Initial Setup

You only have to follow the directions of Synology's Quick Start Guide to quickly and easily set this NAS up. It will prompt you to turn the DS214se 2200 on after connecting Ethernet and power cables. You will now visit Synology's Download Center to download Synology Assistant. The application will find and identify the NAS on your network, with its model and serial number, to take you through the initialization process. Synology didn't include a software disc in the bundle to make sure users download the latest versions of all compatible software packages through Download Center.


This step will prompt you to define the file path for DSM (Disk Station Manager), the OS you downloaded.


The set-up phase continues with the steps above, where you set an administrator's password and configure your network settings. You can also pick to automatically create a Synology Hybrid Raid (SHR) volume after installation is complete.


The DSM 5.0 login page looks very nice and even provides, based on your location, a weather forecast. You will have to enter your credentials to log into the administrative interface.


You will be greeted by the pages above upon first logging into DSM 5.0., where you will be asked to quickly set up a QuickConnect account if you don't have one already. QuickConnect is a service that allows a user to easily host his private cloud, which removes the need for sophisticated network-specific know-how and results in relative ease-of-use when it comes to Synology's apps. This service also easily allows you to find and log into your NAS from anywhere as long as you have Internet access to use such popular services as Cloud Station, DS cloud, DS audio, DS photo+, and DS file; that is, with your custom "myNAS" ID instead of a long IP address. You can read up on QuickConnect in detail here.


QuickConnect allows you to access your NAS from everywhere through the Internet.

If you don't want to install Synology Assistant, you can set the NAS up by following the method we covered in our DS214play review. Just type "find.synology.com" or "diskstation:5000" into your browser and both of the aforementioned URLs will fire up an easy-to-follow set-up process.

Software

The Synology Assistant not only finds the NAS's IP address on your network and assists in configuring it as it also has several other interesting functions. It, for example, has a resource monitor through which you can track the NAS's resources in real time, and its most important feature is probably the ability to elect which Synology NAS to monitor should you have more than one available to you on the same network.


The Data Replication application allows you to easily and quickly backup and restore files.


The Synology Cloud Station software allows you to synchronize files between your NAS and your workstation, or all client PCs.


Synology says the Evidence Integrity Authenticator to allow third-party investigators or law enforcement authorities to validate and review videos captured by the Synology Surveillance Station. Videos which have not been tampered with will be verified as original recordings via an authentication procedure since all recorded videos and Live View snapshots by Surveillance Station include an invisible watermark.


Photo Station Uploader allows you to upload a bunch of photos to your photo album.