Docker on Synology Diskstation

This tutorial shows how to set up Docker with Portainer on a Docker-unsupported Synology Diskstation. This tutorial should work on all Synology Diskstations. I tested it on the DS118.

Before you start

Make sure that:

• the Diskstation have an internet connection
• the nano command in linux for the Diskstation exists
• you have access and administrator permissions to the DSM
• the ssh service is enabled

Part 1 | Installation of Docker

⚠️ Make sure you are logging into ssh as an admin user ⚠️

Get the latest docker version: here for example: docker-24.0.7.tgz

1. Execute the following command in the terminal to download docker:

    sudo wget https://download.docker.com/linux/static/stable/aarch64/[version]

   Replace [version] to the newest version

2. Unpack the tgz file:

    sudo tar xzvf [file]

   Replace [file] to the file name

3. You need to copy all directories and files of the unpacked directory to the linux commands:

    sudo cp [name]/* /usr/bin/

   Replace [name] to the name of the unpacked docker file

4. Create the /etc/docker/daemon.json configuration file with the following configuration:

    {
     "storage-driver": "vfs",
     "iptables": false,
     "bridge": "none"
   }

5. You can try to run docker with the following command:

    sudo dockerd

   If it doesn't work, please check whether you have done everything correctly according to the instructions. If it's just a permission error, you don't have enough permissions to the Synology user!

Part 2 | The Docker Runner

To run docker on the startup, you need to create a new execute script that run the command on startup:

1. Go to Control Panel > Task Scheduler, click Triggered Task and Custom Task.

2. It opens a new window. The Task is the name of the Task. I named it Docker Runner.

3. As User, you need to choose a administrator user!

4. The Event is triggered when the diskstation boots up.

5. Go to Task Settings and enter following script/commands as Command execute:

   echo -n "[password]" | sudo -S rm -rf /var/run/docker.pid
   echo -n "[password]" | sudo -S killall containerd
   echo -n "[password]" | sudo -S dockerd

   Replace [password] to the password of your user

6. Click Ok to create the new Task!

Part 3 | Installation of Portainer

1. Go in your SSH-Client and type following command:

   docker run -d -p 8000:8000 -p 9443:9443 --name portainer --restart=always -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock -v portainer_data:/data portainer/portainer-ce:latest

   It will create a new docker container with portainer.

2. Go in your browser on http://[ip_of_diskstation]:9000

   Replace [ip_of_diskstation] to the IP-Address of you Diskstation!

Part 4 | Installation Completed

If you did everything right, it should work. If it doesn't work, you can create a new issue!