BeeStation & Synology NAS Setup

Store your email backups on a Synology BeeStation or NAS for centralized, always-on storage.

Why use a NAS?

A Synology BeeStation or NAS gives you dedicated, always-on storage for your email backups. Instead of keeping backups on your laptop, you can save them to your NAS — so your emails are safe even if your computer is lost or replaced.

Step 1: Create a shared folder on your NAS

1. Log in to your Synology web interface.
2. Open Control Panel > Shared Folder.
3. Create a new shared folder (for example, name it beemail) or use an existing one.
4. Make sure your user account has read/write access to the folder.

Step 2: Mount the share on your computer

macOS (SMB)

1. In Finder, press Cmd+K (Connect to Server).
2. Enter the address: smb://beestation.local/beemail (replace with your NAS hostname and share name).
3. Enter your NAS username and password.
4. The share mounts at /Volumes/beemail.

Windows (SMB)

1. Open File Explorer and click Map Network Drive.
2. Enter the path: \\beestation\beemail.
3. Check “Reconnect at sign-in” so the drive is always available.
4. Enter your NAS credentials.

Step 3: Set the backup path in BeeMail

1. Open Settings > General > Backup Location.
2. Enter the mounted path:

   # macOS
   /Volumes/beemail
   
   # Windows (mapped drive)
   Z:\beemail
   
   # Windows (UNC path)
   \\beestation\beemail

3. Click Save Settings.

BeeMail will now write all email backups to your NAS.

Recommended sync frequency

When backing up to a NAS, we recommend syncing every 5–15 minutes. This keeps your backup up to date without overloading your network or NAS. Syncing more frequently than every 5 minutes usually isn’t necessary.

Troubleshooting

NAS folder not showing up

If BeeMail can’t save to the backup folder (for example, the NAS is off or the folder isn’t connected), the sync will show an error. BeeMail will try again automatically. To fix:

• Verify the NAS is powered on and reachable on your network.
• Re-mount the share (Finder > Connect to Server on macOS, or Map Network Drive on Windows).
• On macOS, consider adding the share to Login Items so it auto-mounts at boot.

Permission denied

If you see a “permission denied” error:

• Check that your NAS user has read/write access to the shared folder.
• In your Synology web interface, check the folder permissions under Control Panel > Shared Folder > Edit > Permissions.
• Make sure you’re connected with the correct NAS user account.

Slow syncs

If syncing feels slower than on a local drive:

• Use a wired Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi for the best speed.
• Make sure your NAS and computer are on the same network (not going through a VPN).