How to Install and Use Nano on a Synology NAS via SSH

Posted On 24 September 2024

If you’re using a Synology NAS and prefer editing files through SSH but find VIM challenging, you’re not alone! Fortunately, you can easily install nano, a more user-friendly terminal-based text editor, on your NAS. This guide will walk you through the steps of installing nano using Entware, a package manager for embedded devices like your Synology NAS.

Prerequisites

• A Synology NAS device.
• Access to SSH on your NAS (make sure SSH is enabled via the Synology Control Panel).
• Basic understanding of the terminal.

Step 1: Log into Your NAS via SSH

First, you’ll need to log into your Synology NAS via SSH. You can use an SSH client like PuTTY or a terminal app if you’re on macOS or Linux.

ssh yourusername@yournasip

Replace yourusername with your NAS username and yournasip with the IP address of your NAS.

Step 2: Install Entware

Entware is a package manager that will allow you to install various applications, including nano. Follow these steps to install Entware.

Check your NAS architecture:

uname -m

For example, if the result is x86_64, you’re running a 64-bit Intel/AMD processor. In this case, use the x64 installation script below.

Install the correct version of Entware for your architecture:

For x86_64 (Intel/AMD 64-bit), use:

sudo wget -O - http://bin.entware.net/x64-k3.2/installer/generic.sh | sudo /bin/sh

For ARM 64-bit (aarch64), use:

sudo wget -O - http://bin.entware.net/aarch64-k3.10/installer/generic.sh | sudo /bin/sh

Once you’ve executed the correct script, Entware will be installed. You’ll see confirmation messages indicating the creation of necessary directories and installation of base packages.

Step 3: Add Entware to Your Path

To make Entware’s binaries (like opkg, the package manager) available system-wide, you’ll need to update your system’s $PATH.

Run the following command to add /opt/bin and /opt/sbin to your path:

echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/opt/bin:/opt/sbin' >> ~/.profile
source ~/.profile

This makes sure that Entware is accessible every time you log into the system.

Step 4: Install Nano

With Entware installed and the path configured, you can now install nano using opkg, Entware’s package manager.

First, update the package list:

sudo opkg update

Then install nano:

sudo opkg install nano

Step 5: Verify Nano Installation

After installation, you can verify that nano is correctly installed by running:

nano --version

You should see something like:

GNU nano, version 8.0
Compiled options: --enable-tiny --enable-linenumbers --disable-utf8

Step 6: How to Use Nano

Now that nano is installed, you can use it to edit files. Here’s a brief overview of how to use nano.

Opening a file:

To open a file with nano, simply type:

nano filename.txt

If the file doesn’t exist, nano will create it for you.

Useful nano commands:

• Save the file: Ctrl + O (then press Enter to confirm)
• Exit nano: Ctrl + X
• Search in a file: Ctrl + W
• Go to a specific line: Ctrl + _, then type the line number

Example:

Let’s edit a sample text file:

nano sample.txt

Type some text, then save it using Ctrl + O, and exit using Ctrl + X.

Step 7: Add Nano to Your Synology Startup (Optional)

To ensure that Entware services (including nano) are available after reboot, add this command to your startup scripts:

/opt/etc/init.d/rc.unslung start

You can automate this by editing the appropriate startup configuration file on your NAS.

Conclusion

You’ve now installed nano on your Synology NAS via SSH! This user-friendly text editor will make it easier to edit files without needing to navigate the more complex VIM commands. With Entware and nano set up, you’re well-equipped to manage your NAS through SSH like a pro.

If you encounter any issues, feel free to check out the Entware GitHub repository for troubleshooting or post in the comments below for help.

Happy editing!