nzbfast on Synology

nzbfast runs on DSM 7 as a Docker container through Container Manager (on DSM 6 the same app is called Docker). The image is multi-arch, so it runs unchanged on both Intel and ARM Synology models.

Route A: Container Manager Project recommended

One file you can back up, re-use, and update with a single click. This is the route to take if you want nzbfast to keep itself up to date.

1. Create the project

   File Station → make the project folder, e.g. /docker/nzbfast. Then Container Manager → Project → Create, name it nzbfast, path /docker/nzbfast, source Create docker-compose.yml.

2. Paste this

   services:
     nzbfast:
       image: nzbfast/nzbfast:latest
       container_name: nzbfast
       restart: unless-stopped
       ports:
         - "6789:6789"
       environment:
         - PUID=1026          # your uid  (id your_dsm_username)
         - PGID=100           # your gid
         - TZ=Europe/London   # your timezone
         # - NZBFAST_APIKEY=change-me   # only if you'll connect Sonarr/Radarr
       volumes:
         - ./config:/config          # settings + index database
         - ./downloads:/downloads    # finished files - change this line if you
                                     # also run Sonarr or Radarr, see below
         - ./watch:/watch            # drop an .nzb here to auto-download
       # Takes away powers the container has by default and does not use.
       # The five it does need are added back by name: without them it
       # cannot hand your folders to your DSM user and will not start.
       cap_drop: [ALL]
       cap_add: [CHOWN, DAC_OVERRIDE, FOWNER, SETGID, SETUID]
       security_opt: [no-new-privileges:true]
   
     # Optional: checks nightly for a newer nzbfast image and recreates
     # the container when one ships. Needs the Docker socket; delete this
     # service to update by hand, or on a DSM schedule instead.
     watchtower:
       image: nickfedor/watchtower
       container_name: nzbfast-watchtower
       restart: unless-stopped
       environment:
         - TZ=Europe/London   # same timezone, so the schedule below is your 04:00
       volumes:
         - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
       command: --cleanup --schedule "0 0 4 * * *" nzbfast   # daily 04:00, nzbfast only

   The ./config, ./downloads and ./watch folders are created for you inside the project folder.

3. Finish the wizard

   Container Manager pulls the images and starts them. Then jump to First run below.

Auto-update without the Docker socket

DSM can do the same job on a schedule, and nothing needs the socket mounted. Delete the watchtower service from the compose file, then:

1. Create the task

   Control Panel → Task Scheduler → Create → Scheduled Task → User-defined script. Name it something like nzbfast update and set User to root, which Docker commands need. Schedule it daily, at a quiet hour.

2. Give it this command

   cd /volume1/docker/nzbfast && docker compose pull && docker compose up -d

   Adjust the path to your project folder. On DSM 7.1 and older the command is docker-compose (with the hyphen) rather than docker compose.

The trade here runs the other way: the task itself runs as root, but nothing gains standing access to the Docker socket, and you can read exactly what it does.

First run: add your provider

There is no config file to edit. Open http://YOUR_NAS_IP:6789. A Welcome panel asks for your Usenet server. Enter the host, username, password and connection count from your provider's welcome email and save. It applies immediately, no restart. Drop an .nzb on the dashboard (or into the watch folder) and it downloads.

Troubleshooting

• It won't start after an update, or Container Manager says "stopped unexpectedly": the container prints the reason and exits, so it is in the container's own log. Container Manager → Container → nzbfast → Details → the Log tab. The Log page in DSM's left-hand menu is a different thing, recording who pressed start and stop, and will never show why a container died. Over SSH: sudo docker logs --tail 50 nzbfast. A container that quits a second or two after starting, repeatedly, is usually refusing on purpose rather than crashing, and the log says which case it is.
• "Permission denied" / files owned by root: your PUID/PGID don't match the folder owner. Re-check with id your_dsm_username. This is the most common issue.
• Can't reach the dashboard: confirm the container is running and the port is mapped. If something else uses 6789, remap the local side (e.g. 6889:6789) and browse to :6889.
• Not searchable in Registry: make sure you're on the Registry tab (not Image), and the NAS has internet. You can also pull it by exact name nzbfast/nzbfast.
• Nothing downloads: open the dashboard; if the Welcome panel is still showing, the provider isn't saved yet.
• Auto-update never fires: check the container is on the latest tag rather than a pinned version, and that the schedule ran in your timezone (set TZ on the watchtower service, or 0 0 4 * * * means 04:00 UTC). sudo docker logs nzbfast-watchtower shows its next run.