Synology just made home cloud backups super easy – BeeStation review

Synology’s new BeeStation (BST150-4T) is a networked storage device that offers home users an easy way to create their own cloud for backing up important data.

Synology sent us the BeeStation to review, and we found that simplicity is the name of the game with this device – thanks to its fully pre-configured, all-in-one system that features its own processor, RAM, 4TB hard drive, and management software.

This allowed us to easily create and configure our own cloud at home, securely storing, syncing, and sharing files and photos in just a few quick steps.

We unpack our experience with the Synology BeeStation, below.

Setting up your cloud

Synology has made it extremely easy even for non-technical users to set up their own cloud with the BeeStation – all you need is a smartphone or laptop.

After plugging in the power cable and hooking it up to my Wi-Fi router via an ethernet cable, I booted up the BeeStation and used my smartphone to scan the QR code on the included Quick Start Guide.

This took me to the Synology Bee Portal, where I signed into my Synology account – it also let me sign in via my Google or Apple accounts – and followed a few simple steps that the portal guided me through.

Within minutes, I had access to the BeeStation’s two main apps from my smartphone – BeeFiles and BeePhotos.

I could also access it through dedicated portals in my desktop browser, as well as by using the desktop BeeStation app.

At this point, my cloud was officially set up and running – all that I had to do was choose which devices to connect and which files to back up.

BeeFiles and BeeStation

I immediately uploaded a few gigabytes of files to my BeeStation by simply dragging and dropping them into the BeeFiles page in my browser.

These files were then instantly accessible on my smartphone and any other device that was linked to my BeeStation – just as they would be if I was using a cloud service.

BeeFiles offers several other features, too, including direct device backups.

Direct device backups are highly useful if you want to ensure important data on, for example, your personal laptop is backed up at all times

I tested this with my laptop, and it worked as advertised. To set my laptop to backup, BeeFiles directed me to download the desktop BeeStation app.

Once the app was installed, the BeeStation was automatically integrated into Windows Explorer as a directory from which I could view, edit, and manage all my BeeFiles.

This included the ability to drag and drop files from my computer straight into BeeFiles.

I could then access these files and backups from any device using my Synology account.

Synology has also included the ability to set file permissions – such as which files to keep available on my computer when I am offline, and which ones should be stored exclusively in my personal cloud.

Another useful feature was the ability to set specific folders to either backup to BeeFiles, or to continuously sync in both directions – ensuring seamless continuity.

BeePhotos

If photos are your most valuable digital treasure, then the BeePhotos app – included with the BeeStation – is a must-have.

I tested BeePhotos by uploading a 10GB folder of images from my laptop, and the app automatically sorted the images into albums and grouped the images by Subjects, Places, Tags, and People (using facial recognition).

I was able to share these albums or individual photos with family and friends, too, who could access them from their laptops or smartphones using a link I provided.

On my smartphone, BeePhotos let me set automated backup tasks for specific image folders or all of my new images, ensuring my latest photos would be immediately backed up as soon as I connected to my home Wi-Fi network.

Final thoughts

The Synology BeeStation offers home users a great way to securely back up their files without having to worry about the pesky monthly fees of online cloud services.

If you do want to use your BeeStation alongside a cloud service to create additional redundancy, the system can be integrated with Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive for further peace of mind.

Click here to learn more about the Synology BeeStation.

Click here to buy your Synology BeeStation now.