I never thought I would struggle so much with my Synology NAS, but after setting up my Synology DS920+, I quickly noticed something was off. My file transfer speed was painfully slow, and I knew something had to be done. After spending days troubleshooting, I finally managed to fix it, and I’m here to share everything I learned.It’s one of the most frustrating issues for users who rely on their NAS for seamless file sharing, backups, and media streaming. If you’re experiencing slow transfer speeds on Synology NAS, i might just save you hours of frustration.
Check Your Network Configuration for Synology NAS Slow Speeds
The first thing I did was inspect my network setup. If your Synology NAS is connected to a slow or congested network, it can significantly impact transfer speeds. I made sure my NAS was connected via Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi, as wired connections are far more stable and faster.
I also checked the network cables to ensure they were Cat6 or higher, as older cables like Cat5e can bottleneck speeds, especially if you’re transferring large files. If you’re using a gigabit router, make sure it’s configured properly and that the ports support gigabit speeds. Sometimes, simply swapping out an old cable or restarting your router can make a world of difference.
Optimize Synology NAS Settings for Faster File Transfers
Next, I dove into the Synology DSM settings to see if anything was causing the slowdown. One setting that stood out was SMB protocol. By default, Synology uses SMB2, but switching to SMB3 can improve transfer speeds significantly, especially if you’re using Windows.
To do this, I went to Control Panel > File Services > SMB/AFP/NFS and enabled SMB3. I also disabled AFP and NFS since I wasn’t using them. Another tip is to enable Jumbo Frames if your network supports it. This setting allows larger data packets to be sent, reducing overhead and improving speeds. Just make sure all devices on your network support Jumbo Frames before enabling it.
Upgrade Your Synology NAS Hardware for Better Performance
If you’ve tried all the software tweaks and still face slow transfer speeds, it might be time to consider a hardware upgrade. I noticed my NAS was struggling because it only had 2GB of RAM. Upgrading to 8GB made a noticeable difference in performance, especially when handling multiple tasks simultaneously.
Another upgrade worth considering is adding an SSD cache. Synology allows you to install SSDs to cache frequently accessed data, which can speed up read and write operations. If your NAS supports NVMe SSDs, even better! I installed a 500GB NVMe SSD, and it drastically improved my file transfer speeds.
Disabling Unnecessary Background Services
I was running multiple Synology apps like Surveillance Station, Cloud Sync, and Docker, all of which were consuming resources. Disabling the ones I didn’t need freed up bandwidth and CPU usage.
To check for background tasks, go to Resource Monitor and see what’s eating up system resources.
Monitor and Manage Synology NAS Resource Usage
Sometimes, slow transfer speeds are caused by high resource usage. I opened Resource Monitor in DSM to check if any apps or processes were hogging CPU or RAM. Sure enough, a few background tasks were running unnecessarily.
I disabled unused packages and scheduled resource-intensive tasks, like backups, during off-peak hours. If you’re running a lot of apps, consider prioritizing which ones are essential. For example, I stopped using Cloud Station and switched to Synology Drive, which is more efficient and less resource-heavy.
Test and Benchmark Your Synology NAS Transfer Speeds
After making all these changes, I wanted to ensure my Synology NAS was performing at its best. I used iPerf to test my network speed and Blackmagic Disk Speed Test to measure read/write speeds. These tools helped me identify any remaining bottlenecks.
If your speeds are still below expectations, consider resetting your NAS to factory settings and reapplying the optimizations. Sometimes, a fresh start can resolve lingering issues.
Common Mistakes That Cause Synology Slow Transfer Speeds
Throughout my troubleshooting journey, I realized I had made a few mistakes that contributed to the problem. For example, I had enabled Link Aggregation without properly configuring it, which actually slowed down my transfers. I also discovered that having too many connected devices on my network was causing congestion.
Another mistake was not updating my Synology DSM regularly. Firmware updates often include performance improvements and bug fixes, so it’s crucial to keep your NAS up to date.
Enjoy Faster Synology NAS Transfers Today
Fixing Synology slow transfer speeds doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By optimizing your network, tweaking settings, upgrading hardware, and monitoring resource usage, you can significantly improve your NAS performance. I hope my experience and solutions help you achieve faster and more reliable file transfers.
What Worked Best for Me?
After days of testing, here’s what had the biggest impact on fixing my slow Synology NAS transfer speed:
- Switching from WiFi to Ethernet (Cat6 cable)
- Enabling SMB 3.0 and Large MTU
- Disabling Jumbo Frames
- Upgrading to SSD cache
- Checking RAID configuration
- Reducing background apps that used resources
If you’re struggling with slow speeds, I recommend going through these steps one by one. Every setup is different, but optimizing your network, storage, and NAS settings can make a huge difference. Hope this guide helps!
If you’ve tried these steps and still face issues, don’t hesitate to reach out to Synology support or consult their community forums. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can uncover solutions you hadn’t considered. Happy transferring!
Note: This article is based on my personal experience and is intended to help users troubleshoot their Synology NAS. Results may vary depending on your specific setup and configuration.