How to Set Up Key-Based Authentication on Your Synology NAS

Are you tired of constantly entering your password when trying to access your Synology NAS via SSH? Setting up key-based authentication is a great way to simplify the process and enhance security. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to set up key-based authentication on your Synology NAS.

Step 1: Restart the SSH Service

Before you begin, make sure that the SSH service is running correctly. You can do this by using the following command in your terminal:

`sudo synoservicectl -reload sshd`

Step 2: Log In to Your NAS Using SSH

Open a terminal and use the following command to log in to your NAS:

`ssh -p 'your_port_number' your_nas_username@your_nas_ip_address`

Replace `'your_port_number'` with the port you specified when setting up SSH, and `your_nas_username` and `your_nas_ip_address` with your actual NAS credentials.

Step 3: Edit the SSH Configuration File

Once logged in, use the following command to edit the SSH configuration file:

`sudo vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config`

Step 4: Enable RSA Authentication

In the configuration file, look for the lines that start with `#RSAAuthentication` and uncomment them by removing the `#` symbol. This will enable RSA authentication on your NAS.

Step 5: Generate an SSH Key

You'll need to generate an SSH key pair on your client machine. You can do this using a tool like PuTTYgen or OpenSSH. Once generated, copy the public key to a file named `authorized_keys` in the `~/.ssh` directory on your NAS.

Step 6: Configure Permissions

By default, the user's home directory has full read, write, and execute permissions for everyone. To fix this, use the following command:

`chmod 755 /volume1/homes/your_nas_username`

This will set the permissions to only allow read and execute access to the group and everyone.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you're still having trouble with key-based authentication, make sure that the public key is in `~/.ssh/authorized_keys`, that you have an SSH key on your client machine, and that the SSH daemon has Public Key Authentication enabled. You can also refer to the DSM documentation for more information.

With these steps, you should be able to set up key-based authentication on your Synology NAS and enjoy a more secure and convenient way of accessing your files.

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