--- title: "Synology Surveillance Station: The Complete Guide to Using Your NAS as an NVR" description: "**Synology Surveillance Station** turns the Synology NAS you already own into a full network video recorder. It records your IP cameras, shows them live on a phone, a computer or a browser, sends alerts when something moves, and keeps every…" url: "https://synopower.club/zh/%e6%96%87%e4%bb%b6/surveillance-station-all-in-one-surveillance-system-inside-each-synology-nas/" updated: "2026-11-09" category: Surveillance Station tags: - nvr - surveillance --- # Synology Surveillance Station: The Complete Guide to Using Your NAS as an NVR **Synology Surveillance Station** turns the Synology NAS you already own into a full network video recorder. It records your IP cameras, shows them live on a phone, a computer or a browser, sends alerts when something moves, and keeps every recording on hardware you control instead of in someone else's cloud. The package is free in Package Center, every NAS includes two camera licenses, and it works with more than 20,000 camera models. This guide covers everything you need to run Synology Surveillance Station well: what it is, when a NAS beats a dedicated NVR, installation, choosing and adding cameras, storage planning, the apps for watching, licenses, and the security basics that keep your recordings safe. Synology has developed Surveillance Station since 2008, and the current release is 9.3. Because it ships with the NAS rather than being sold separately, it is hard to find another system with the same feature set at the same price, which is why it is one of the most widely installed packages on the platform. > **SynoPower Club Point:** I answered Surveillance Station questions on the Synology support side for years, and the same story kept coming up. People spent weeks comparing NVR boxes and cloud camera plans, then found out the NAS already sitting in their cupboard could do the job. Synology Surveillance Station is free, the first two cameras are covered, and every recording stays on hardware you own. This guide is the walkthrough I wish I could have sent each of them: install it, pick cameras that actually work, record, and watch from anywhere. ## What Is Synology Surveillance Station? Synology Surveillance Station is a video management system (VMS) that runs on a Synology NAS. Install it from Package Center and the NAS becomes a private NVR: it records IP cameras around the clock or on events, lets you watch live and play back recordings, searches footage, and pushes notifications to your phone when a camera detects motion, a person or a vehicle. ![Surveillance Station in Package Center of DSM7](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Surveillance-Station-in-package-center-jpg-1024x905.webp) *Surveillance Station in Package Center* Synology refreshes its official overview video every year. It is the quickest way to see what the system looks like before you install anything: [Getting to know Surveillance Station 9 | Synology SPOT](https://www.youtube.com/embed/j8OQen5NpZ0?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://synopower.club) *Getting to know Synology Surveillance Station 9 - Very well informed and recommended to see how powerful it is* Everything in this guide applies to Synology NAS models that support the package. For dedicated surveillance hardware and for the cloud option, see the next section and the Surveillance365 comparison further down. ## Synology Surveillance Station vs a Dedicated NVR If you search for an NVR for a home or small business, you quickly find that Synology Surveillance Station covers the same ground as a standalone recorder, with a few advantages that matter over the years: - **One-time licenses, no subscription.** Camera licenses are perpetual and can move to a new NAS later. - **Wide camera support.** Synology cameras, more than 20,000 third-party models, and most ONVIF cameras that are not on the list. - **Clients for every screen.** DS cam on iOS and Android, Surveillance Station Client on Windows and macOS, and any modern browser. - **One box, many jobs.** The same NAS keeps doing file storage, backup and apps alongside recording. Synology also sells hardware built only for surveillance. Both run the same Synology Surveillance Station, so the choice comes down to what the box has to do besides recording: | | Synology NAS | Synology NVR or DVA | | --- | --- | --- | | Main job | Files, backup and apps, with Surveillance Station added | Recording and video analytics only | | Default camera licenses | 2 on standard models | 4 on NVR models, 8 on DVA models | | Face and license plate recognition | Not on standard models | Yes on DVA models, which include a GPU | | Local display | Through Surveillance Station Client or DS cam | DVA models have HDMI output for a monitor | If you already own a NAS, start there. The two free licenses cover a small home setup, and more can be added camera by camera. A DVA earns its price when you need deep-learning features such as face or license plate recognition across many cameras at once. Synology lists the current models in its [Deep Learning NVR range](https://www.synology.com/products/DVA). ## What You Need Before You Start - **A Synology NAS that supports the package.** Most models released in the last decade do. Check the [Surveillance Station package page](https://www.synology.com/en-global/dsm/packages/SurveillanceStation) for the DSM version and models it currently supports. - **A shared folder with room to grow.** Recordings are stored in a shared folder, and video fills disks quickly. The storage section below shows how to estimate it. - **Cameras on the same network.** Wired cameras are the most reliable. Give each camera a fixed address, either on the camera or as a DHCP reservation on the router. - **A plan for how many cameras the NAS can carry.** Since Surveillance Station 9.1.3 there is no hard cap on the number of cameras. What remains is the recommended maximum in each model's data sheet or on the [product comparison page](https://www.synology.com/products/compare), which reflects what the CPU and disks can sustain. Recording itself is light work. Watching four live streams from a browser on our DS1517+ used about 5% CPU and 150 MB of memory in Resource Monitor, because decoding happens on the viewing device, not on the NAS: ![Resource Monitor showing Synology Surveillance Station at 5.3% CPU and 146 MB of memory while streaming 4 cameras](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/surveillance-station-low-cpu-usage.webp) Four live streams cost the NAS about 5% CPU. The heavy lifting is on the viewing device. If you plan to watch many cameras at once on one computer, that computer is what needs the power. Synology explains how to size it in [How do I choose a PC or VisualStation to monitor with Surveillance Station?](https://kb.synology.com/Surveillance/tutorial/How_do_I_choose_the_right_PC_for_Surveillance_Station_Live_View). ## Install Synology Surveillance Station in 4 Steps Getting from an empty NAS to a recording camera takes four steps. Each one is covered in more detail in the sections that follow. ### Install the package In DSM open Package Center, search for Surveillance Station and click Install. On a closed network, download the package from the Synology Download Center and use Manual Install instead. ### Add a camera Open Surveillance Station, go to IP Camera and click Add. The wizard searches the local network, or you can enter the camera address, username and password by hand. ### Set recording and storage Choose a recording schedule and the shared folder that will hold the footage, then set a retention limit so older recordings are removed before the volume fills up. ### Watch from anywhere Install DS cam on your phone or Surveillance Station Client on a computer, sign in to the NAS, and check both live view and playback. *Install Surveillance Station in Package Center of DSM7.2* Click the Surveillance Station icon to open it. The first sign-in offers a short tour, which is worth a minute. If you do not have a NAS yet, Synology runs an [online demo](https://demo.synology.com/surveillance) of the latest version, so you can try the interface first: *[Surveillance Station Demo offered by Synology](https://demo.synology.com/surveillance)* ## Choosing IP Cameras That Work With It Start with the official [IP Camera Support List](https://www.synology.com/en-global/compatibility/camera). Cameras fall into three groups: - **Third-party IP cameras.** More than 20,000 models from over 200 brands are on the list, including AXIS, VIVOTEK, Hikvision, Reolink and Amcrest. Many more work without being listed, as long as they offer ONVIF or RTSP streaming. Our [Synology camera compatibility guide](https://synopower.club/synology-camera-compatibility-surveillance-station/) explains how to check an unlisted model. - **Synology cameras.** They are detected instantly and bring on-camera AI detection that most third-party models lack. Our reviews cover the [BC510](https://synopower.club/synology-bc510-review/), [TC510](https://synopower.club/synology-tc510-review/), [CC410W](https://synopower.club/synology-cc410w-review/), [BC800Z](https://synopower.club/synology-bc800z-review/) and [FC600 fisheye](https://synopower.club/synology-fc600/). - **Synology LiveCam.** A free iOS and Android app that turns a spare phone into a camera for Surveillance Station. [Here is how it works](https://synopower.club/synology-livecam-phone-surveillance-camera/). ![](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PXL_20240330_070506926-1-scaled-765x1024.webp) *Tapo C500 above my car* ![](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PXL_20240330_070624102-scaled-768x1024.webp) *Ubnt G3 Instant near the door* ![](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PXL_20240401_101746560-scaled-1024x768.webp) *Synology BC500 & Ubnt G3 Flex watch the whole road* Some cameras will be hard work or will not work at all: - **Brand-locked systems.** Xiaomi, Ring, Arlo, Google Nest and recent Ubiquiti models close or hide ONVIF and RTSP, so they either cannot be added or need workarounds to find a stream address. - **Battery-powered cameras.** They usually switch off continuous streaming to save power, which rules out recording on a NAS. About RTSP streaming url of my Ubiquiti IP cameras I started using Ubnt cameras since 2018. My friends worked in Ubnt Taiwan ( Most Ubnt RDs are in Taiwan. Their office near Taipei101 ) sent me some samples. At that time, Ubnt cameras attracted me a lot because their resolutions, image quality and the beautiful hardwares. To make Ubnt IP camera work with Surveillance Station, it is a MUST to get its RTSP url. Its standalone mode has this information. I could easily add Ubnt cam to Surveillance Station. Before 2022 or 2021, Ubnt seems stop support standalone mode. Then it is complicated to get a correct url to add to other NVR like Synology Surveillance Station. Thus we will see some posts on Reddit discussing how to get rtsp url by some way: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubiquiti/comments/uu3ov6/how_to_locally_stream_rtsp_on_vlc_guide/ ## Add Cameras, Set Recording and Plan Storage ### Connect the camera to your network - Follow the camera instructions to connect it by cable or Wi-Fi. - Give it a fixed IP address, on the camera or as a DHCP reservation on the router, so Surveillance Station can always find it. - Set the streaming username, password and port. You will need them when adding the camera. - Update the firmware, choose the highest image quality you need, and sync the time zone through NTP. *IP Camera Setting*Example **Confiture a Ubnt IP Cam** ■ Set RTSP login user/password to synopower/club. ■ Set DHCP IP to static IP ■ Sync time with NTP server ### Add it to Surveillance Station Open **IP Camera** and click **Add**. ONVIF cameras and Synology cameras usually appear within seconds. If a camera does not show up, add it manually with the IP address and port you set earlier. *Demo - Adding Synology camera BC500 & ONVIF TAPO C500* ### Tune streams, detection and recording Each camera has its own settings in IP Camera. The ones worth setting on day one: - **Stream profiles.** High resolution for recording, a lighter stream for phones. - **Recording schedule and retention.** Continuous, motion-only or a mix, and how many days to keep. - **Detection.** Use the camera's own detection or Surveillance Station's. Synology cameras add person and vehicle detection. Our [motion detection guide](https://synopower.club/docs/how-to-set-up-motion-detection-on-synology-camera-like-bc500-tc500-to-improve-detection-quality/) shows how to cut false alarms. - **Privacy masks** for areas you must not record, such as a neighbour's window. **IP Camera → Device** Video: streaming quality, resolution, bitrate....etc. Security: add mask to sensitive zone. Advanced: RTSP/RTP streaming setting. PTZ control enabled or not. **IP Camera → Recording** Use Recording to plan the space required for each IP cam. Schedule helps to do different types of recording, continuous, different detection types. To save space, Stream could do that by choosing streaming types. Recording part is the key to plan space. ### Estimate the storage you need Video is the fastest way to fill a NAS, so estimate before you buy disks. Synology's [NVR Selector](https://www.synology.com/support/nvr_selector) is a good start. For example, three 5 MP cameras at 30 fps in H.264, kept for a year, need about 169 TB: *Use [NVR Selector](http://synology.com/support/nvr_selector) to estimate recording space required* The [WD Surveillance Storage Capacity Estimator](https://www.westerndigital.com/tools/surveillance-capacity-calculator) shows the same three cameras in H.264 and H.265 side by side. H.265 roughly halves the space, so use it whenever your cameras support it: *WD [Surveillance Storage Capacity Estimator Tool](https://www.westerndigital.com/tools/surveillance-capacity-calculator)* Inside Surveillance Station, **IP Camera, Edit, Video** shows an estimate for each camera. Treat all of these as rough numbers, then watch real usage for one to three days and adjust retention. ![](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/image-2-1024x598.png) *Use IP Camera add-on in Surveillance Station to estimate some IP cam required space* ## Watching Synology Surveillance Station Live and on Playback You can watch from almost anything. Synology offers three clients, all built around **Monitor Center**, where you arrange live views, play back recordings and control PTZ cameras: - [DS cam](https://synopower.club/synology-ds-cam-surveillance-station-mobile-app/) for iOS and Android, our everyday choice on the phone. - [Surveillance Station Client](https://synopower.club/synology-surveillance-station-client-desktop-app/) for Windows and macOS, needed for heavy tasks such as Smart Search. - Any modern browser, through the Surveillance Station web interface. *My Monitor Center layout and control my demo different IP cameras* Smart Search, which finds objects that appeared or disappeared in a scene, needs real computing power and only runs in the desktop client. The browser points you there: ![Smart Search in the browser asks you to use the Synology Surveillance Station Client desktop app instead](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/surveillance-station-smart-search-client.webp) Smart Search runs only in the Surveillance Station Client on Windows and macOS. Below is another two display ways not discussed here: - Local Display: Another Synology Surveillance Station product line-a [Deep Learning NVR](https://www.synology.com/products/DVA) DVA-has HDMI output.   - Connect a VS960HD, VS360HD or VS600HD device to a TV wall via HDMI to output Surveillance Station streaming. Note that from Surveillance Station 9.3, the VS360HD and VS960HD are supported for streaming only in the Live View and Timeline applications; other applications still run but are no longer maintained. Two features make daily use easier. [Home Mode](https://synopower.club/docs/home-mode-auto-surveillance-recording-notification-push-based-on-the-network-location-geofence-of-mobile/) switches recording and notifications automatically when your phone arrives home or leaves, and Synology's guide to [choosing a client device or browser](https://kb.synology.com/Surveillance/tutorial/How_to_choose_a_suitable_client_to_monitor_and_operate_Surveillance_Station) compares the apps in detail. ## Synology Surveillance Station Licenses Every Synology NAS includes **two device licenses** for life. Synology's surveillance hardware includes more: four on NVR models and eight on DVA models. Each camera beyond those needs one license, and that includes Synology's own cameras. A license pays for the recording channel on the NAS, not for the camera brand. For the full picture, see [is Synology Surveillance Station free?](https://synopower.club/is-synology-surveillance-station-free/) and [how much a license costs](https://synopower.club/synology-surveillance-station-license-cost/). - **Packs of 1, 4 or 8.** One key activates that many cameras in the License app. - **Perpetual.** No subscription and no expiry, which makes them cheaper than cloud camera plans within a few years. - **Transferable.** Move a license to a replacement NAS or another Synology account. A key is active on one server at a time. See [how license transfer works](https://synopower.club/docs/can-synology-licenses-purchased-here-be-transferred-or-migrated/). Adding a key takes under a minute. Our [license installation guide](https://synopower.club/docs/synology-surveillance-cameradevice-license-installation/) covers the steps, [offline activation](https://synopower.club/docs/activating-synology-surveillance-licenses-offline-a-guide-for-all-users/) covers NAS units without internet, and [activation failed?](https://synopower.club/docs/q-why-cant-i-add-my-synology-camera-license-and-how-can-i-fix-it/) covers the four common errors. ![](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-05-24_08-59-29-1.gif) *Add purchased license key* **Need more cameras today?** SynoPower Club sells genuine Synology Surveillance Station license packs with the key delivered by email, around the clock. [License 1 Pack (CLP1)](https://synopower.club/synology-camera-license-key-clp1/) [License 4 Pack (CLP4)](https://synopower.club/synology-camera-license-key-clp4/) [License 8 Pack (CLP8)](https://synopower.club/synology-camera-license-key-clp8/) ## Managing Several NAS With CMS CMS (Centralized Management System) lets one Surveillance Station control the cameras and recordings of other Synology servers. Turn it on in Surveillance Station under **Application Center**. ![](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/CMS-2024-05-27_17-32-37-jpeg-1024x647.webp) The ceiling depends on the [host server you choose](https://kb.synology.com/Surveillance/tutorial/How_to_select_a_Synology_product_as_the_host_server_for_Surveillance_Station_CMS_structure), and Surveillance Station 9.3 raised it sharply: a single HD6500 acting as the CMS host can now manage up to 5,000 recording servers and 50,000 cameras. Our [Surveillance Station 9.3 guide](https://synopower.club/synology-surveillance-station-9-3-update/) covers what else changed. CMS can also save license money. Every NAS brings its two free licenses into the pool, so four Synology servers joined under one CMS host give eight cameras without buying anything: ![Selecting the local Synology NAS server to add licenses](https://synopower.club/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/CMS-license-2024-05-27_17-42-46-jpeg-1024x595.webp) ## Synology Surveillance Station Limits and Security Notes **No face or plate recognition on a standard NAS.** Those features need the GPU in Synology's DVA series. A normal NAS still runs person and vehicle detection on Synology cameras, which do the analysis on the camera. **Setup needs some network knowledge.** Fixed IP addresses, stream credentials and the odd RTSP path are part of the job. It is not as plug-and-play as a cloud camera. **Surveillance Station or Surveillance365?** Surveillance Station runs on your own NAS and keeps footage local. [Surveillance365](https://synopower.club/synology-surveillance365-tutorial/) is Synology's cloud service: supported cameras connect directly and recordings live in Synology's cloud, so no NAS is required. Choose by where you want the footage to live. **Do not expose DSM to the internet.** A recorder is only useful if it survives an attack. The [C3RB3R ransomware wave](https://synopower.club/synology-c3rb3r-ransomware/) of October 2026 hit Synology NAS units whose login page was reachable from the internet. If you only need cameras remotely, use QuickConnect with access limited to the services you use, or a VPN, and keep DSM itself off the public internet. Our [NAS security guide](https://synopower.club/docs/synology-nas-security-public-website/) covers the rest. **Back up the footage that matters.** RAID protects against a failed disk, not against deletion or encryption. Export important clips, and keep snapshots or an off-site copy of the recording folder if the footage has legal value. **Plan disks for surveillance work.** Continuous recording writes all day. Surveillance-rated disks and a sensible retention limit keep the NAS healthy for years. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Is Synology Surveillance Station free? The package itself is free and never appears on an invoice. Every Synology NAS that supports it ships with 2 device licenses included, so a two-camera setup costs nothing beyond the NAS. You only pay when the third camera arrives, and then you buy licenses in packs of 1, 4 or 8. ### How many IP cameras can a Synology NAS support? Since Surveillance Station 9.1.3 there is no hard limit. Each model data sheet lists a recommended maximum, from 5 on the smallest units up to 650 on the largest, based on what the hardware can sustain. Licenses and hardware capacity are two separate limits, so check both. ### Which IP cameras work with Synology Surveillance Station? More than 20,000 camera models across over 200 brands are on the official compatibility list, and many unlisted ONVIF cameras work as well. AXIS, VIVOTEK, Hikvision, Reolink and Amcrest are widely used. Check the model against the Synology IP Camera Support List before you buy. ### Can a Synology NAS replace a dedicated NVR? For most homes and small offices, yes. You get continuous recording, motion and event triggers, remote viewing and multi-site management in one package, on hardware that also does file storage and backup. A DVA still wins when you need face or license plate recognition. ### Do Synology cameras still need a Surveillance Station license? Yes for current models, when they record to a NAS through Surveillance Station. The BC510, TC510, CC410W, BC800Z and FC600 each use one device license, exactly like a third-party camera. The older BC500, TC500 and CC400W come with a license built in, so they need none. The license is tied to recording on the NAS, not to the camera brand. ### Can I watch my cameras remotely? Yes. DS cam covers phones and tablets, Surveillance Station Client is the desktop app for Windows and macOS, and any modern browser works. Use QuickConnect limited to the services you need, or a VPN, rather than exposing DSM to the internet. ### How much storage do I need for recording? It depends on resolution, frame rate, codec and how many days you keep footage. Use the NVR Selector or the estimate in IP Camera settings, prefer H.265, and budget for the peak rather than the average, because busy scenes record far more data. ### What is the difference between Synology Surveillance Station and Surveillance365? Surveillance Station runs on your own NAS and stores footage locally. Surveillance365 is the cloud service, where supported cameras connect directly and recordings live in the Synology cloud, so no NAS is required. ## References and Video Walkthroughs Official sources for everything above, plus three walkthroughs worth watching. - [Surveillance Station package page](https://www.synology.com/en-global/dsm/packages/SurveillanceStation), with current features and system requirements. - [Surveillance Station IP Camera Support List](https://www.synology.com/en-global/compatibility/camera), the official list of tested camera models. - [Surveillance Device License Pack](https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/Device_License_Pack), the official product page for extra camera licenses. - [Synology surveillance solutions](https://www.synology.com/en-global/surveillance), covering NAS, NVR, DVA and Synology cameras. - [Synology Knowledge Center: transferring device licenses](https://kb.synology.com/en-global/Surveillance/tutorial/Can_I_migrate_surveillance_device_licenses_to_another_Synology_product), for when you replace the NAS. [Synology Surveillance Station 2021 | Full Set Up Guide and Review](https://www.youtube.com/embed/pgynLGZO_78?feature=oembed) A full Surveillance Station setup and review, from camera detection to recording. [Synology Surveillance Station 9.0 - How To Perform A Manual Installation](https://www.youtube.com/embed/2b9-GsI4cS8?feature=oembed) Installing Surveillance Station 9 manually, the route for a NAS on a closed network. [Synology Surveillance Station - install, setup, overview](https://www.youtube.com/embed/MyKnM1EdqwI?feature=oembed) Surveillance Station install, setup and overview. Every guide we have written on the topic is collected under [Surveillance Station guides](https://synopower.club/surveillance-station/).