What is Synology Surveillance Station?
Surveillance Station is Synology's built-in NVR software for DiskStation NAS devices. It centralizes camera recording, events, and playback while still letting you use standard RTSP and ONVIF workflows.
- •NVR software built into Synology DiskStation NAS devices
- •Runs on DS118, DS220+, DS920+, DS1522+, DS124, DS223, and most modern NAS models
- •DSM 7.x is required for the latest Surveillance Station 9.x releases
- •Includes up to 2 cameras free; additional licenses are about $50 per camera
- •Works with ONVIF and RTSP cameras from Hikvision, Dahua, Reolink, Axis, and others
- •Features motion detection, AI recognition, event recording, and e-map tools
Method 1: Access Source Cameras via RTSP (Recommended)
The simplest approach is to connect SmartRTSP directly to each camera using its native RTSP URL. Synology still handles recording in the background, while SmartRTSP handles the live view with less latency and no extra NAS load.
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1
Find the RTSP URL for each camera using the vendor format or the RTSP URL reference list.
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2
Open SmartRTSP and tap Add Camera, then paste the RTSP URL and credentials.
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3
Play the stream directly from the camera so your iPhone gets the lowest-latency live feed without routing video through the NAS.
Live monitoring on iPhone, the lowest latency, and viewing without consuming a Synology camera license just for playback.
Method 2: RTSP Re-stream via Synology
Synology Surveillance Station can also re-stream cameras via an RTSP proxy. This is useful when you prefer one NAS endpoint and Synology-managed authentication, but it typically adds more overhead than connecting to the camera directly.
Enable RTSP in Surveillance Station
- 1Open Surveillance Station → IP Camera → select a camera.
- 2Go to Camera Settings → Live View.
- 3Note the RTSP stream URL shown in the camera info and use that in SmartRTSP.
rtsp://synology_ip:554/CAMERA_STREAM_PATHSynology uses TCP port 554 for RTSP re-streaming, and authentication uses your Synology DSM credentials.
Example: rtsp://admin:pass@192.168.1.200:554/stream1
ONVIF Cameras with Synology
- •Surveillance Station discovers cameras with ONVIF WS-Discovery
- •ONVIF Profile S is the baseline for standard live streaming support
- •SmartRTSP also scans ONVIF devices automatically on the same network
- •Hikvision, Dahua, Reolink, Axis, Bosch, and 5,000+ compatible models
- •Use ONVIF for simpler provisioning, then keep direct RTSP for the best live view path
Compatible Synology NAS Models for Surveillance Station
| Model | Cameras (free) | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| DS124 | 2 | 1-4 cameras, basic |
| DS223 | 2 | Small home setup |
| DS920+ | 2 | Home office, 4-16 cams |
| DS1522+ | 2 | Medium business |
| DVA1622 | 2+AI | AI-powered NVR, built-in GPU |
Note: Each extra camera beyond 2 requires a Surveillance Station Device License, usually around $50 per camera.
Viewing Synology Cameras on iPhone
- •Connect directly to cameras via RTSP URL
- •No Synology required for the live view path
- •Best latency and works on LAN or remotely over Tailscale
- •Official Synology iOS app
- •Requires Synology QuickConnect or a VPN
- •Shows recordings and live view through Synology infrastructure
- •Not RTSP-based for playback
For the best live viewing experience without a subscription, use SmartRTSP + direct camera RTSP.
Remote Access to Synology Cameras on iPhone
Built in and easy to enable, but live viewing usually has higher latency when traffic is relayed through Synology services.
Install Tailscale on the NAS and iPhone, then access the camera's RTSP stream directly over its Tailscale IP or routed LAN subnet. This avoids relay overhead and is usually the lowest-latency remote setup. See our Tailscale RTSP guide.