN White Label, you can:

• Offer your own branded VPN apps
  
• Create user profiles, control access, and monitor usage
  
• Add DNS filtering or malware blocking
  
• Offer dedicated IPs and custom server locations
  
• Integrate via SDK or API into your SaaS or service platform

So whether you’re an MSP, IT consultant, or SaaS provider, this isn’t just about connectivity. It’s about giving your users security you can control.

Final Thoughts

Most Synology VPN configuration issues aren’t because the system is broken. They come from missed steps, bad assumptions, or outdated tutorials.

Stick to OpenVPN. Open the right ports. Check your firewall. And test, test, test.

If you’re using Synology for your personal access—great. But if you’re rolling this out across a team or using it for customer-facing work, consider scaling with a tool built for business.

You don’t want to discover your VPN broke the moment someone actually needs it.