Mapping to NAS - Mac

[Anthony Miller]

I'm setting up my first NAS, 2-Bay QNAP 231P, for home use. I use a Mac computer system.
My questions relate to finding/mounting NAS to my Mac.

Like many NAS systems, my server has 'web', 'public', 'multimedia', 'homes' as my first level folders.
I would like to have a link in my dock to open the NAS at this first level and see all my folders in finder. Similarly to what happen when I open the 'Macintosh HD' internal hard-drive icon.
There are loads of instructions to connect to the server, but all map to one of these first level folder, but I cannot find any info about just logging into the NAS basic volume???? I don't want to map 5 folders to my desktop... And what happens if I decide to add another first-level folder?... I'd need to map that one as well???

Basically I just want to log onto my NAS from the dock and see what's going on within...

I hope this makes sense and please let me know if I'm missing the point somehow?

Cheers

 

[L&LD]

\\YOUR NAS' IP

use the above in a shortcut. Put the shortcut on the dock.

 

[Zonkd]

I'm setting up my first NAS, 2-Bay QNAP 231P, for home use. I use a Mac computer system.
My questions relate to finding/mounting NAS to my Mac.

Like many NAS systems, my server has 'web', 'public', 'multimedia', 'homes' as my first level folders.
I would like to have a link in my dock to open the NAS at this first level and see all my folders in finder. Similarly to what happen when I open the 'Macintosh HD' internal hard-drive icon.
There are loads of instructions to connect to the server, but all map to one of these first level folder, but I cannot find any info about just logging into the NAS basic volume???? I don't want to map 5 folders to my desktop... And what happens if I decide to add another first-level folder?... I'd need to map that one as well???

Basically I just want to log onto my NAS from the dock and see what's going on within...

I hope this makes sense and please let me know if I'm missing the point somehow?

Cheers

Late reply but yes I understand what you mean. Not sure about QNAP but with my Synology this was not an issue when connecting to server (keyboard shortcut is command + K) via AFP protocol at the address of nas (afp://ip.addr), then a list of mountable network folders will appear. Mount one. In finder preferences make servers visible in the desktop, then drag the icon of the mounted volume to the dock, or create an alias for it. When the network volume is unmounted clucking the alias should reconnect. If the share can’t be reached the alias might return an error that it’s broken. I found keyboard shortcut so fast and convenient I never bothered with aliases.

On the other hand the SMB protocol (for Synology) allows hiding folders from users without permission and doing that prevents them being listed like they do for AFP, so then it would require individually mapping the folder by its full pathname in order to mount it as a network volume. I get that this is undesirable if you have a lot of folders. Look into what similar setting QNAP might have available. Rest assured with synology it can be done.

 

[torch]

Sorry...even later response to your original post. I am a Mac & Linux user, so have to disagree with @L&LD - correct way to link to your NAS is in your Finder > Go > Connect to Server, then use the following format:

smb://username@NAS/foldername​

You can map to the highest level folder and Finder "should" be able to navigate lower folders.
I do not recommend that you use afp - Apple has deprecated it and has embraced SMB3 https://help.apple.com/deployment/macos/#/ior96b240d12
If you are comfortable to SSH into your NAS and your NAS has certain samba features, you may be able to improve the NAS-Mac experience. I have posted a page on the samba wiki:
https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Configure_Samba_to_Work_Better_with_Mac_OS_X