No special client is needed — WebDAV is a standard protocol supported natively by most operating systems. Here's what you can use:

Built-in OS Support (no install needed)

• Windows: Map a network drive via File Explorer → "Map network drive" → choose "Connect to a website..." or use \\your-nas-ip@5005\ in the address bar (port 5005 for HTTP, 5006 for HTTPS by default on DSM 7)
• macOS: Finder → Go → Connect to Server → http://your-nas-ip:5005 or https://your-nas-ip:5006
• Linux: Most file managers (Nautilus, Dolphin, Thunar) support WebDAV via davs://your-nas-ip:5006

Prerequisites on the NAS side (DSM 7)

1. Enable WebDAV Server in Package Center (install it if not already)
2. In WebDAV Server settings, enable HTTP (5005) and/or HTTPS (5006)
3. Make sure the user account has the right permissions on the shared folder

Third-party Clients (optional, but often better)

Tips for DSM 7 specifically

• Use HTTPS (port 5006) whenever possible
• If you're connecting externally, make sure the port is forwarded on your router or use Synology's DDNS
• Windows' built-in WebDAV client can be finicky — if you have issues with it, a third-party client like Cyberduck is much more reliable
• For large file transfers, consider SMB instead — it performs significantly better than WebDAV on a local network

Would you like help setting up a specific client or troubleshooting a connection issue?

No, they are quite different. Here's a quick comparison:

WebDAV vs SMB/Samba

The simple way to think about it

• SMB is what Windows uses when you browse \\nas\shared-folder on your local network — it's fast and seamless but not great across the internet
• WebDAV is essentially file management layered on top of HTTP — slower, but works anywhere a web browser can reach, including through firewalls and VPNs

Which should you use on Synology DSM 7?

Samba specifically is just the open-source Linux/Unix software that implements the SMB protocol — so "SMB" and "Samba" refer to the same thing from a user perspective.

For most home/office LAN use, SMB is the better choice. WebDAV shines when you need to access your NAS from outside your network without a VPN.

Yes, exactly! When you use:

• \\boxicube in Windows Explorer
• \\boxicube\sharename as a UNC path
• A mapped drive pointing to \\boxicube\sharename

You are using SMB — all of those are SMB/Samba. That's the native Windows file sharing protocol.

Quick rule of thumb

A mapped drive is just a shortcut/letter assigned to a UNC path — it doesn't change the underlying protocol. So if you mapped Z: to \\boxicube\documents, that Z: drive is still going over SMB.

In short, if it looks like a Windows network path with backslashes, it's SMB.

Great question — it is mostly transparent to you, but there are easy ways to check:

How to tell in Windows

Option 1 — Check in File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer → "This PC"
2. Right-click your mapped drive → Properties
3. Look at the Location or Comment field — it'll show the UNC path or URL

Option 2 — Command line (most reliable) Open a command prompt and type:

net use

It will list all your mapped drives and the path they point to:

• \\boxicube\share → SMB
• http://boxicube:5005/share or https://... → WebDAV

It is largely transparent — but there are clues

If you've been using \\boxicube\... style paths, you've been on SMB the whole time. WebDAV mapped drives are rarer on Windows and usually show an http:// or https:// path when you inspect them.

The short answer

If you set it up by typing \\boxicube or browsing the network in File Explorer — it's SMB, almost certainly. WebDAV requires deliberate setup (installing the WebDAV package on the NAS, and explicitly typing an HTTP address when connecting).

You wouldn't accidentally end up on WebDAV.

No — if you have a VPN, you don't need WebDAV at all.

Why

A VPN makes your remote connection behave as if you're on your local network. So once connected to the VPN:

• \\boxicube\share works just like at home
• Mapped drives work as usual
• SMB works normally — you just use everything the same way you would locally

So when would you actually use WebDAV?

WebDAV is useful when you don't have a VPN and need remote access:

Bottom line

If you already have a VPN set up to your Synology (Synology has a built-in VPN Server package), just use that and keep using SMB the same way you always have. WebDAV would just be an unnecessary extra layer.

What's your current remote access setup — do you have VPN configured on the NAS already?

Happy to help you set it up properly! Before we dive in, let me ask a few things so I can give you the right guidance: