Need help Rsync from Synology to WD Mycloud

If you need help using rsync to copy data from a Synology NAS to a WD My Cloud, the process is usually straightforward once rsync is enabled on both devices.

First, make sure rsync is enabled on the Synology NAS. In DSM, go to Control Panel → File Services → rsync and enable the rsync service. Create or identify a user account that has permission to access the shared folders you want to transfer.

Next, verify that your WD My Cloud supports rsync. Many WD My Cloud models include rsync functionality, although the exact menu location varies by model and firmware version. Enable the rsync service and note the destination module name, username, and IP address of the WD device.

Before running a large transfer, test connectivity from the Synology. You can use SSH access on the Synology NAS and run a simple rsync command. A common example is:

Where:

-a enables archive mode (preserves permissions and timestamps)

-v provides verbose output

-h makes file sizes easier to read

/volume1/Data/ is the source folder on Synology

/shares/Backup/ is the destination folder

If the WD My Cloud is configured as an rsync server module rather than an SSH destination, you may use:

The double colon (::) indicates an rsync module rather than a normal SSH path.

For ongoing backups, Synology provides a simpler option through Hyper Backup. Hyper Backup can send backups directly to an rsync-compatible destination such as a WD My Cloud. Create a new backup task, select rsync-compatible server, enter the WD My Cloud IP address, username, password, and destination path, then choose the folders and applications you want to protect. This approach provides scheduling, versioning, and backup management without requiring manual command-line work.

If you encounter permission errors, check that:

The destination folder exists on the WD My Cloud.

The user account has read/write access.

Firewalls are not blocking TCP port 873 (standard rsync port) or SSH port 22 if using rsync over SSH.

Both devices are on the same network or have proper routing between them.

For the initial sync, expect the transfer to take some time depending on the amount of data and network speed. Subsequent rsync runs are much faster because rsync transfers only changed files and file blocks rather than copying everything again.

If you provide your exact Synology model, WD My Cloud model, DSM version, and any error message you are seeing, I can give more specific rsync commands and troubleshooting steps.