1Enable SMB
SMB is the default protocol for macOS and the easiest way to connect GoMount to a Synology NAS. Log in to your Synology DSM web interface and open Control Panel > File Services > SMB/AFP/NFS.
- Check Enable SMB service.
- Set the Maximum SMB protocol to SMB 3 for the best balance of performance and security.
- Click Apply to save the changes.
macOS compatibility: macOS Ventura and later prefer SMB 3. Avoid enabling SMB 1 because it is deprecated and less secure. AFP is no longer supported by Apple and can be left disabled.
2Create a Shared Folder
Next, create the shared folder that GoMount will mount on your Mac. Go to Control Panel > Shared Folder and click Create.
- Give the folder a name, e.g.
MediaorBackups. Remember this exact name — you will need it in GoMount. - Choose a volume location if you have multiple storage pools.
- Skip encryption unless you have a specific need; DSM-level encryption adds complexity and can reduce performance.
- On the permissions screen, leave it as Inherit permissions for now. We will assign user-level access in the next step.
Once created, the shared folder appears in the list. Note the name exactly as shown — DSM is case-sensitive for share names when mounting from macOS.
3Create a User & Permissions
It is best practice to create a dedicated user for GoMount rather than using your DSM administrator account. Go to Control Panel > User & Group and click Create.
- Enter a username, e.g.
gomount, and set a strong password. - Skip assigning administrator privileges — a standard user is sufficient.
- On the Assign Shared Folder Permissions step, select the shared folder you just created and grant Read/Write access.
- Finish the wizard and apply the changes.
Security tip: A dedicated account with limited access reduces risk. If you ever need to revoke access, you can disable or delete this single user without affecting other DSM services or admin accounts.
Optionally, you can fine-tune permissions later by editing the shared folder and opening the Permissions tab. Make sure the new user has at least Read access (and Write if you want to upload files from your Mac).
4Optional: Enable NFS
If you prefer NFS over SMB — for example, because you want to avoid macOS creating .DS_Store files on the NAS — you can enable NFSv4 on your Synology.
- Go to Control Panel > File Services > SMB/AFP/NFS and switch to the NFS tab.
- Check Enable NFS and make sure NFSv4.1 is selected.
- Click Apply.
- Now go to Control Panel > Shared Folder, select your shared folder, and click Edit > NFS Permissions.
- Click Create and enter the IP address of your Mac (or use
*to allow any client on your local network). - Set Squash to Map all users to admin or configure UID/GID mapping carefully if you want exact permission parity.
- Set Security to SYS for local authentication.
NFS caveat: NFS does not use username/password authentication the way SMB does. In GoMount, select NFS as the protocol and leave the username/password fields empty. The mount is authorized by IP address.
5Connect from GoMount
You now have everything needed on the NAS side. Open GoMount on your Mac and add a new NAS device with the following details:
- Protocol: SMB (or NFS if you enabled it above).
- Address: Your Synology's local IP address, e.g.
192.168.1.100. You can also usesynology.localif your network supports mDNS/Bonjour. - Share: The exact shared folder name you created, e.g.
Media. - Username & Password: The DSM user credentials from Step 3 (SMB only).
Save the configuration, set your auto-mount rule (Wi-Fi SSID or IP range), and test by toggling your network connection. Your Synology share should appear in Finder under Locations or at /Volumes.
For more details on configuring GoMount rules and testing, see our Getting Started guide. If you are unsure whether SMB or NFS is right for your setup, read our NFS vs SMB comparison. Ready to experiment with NFS? Follow our step-by-step Docker NFS Server Guide to spin up a test server in minutes.