Secure Shell (SSH) provides an encrypted channel for remote administration of a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, bypassing the constraints of standard web interfaces or client applications. This command-line access is particularly useful for executing advanced operations, such as troubleshooting Docker container pulls that fail through the graphical interface.

Activating SSH on NAS Devices

While interfaces vary by manufacturer, the fundamental process of enabling SSH remains consistent across different NAS ecosystems.

Synology

Navigate to the Control Panel, select Terminal & SNMP, and check the box for Enable SSH service. Specify your desired port and apply the changes.

UGREEN

Open the Control Panel, access the Terminal section, and toggle the SSH feature on. After setting the port (default is 22), click Apply. Advanced settings may offer options to restrict external network access.

Remote Connection Procedure

Use the built-in command-line utilities on your workstation—PowerShell on Windows or the Terminal app on macOS/Linux.

The connection syntax utilizes the SSH protocol with specific parameters for the user, host, and port:

ssh -l <system_account> <server_ip> -p <designated_port>

# Example mapping:
# <system_account> = your NAS login credential
# <server_ip> = local network address of the NAS
# <designated_port> = the port configured earlier (e.g., 2222)

For a NAS residing at 10.0.0.50 with the admin account sysadmin over port 2222, execute:

ssh -l sysadmin 10.0.0.50 -p 2222

Upon the initial connection attempt, the system verifies the host authenticity. Confirm by typing yes. Subsequently, you will be prompted for the account password. Note that terminal input hides password characters for security; type carefully and press Enter.

Successful authentication yields the NAS command prompt, indicating an active session:

sysadmin@nas-server:~$