5 Best VPNs for Synology NAS

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NordVPN is the best VPN for Synology NAS. With its AES-256-bit encryption, kill switch, obfuscated servers, dedicated IP, and no-logs policy, all your files on Synology NAS are safe from the grappling hands of hackers.

If NordVPN isn’t what you’re looking for, ExpressVPN, PrivateVPN, VyprVPN, and IPVanish are solid alternatives. They have multiple global servers and relatively powerful security features to protect your data.

Your files are more vulnerable to hacking while accessing them on Synology NAS devices via unsecured networks. Luckily, any of these VPNs can protect your data storage and syncing devices to ensure that no third party gains access to your data.

Protect Your Data on Synology NAS With These VPNs

My top VPNs allow you to securely access and transfer your files on Synology NAS without the risk of interception from cyber criminals. Your IP address will be hidden entirely, and there’ll be no trace of your online traffic.

Here’s what they offer:

  1. NordVPN – Best VPN for Synology NAS With Unique Privacy Protocols
  2. ExpressVPN – High-Speed Connection for Fast & Secure Uploads/Downloads
  3. PrivateVPN – Most Affordable VPN for Synology NAS
  4. VyprVPN – Reliable VPN Protocols to Safely Use Synology NAS
  5. IPVanish – Securely Access and Encrypt Synology NAS Data on Unlimited Devices

Now that you have a glimpse of what these VPNs offer, continue reading for an in-depth review to make your decision.

Comparisons & In-Depth Tests of the Best VPNs for Synology NAS

These are the top VPNs that came out on top after testing around 20 VPNs for security, speed, device compatibility, and customer support with Synology NAS.

How did they perform?

BEST OVERALL

NordVPN - Best VPN for Synology NAS With Unique Privacy Protocols

nordvpn kill switch enabled

NordVPN stands out by providing the most security features.

It starts with its AES 256-bit encryption on all servers and protocols to securely access and transfer your files without any third-party interference. 

You also get Double VPN servers, which I connected to for twice the encryption to prevent hackers from breaching my Synology NAS data.

For extra security, you can get NordVPN’s Dedicated IP addresses

I did that and added this IP address to my NAS Allow List, automatically preventing unauthorized login attempts from other IP addresses.

I also tested NordVPN’s DNS Leak Protection feature to see how secure my device was before accessing my Synology NAS files. It came out positive without any leaks.

Furthermore, NordVPN is compatible with all Synology NAS devices. 

Likewise, the VPN service supports the OpenVPN protocol – which is more robust and secure than the alternative PTPP for Synology device setups.

Additionally, NordVPN has 5500+ global servers in 60 countries; more servers than all other VPNs on this list. I tested a Portugal server for speed and averaged 7Mbps over my 10Mbps base speed. This 30% drop makes NordVPN the second-fastest on my list, only behind IPVanish.

Thus, you won’t be stuck behind a slow VPN when you can quickly access your Synology NAS dashboard without compromising security.

NordVPN has a step-by-step guide on its support page to assist you in setting up the VPN on your Synology NAS device. Plus, it has reliable customer support you can reach via 24/7 live chat or email when necessary.

On top of that, NordVPN is relatively affordable and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Pros

Cons

FASTEST VPN SPEED

ExpressVPN - High-Speed Connection for Fast & Secure Uploads/Downloads

expressvpn protocols

ExpressVPN has the second-highest number of servers, just behind NordVPN, with 3000+ servers in 94 countries. This extensive server network allows you to access your Synology NAS files from anywhere.

In addition, ExpressVPN has AES 256-bit encryption to stop hackers and other third parties from gaining access to your files. In fact, they won’t see your online activity, as evidenced by the gibberish output I got during my Wireshark test for this encryption.

While ExpressVPN doesn’t offer dedicated IPs like NordVPN, it has automatic obfuscation on all its servers and protocols. Thus, you can bypass firewalls and VPN traffic blocks to access your Synology NAS devices anywhere.

The best part is that ExpressVPN doesn’t sacrifice speed for this obfuscation as the other VPNs do, and it’s available on all servers and protocols!

It also uses OpenVPN protocols to securely connect to Synology NAS devices and encrypt your file transfers, securely manage your backed-up data, or share files with others in your organization without interceptions.

I tested ExpressVPN for speed, scoring 6.8Mbps to make it slightly faster than VyprVPN. However, this isn’t bad, considering it’s close to NordVPN with automatic obfuscation enabled.

ExpressVPN has an easy-to-follow setup page for your Synology NAS device using the supported OpenVPN protocol. And if you run into any issues, the 24/7 live chat customer support can resolve them.

The major downside of ExpressVPN is it’s more expensive than other VPNs.

You can get it cheaper with these ExpressVPN deals to test the VPN with a 30-day refund policy risk-free.

Pros

Cons

MOST AFFORDABLE VPN

PrivateVPN - Most Affordable VPN for Synology NAS

privatevpn connection settings

PrivateVPN has fewer global servers than other VPN providers, with only 200+ servers in 63 countries. But you still can avoid ISP throttling to upload/download secure files faster and protect Synology NAS data from anywhere.

With PrivateVPN’s AES 256-bit encryption, your information is always safe from prying eyes and potential data breaches.

I connected to a random PrivateVPN server, fired up Wireshark, and my connection output showed unreadable text. Thus, I know for sure that its encryption works!

While it doesn’t offer static dedicated IPs, PrivateVPN is the first to provide both OpenVPN and PPTP protocols. Thus, you can use the latter to get faster speeds on your Synology NAS network. However, I prefer the slightly slower OpenVPN since it’s more secure and robust against modern-day cyber threats.

On top of that, PrivateVPN offers setup guides (with images) to help you with your Synology NAS-VPN connection using OpenVPN or PPTP.

I also tested PrivateVPN for speed, averaging 7.78Mbps over its Belgium server. Thus, making it faster than VyprVPN, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN for speed-intensive Synology NAS activities.

Now, you never have to worry about waiting a long time to download large corporate files over the Synology network securely.

Like the others, it has a live chat feature and email address customer care option to resolve all your VPN complaints in no time.

Finally, PrivateVPN is the most affordable VPN on this list and offers a 30-day refund policy.

Pros

Cons

VyprVPN - Reliable VPN Protocols to Safely Use Synology NAS

VyprVPN comes next with 700+ servers in 70 locations, recording lesser servers than other VPNs here, except PrivateVPN. However, I connected to a few of these servers and didn’t suffer any server overcrowding while accessing files on the cloud storage box.

So, the numbers aren’t a dealbreaker.

In addition, VyprVPN offers industry-standard AES 256-bit encryption like the rest, and I confirmed that it lives up to its name. After all, the last thing you want is for a network admin or hacker to see all your sensitive file transfers on Synology’s servers.

However, it doesn’t offer dedicated IPs as you get with NordVPN and IPVanish. So, you can’t set up Synology to only allow access to one secure IP address.

Fortunately, VyprVPN also supports the OpenVPN protocol, which is the safest for Synology. While it used to offer a PPTP option in the past, like the rest, it has discontinued that protocol for its reduced security against sophisticated threats.

That said, VyprVPN has a detailed setup guide to help you seamlessly connect the VPN to Synology NAS devices. So, you can get set up and transfer secure files with better network security and integrity in no time.

However, VyprVPN was the slowest VPN I tested for Synology, averaging 6.67Mbps over my 10Mbps base speed to register an almost 35% speed drop. If you’re starting with a faster connection, though, the difference is negligible.

If that isn’t a dealbreaker, VyprVPN’s customer service includes 24/7 live chat and email support. Reach out to them anytime via these channels, and you’ll find an experienced agent ready to solve your connection issues in no time.

Barring that, VyprVPN is the second most expensive VPN on this list, just slightly behind ExpressVPN.

vyprvpn subscription plans and pricing

But you can grab cheaper VyprVPN deals and test it risk-free with its 30-day refund policy.

Pros

Cons

IPVanish - Securely Access and Encrypt Synology NAS Data on Unlimited Devices

ipvanish connected to madrid server location

IPVanish is just behind ExpressVPN with its server network offering, packing 2000+ global servers in 75+ countries. That guarantees multiple choice connections to protect your Synology NAS devices without suffering VPN traffic jams, server overcrowding, or bandwidth issues.

These servers also hide your IP address and Synology activity from your ISP, the government, and cyber criminals. Thus, ensuring an extra layer of protection against anyone trying to hijack your sessions and intercept the devices you’re interacting with inside the Synology framework.

IPVanish doesn’t compromise on AES 256-bit encryption and DNS leak protection, ensuring superior data protection across all servers and protocols.

My Wireshark tests for the encryption passed with flying colors, just as with the other VPNs that made this list.

In addition, you can choose its dedicated IP option, like NordVPN’s, to improve the Synology network access security. I tested these dedicated IP servers once and got faster speeds than regular servers, on top of their exclusive security!

Speaking of speed, IPVanish’s Madrid server averaged 8Mbps in my test to make it the fastest provider I listed. But ExpressVPN comes closest since its speed was with automatic obfuscation enabled.

Additionally, IPVanish uses the preferred OpenVPN protocol that works effortlessly with Synology NAS.

Unlike other VPNs on this list, IPVanish doesn’t offer a detailed setup guide for Synology NAS. However, it has a guide for setting up OpenVPN on devices, which you can adapt for Synology. Even so, I’ll have preferred it if there was a dedicated guide.

But worry not. I’ll include a guide to help you below.

Lastly, IPVanish offers dependable customer support that comprises 24/7 live chat, email, and phone call support.

IPVanish is also relatively affordable. Get even cheaper deals and test it on a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Pros

Cons

How to Install a VPN on Synology NAS? (Step-By-Step Guide)

Setting up a VPN on Synology NAS devices might not look straightforward, but you can get it done faster if you follow the detailed guide below:

  1. Subscribe to a robust Synology NAS VPN service (like NordVPN). I’ll be demonstrating with my Synology DSM 6.1 using OpenVPN.
nordvpn connected to hungary server location
  1. Log in to Synology and click Control Panel.
  2. Go to Network.
  3. Go to Network Interface > Create > Create VPN Profile.
  4. Select OpenVPN (via importing a .ovpn file) > Next > download a server configuration file. You can download the server configuration file from NordVPN’s recommended server utility.
  5. Complete the fields required. Here’s a demo:
  • Profile Name: Any name of your choice
  • Username: NordVPN service credentials username
  • Password: NordVPN service credentials password
  • Import .ovpn file: The configuration file you downloaded earlier
  • CA certificate: This is the NordVPN certificate with the same number as the configuration file. Go to Create Profile > Browse > add the correct ca.crt file (You can find the list of certificates here)
  1. Tick all the options and select Apply.
  2. Select the created profile, then click “Connect.”
  3. The profile should show connected.
  4. Your device is secure and ready to go!

If you’re having issues after this process, contact NordVPN support.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

You can use a free VPN for Synology NAS, but you won’t get reliable security and privacy features to keep your Synology NAS device data safe.

Free VPNs also have limited VPN protocols and may not support secure OpenVPN versions to connect your Synology devices reliably.  

You can use a VPN on Synology routers to give your Synology NAS files extra security that prevents third-party interceptions. Likewise, pairing a VPN with your Synology router allows secure remote access to your data.

Access and Transfer Your Files Safely

Synology NAS offers good security. Still, with the VPNs reviewed in this guide, your data gets an extra layer of protection against breaches and cybercriminals. 

You’ll also enjoy fast connection speed and dependable customer service from the providers I tested and recommended here.

My top recommendation is NordVPN, whose security features (such as AES 256-bit encryption, Double VPN, Dedicated IP, and DNS protection) will patch up any security gaps your Synology NAS storage box might have.

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