Access library remotely from iPhone

OK, this post may highlight my IT-related ignorance in some areas but please bear with me.

Currently, I have my music stored on a NAS, and run Roon from a dedicated music PC at home in my listening room.

When I’m out and about, I can stream music from my NAS (Synology DS1812) using the Synology app (DS Audio) on my iPhone. This is great as I don’t have to transfer any music to my phone, and have access to my whole collection.

The only problem here is the separation of the two above things. Ideally, I would like to access my music remotely “via Roon” somehow - primarily so that I can star tracks that I like on my iPhone, with this then reflecting in the main Roon database. Is this possible currently, and if not is something like this on the road map?

Thanks :smiley:

It can be done through a VPN. The limitation is available upload bandwidth from your server and download bandwidth to your phone, but if you can stream from your NAS with another app then well worth a try.

Heres a guide to setting up your own VPN server.

Edit: One of the suggestions in that guide is to flash new VPN enabled firmware onto a router. I would recommend against that particular method unless you know exactly what you are doing and are willing to risk bricking the router.

But don’t you need the PC running Roon to be on also, or is there a Roon for the NAS?

Yes, the Core needs to be running. VPN just allows the network to include a WAN connection.

Ah. The thing is, the NAS is on all the time but the core PC is not. Is there any way to run it on the NAS?

Not unless the DSM OS is actually running on a supported OS. Even then the hardware is towards the lower end and I expect you’d see degraded performance of both Roon and the NAS.

You might wake your PC with a magic packet from a WoL app on your phone over the VPN if you didn’t want to leave it on.

I have recently installed the Lightning DS iPhone app. Especially when you go to the Tidal section, it is close to what I would expect from Roon. But Roon still does not have anything for the iPhone. Lightning DS is free of charge.

When AURALiC brings the same functionality to the iPad, which can be expected soon, there should come something from Roon to stay competitive. At least an iPhone app is necessary. This should also work as an Endpoint.

Auralic already has Lightning DS for the iPad. I use it to control my Aries when I want to listen to internet radio. I don’t see how Roon is in competition with Lightning DS at all, they’re not really substitutable. Lightning DS controls Aries only, Roon is a little broader than that.

An iPhone app for Roon has been confirmed and is coming soon.

I know that there is a Lightning DS for the iPad. That one was always there. But the new iPhone app shows, which direction AURALiC goes with their apps. The iPhone app is far ahead of the iPad version. You should try it.

It is not true that Lightning DS controls Aries only. It can also control DLNA devices with less comfort.

I have a Roon lifetime subscription. So I am interested in a successful and growing Roon company. I just wanted to mention that the competitors are not sleeping, especially since Roon is not cheap.