TrueNAS Scale + GoMount

1Before You Start

TrueNAS Scale is a Linux-based NAS operating system that uses ZFS for storage. It supports both SMB and NFS sharing and is popular among home lab users and small businesses. This guide walks you through creating a storage pool, dataset, share, and finally mounting it automatically on macOS with GoMount.

You will need:

• TrueNAS Scale installed and accessible on your network
• At least one physical disk or an existing pool
• Administrator access to the TrueNAS web UI
• GoMount installed on your Mac

2Create a Pool

In TrueNAS Scale, all shared storage lives inside a ZFS pool. If you already have a pool, skip to the next step.

1. Log in to the TrueNAS Scale web UI.
2. Go to Storage in the left sidebar.
3. Click Create Pool.
4. Enter a name, e.g., tank.
5. Select the disks you want to use and choose a layout. For home use, Stripe (no redundancy) or Mirror (two disks mirrored) are common choices.
6. Click Create and confirm the warning about data loss.

3Create a Dataset

Datasets are the ZFS equivalent of folders but with independent permissions, quotas, and snapshots. Create one for your macOS share.

1. Go to Storage > Pools and click the three-dot menu on your pool.
2. Choose Add Dataset.
3. Enter a name, e.g., macos-share.
4. Leave most defaults. Set Share Type to SMB if you plan to use SMB, or leave it as Generic for NFS.
5. Click Save.

4Create an SMB Share

SMB is the simplest way to share the dataset with macOS.

1. Go to Shares in the left sidebar.
2. Under Windows (SMB) Shares, click Add.
3. For Path, select your dataset, e.g., /mnt/tank/macos-share.
4. Enter a Name, e.g., MacBackup.
5. Click Save.

TrueNAS may prompt you to enable SMB service. Click Enable Service if asked.

5Create an NFS Share

For NFS, the process is similar but with an extra access-control step.

1. Go to Shares in the left sidebar.
2. Under UNIX (NFS) Shares, click Add.
3. For Path, select your dataset, e.g., /mnt/tank/macos-share.
4. In the Networks or Hosts field, enter your local subnet: 192.168.1.0/24 (replace with your subnet).
5. Set Maproot User and Maproot Group if needed. For home use, you can leave these default or set them to your regular TrueNAS user.
6. Click Save.

If prompted, enable the NFS service.

6Configure Permissions

Incorrect permissions are the most common cause of TrueNAS mount failures. Make sure the dataset ACL or Unix permissions allow the connecting user.

1. Go to Storage > Pools.
2. Click the three-dot menu on your dataset and choose Edit Options or Edit Permissions.
3. For SMB with a local TrueNAS user, set the dataset owner to that user.
4. For NFS, ensure the Unix permissions include read/write for the connecting user or group.
5. Click Save.

7Add TrueNAS to GoMount

Via SMB

1. Open GoMount Settings and switch to the NAS Config tab.
2. Click + to add a new device.
3. Set Protocol to SMB.
4. Enter the TrueNAS IP address, e.g., 192.168.1.50.
5. Enter the SMB share name, e.g., MacBackup.
6. Enter your TrueNAS username and password.
7. Click Save.

Via NFS

1. Add a new device and set Protocol to NFS.
2. Enter the TrueNAS IP address.
3. For Share, enter the exported path, e.g., /mnt/tank/macos-share.
4. Leave username and password empty.
5. Click Save.

8Auto-Mount Rules

Once the NAS is saved, switch to the Rules tab in GoMount and configure when the share should mount automatically.

• IP Range: 192.168.1.0/24 (your local subnet)
• Wi-Fi SSID: Your home Wi-Fi name

Either condition will trigger the mount. For details on how these rules work together, see Auto-Mount NAS When Your Mac Comes Home.

9Troubleshooting

Mount fails with "Permission denied"

• Verify the dataset owner and ACL allow the connecting user.
• For SMB, make sure the user has a password set and is not disabled.
• For NFS, check the Maproot settings and exported subnet.

Cannot see the share from macOS

• Confirm the SMB or NFS service is running in TrueNAS under System Settings > Services.
• Check your Mac and TrueNAS are on the same network.
• Try connecting by IP instead of hostname.

Slow transfer speeds

• Use NFS for large sequential files like media.
• Connect via wired Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi.
• Disable SMB signing if your network is trusted: in GoMount mount parameters, use signing_required=no.