# How to set up a remote NAS using OpenMediaVault and Meshnet
## Introduction
Having a robust [network-attached storage](https://www.seagate.com/blog/what-is-nas-master-ti/) (NAS) solution is vital in today’s digital landscape. Whether for personal or professional use, such a system is essential for storing and managing important files, including legal documents, invoices, or family photos and videos.
A frequent choice for a NAS solution is the free and open-source software [OpenMediaVault](https://www.openmediavault.org/about.html) (OMV). It’s an easy-to-use and highly customizable file-managing system that does not require extensive technical knowledge to set up. In addition, OMV offers web-based management, user and group access control, and plugin support for extending its functionality.
However, accessing shared folders on your NAS is typically limited to the same [local area network](https://nordvpn.com/blog/what-is-lan/) (LAN) when ports are not opened on your router. Thankfully, with [Meshnet](https://nordvpn.com/meshnet/), you can connect to your NAS remotely without compromising [network security](https://nordvpn.com/cybersecurity/network-security/). Meshnet allows using encrypted network tunnels to share data between your NAS and your end devices.
This guide describes how you can use OpenMediaVault to set up a remote NAS and access it using Meshnet.
## Installing OpenMediaVault
There are several ways in which you can install OpenMediaVault. This article demonstrates installing the OpenMediaVault 7.4.0-2 (Sandworm) operating system in a virtual environment. However, the setup procedure is the same on bare-metal machines.
1. Download the ISO installation image from the [OpenMediaVault downloads page](https://www.openmediavault.org/download.html).
2. Follow the instructions in the [Installation using an ISO image](https://docs.openmediavault.org/en/latest/installation/via_iso.html) article in the OpenMediaVault documentation to complete the installation.
For alternative installation methods, see the [OpenMediaVault documentation](https://docs.openmediavault.org/en/latest/installation/index.html).
### Install available updates
After installing the OMV, you should update it by accessing the NAS using an [SSH connection](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-access/access-remote-systems-over-ssh). SSH access for the user `root` is enabled by default. To install the updates, follow these steps:
1. Open **Command Prompt** (on Windows) or **Terminal** (on macOS and Linux).
2. Connect to your NAS via SSH by running this command, where `` is the local IP address of the NAS:\
ssh root@<server>
\
**Example**
ssh root@192.168.1.56
3. Enter the root password you created during the installation process.
4. Run this command to gather and install all available updates:\
apt update && apt upgrade -y
5. During the update process, you may be asked for keyboard inputs. Choose your input according to the on-screen information.
6. Once the updates finish, reboot your NAS.
## Configuring a NAS
OpenMediaVault has an intuitive web interface that allows you to configure various folder-sharing options. To access the web interface:
1. Open your internet browser.
2. Enter the local IP address of your NAS to the internet browser and press **Enter**.\
\
**Example**\
`192.168.1.56`\
3. Log in to the administrator account using the default OpenMediaVault web interface credentials.
* User name: `admin`
* Password: `openmediavault`
Now you have full control of the NAS from within your internet browser.
### Change the default password
First, make sure to change the default password of the OpenMediaVault web interface to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
1. Click **User settings** > **Change password** in the upper-right corner.
2. Enter your new password in both fields and click **Save**.
### Personalize your dashboard
Once the password has been changed, you can customize your OMV dashboard. The dashboard allows you to monitor the status of various essential services.
1. Head back to your dashboard by clicking the **Dashboard** tile.
2. Click the **settings page** link.
3. Select the widgets you want to see on your dashboard and click **Save**.
All of the selected widgets are now visible on the OpenMediaVault dashboard.
### Check disk availability
Before changing any further settings, it is essential to check if OpenMediaVault can see your storage mediums. You can do so by going to **Storage** > **Disks**.
If any of your storage devices are not displayed, click the **Scan for new devices** button and select **Yes** to confirm.
### Set up a file system
{% hint style="info" %}
**Note**
If you use more than one disk for storage, you should configure a [redundant array of independent disks](https://docs.openmediavault.org/en/latest/administration/storage/raid.html) (RAID).
In the OpenMediaVault web interface, RAID options can be found in **Storage** > **Software RAID**.
{% endhint %}
A file system is a method that an operating system uses to manage data on a storage disk. Without setting up a file system for your storage medium, you cannot share any folders as they will not be recognized as directories by the operating system.
To set up a file system:
1. Go to **Storage** > **File systems**.
2. Click the **Create and mount a file system** button and select [a file system](https://docs.openmediavault.org/en/latest/administration/storage/filesystems.html), for example, **EXT4**.
3. Select your storage from the **Device** dropdown and click **Save**.
4. Wait for the process to finish and select **Close**.
5. Choose your created file system from the **File system** dropdown, add any relevant tags, and click **Save** to mount the file system.
6. In the **Pending configuration changes** panel, click the Apply button.
7. Select **Yes** to confirm.
The file system is now mounted on the operating system, and you can view it in the File systems section.
### Create shared folders
With the file system ready, you can start creating shared folders.
1. Go to **Storage** > **Shared folders**.
2. Click the **Create** button.
3. Fill in the required information.
* **Name**: Enter any name for your shared folder.
* **File system**: Select the file system you have set up.
* **Relative path**: Enter a custom path to the folder you want to share. This section is filled in automatically after entering the name.
* **Permissions**: Choose what permissions people accessing the shared folder have.
* **Tags**: Add any relevant tags.
4. Click **Save**.
5. In the **Pending configuration changes** panel, click the Apply button.
6. Select **Yes** to confirm.
Your shared folder should now appear in the **Shared folders** table.
### Enable sharing services
Though the shared folders have been created, they are currently inaccessible since no folder-sharing services are active. To enable sharing for your created folder:
1. Go to **Services** > **SMB/CIFS** > **Shares**.
2. Click the **Create** button.
3. Make the following adjustments:
* **Shared folder**: Select the folder you created earlier.
* **Public**: Select **No** to allow only authenticated user access.
4. Click **Save**.
5. Navigate to **Services** > **SMB/CIFS** > **Settings**.
6. Select the **Enabled** checkbox at the top to enable SMB/CIFS sharing and click **Save**.
7. In the **Pending configuration changes** panel, click the Apply button and select **Yes** to confirm.
Your shared folders are now fully set up and functional.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Note**
If you wish to use your shared folder for [macOS Time Machine backups](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-access/macos-time-machine-backups), select the **Time machine support** option when enabling SMB/CIFS for the folder.
{% endhint %}
### Creating new user accounts
Currently, shared folders can only be accessed using the administrator account credentials, which is not recommended. A better and safer approach is to create individual user accounts for each person accessing the NAS. This ensures that your administrator credentials remain private and minimizes the risk of unauthorized access to the NAS.
1. Go to **Users** > **Users**.
2. Click the **Create | Import** button and choose **Create**.
3. Fill in the following fields:
* In the **Name** field, enter a username for the new account.
* In the **Password** and **Confirm password** fields, type in a secure password for the new user.\
\
**Example**
4. Click **Save**.
5. In the **Pending configuration changes** panel, click the Apply button and select **Yes** to confirm.
The newly created account should now be displayed in the **Users** table.
## Setting up NordVPN
To allow remote connections to the NAS, you need to install NordVPN and enable Meshnet. Since the OpenMediaVault operating system is based on Debian, you can [install and use the Linux version of the NordVPN app](https://nordvpn.com/download/linux/) hassle-free.
### Install NordVPN on the NAS
Follow these steps to set up NordVPN on your NAS:
1. Access the NAS using SSH.
2. Download and install the NordVPN app for Linux by running the command below.\
sh <(wget -qO - https://downloads.nordcdn.com/apps/linux/install.sh)
3. Log in to your NordVPN account.
### Log in to NordVPN
You can log in to your NordVPN account without the use of a graphical user interface (GUI) in two ways:
* By running the `nordvpn login` command with the `--token` flag
* By running the `nordvpn login` command with the `--callback` flag
Instructions for both methods are outlined below.
Log in using a token
1. On any device, log in to your [Nord Account](https://my.ndaccount.com/) dashboard and select the **Meshnet (by NordVPN)** card.
2. Under **Advanced settings**, select **Get access token**.
3. Enter the verification code sent to your email address.
4. Under **Access token**, click **Generate new token**.
5. In the dialog that appears, choose either a token that expires in 30 days or one that never expires, and then select **Generate token**.
6. Select **Copy and close**.
7. On your NAS, run the `nordvpn login --token ` command, replacing `` with the copied token.\
\
**Example**
You should now see a welcome message.
Log in using a URL
1. Run the `nordvpn login` command.
2. Open the provided link in your browser on any device.
3. Complete the login procedure.
4. Right-click the **Continue** button and select **Copy link address**.
5. Run the `nordvpn login --callback ""` command, replacing `` with the previously copied link address.\
\
**Example**
You should now see a welcome message.
{% hint style="success" %}
**Tip**
To preserve your token when logging out of the NordVPN app, use the `nordvpn logout --persist-token` command. Otherwise, your token will be revoked.
{% endhint %}
### Enable Meshnet
On your NAS, enable Meshnet on Linux by typing in this command:
{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```bash
nordvpn set meshnet on
```
{% endcode %}
To view the Nord name and Meshnet IP address of your NAS, enter the following command:
{% code overflow="wrap" %}
```bash
nordvpn meshnet peer list
```
{% endcode %}
**Example**
You will also see the list of your linked devices that can access this NAS over Meshnet.
## Connecting to the NAS over Meshnet
Your Meshnet devices should now be able to access the shared folders you have created on your NAS. To access the shared folders from your NAS, use this format `/`, where `` is the Nord name or Meshnet IP address of the NAS and `` is the name of the shared folder.
**Example**
`secret.meerkat-alps.nord/MeshnetStorage`
For detailed, OS-specific instructions on accessing shared folders, see the following articles:
* [Accessing shared folders from Windows](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/set-up-folder-sharing/configure-and-access-shared-folders-on-windows#access-shared-folders)
* [Accessing shared folders from macOS](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/set-up-folder-sharing/configure-and-access-shared-folders-on-macos#access-shared-folders)
* [Accessing shared folders from Linux](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/set-up-folder-sharing/configure-and-access-shared-folders-on-linux#access-shared-folders)
* [Accessing shared folders from Android](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/set-up-folder-sharing/access-shared-folders-on-android)
* [Accessing shared folders from iPhone/iPad](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/remote-files-media-access/set-up-folder-sharing/access-shared-folders-on-ios)
* [Accessing shared folders from Android TV](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/how-to/set-up-folder-sharing/access-shared-folders-from-android-tv#access-shared-folders)
Additionally, you can access the OpenMediaVault web interface over Meshnet by entering the Nord name or the Meshnet IP address of the NAS in your internet browser’s address bar.
**Example**
