How to Install ILIAS on Your Synology NAS

How to Install ILIAS on Your Synology NAS

ILIAS is a powerful Open Source Learning Management System for developing and realising web-based e-Learning. The software was developed to reduce the costs of using new media in education and further training and to ensure the maximum level of customer influence in the implementation of the software. ILIAS is published under the General Public License and free of charge. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install ILIAS on your Synology NAS using Docker & Portainer. Note: This container will not work in a NAS without AVX support.

💡Note: This guide works perfectly with the latest ILIAS v8.9 release.

  • STEP 1

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  • STEP 2

Install Portainer using my step by step guide. If you already have Portainer installed on your Synology NAS, skip this STEP. Attention: Make sure you have installed the latest Portainer version.

  • STEP 3

Make sure you have a synology.me Wildcard Certificate. Follow my guide to get a Wildcard Certificate. If you already have a synology.me Wildcard certificate, skip this STEP.

  • STEP 4

Go to Control Panel / Login Portal / Advanced Tab / click Reverse Proxy. Follow the instructions in the image below.

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 1

  • STEP 5

Now click the “Create” button. Follow the instructions in the image below.

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 2

  • STEP 6

After you click the Create button, the window below will open. Follow the instructions in the image below.

On the General area, set the Reverse Proxy Name description: type in Ilias. After that, add the following instructions:

Source:
Protocol: HTTPS
Hostname: ilias.yourname.synology.me
Port: 443

Check Enable HSTS

Destination:
Protocol: HTTP
Hostname: localhost
Port: 4876

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 3

  • STEP 7

On the Reverse Proxy Rules click the Custom Header tab. Click Create and then, from the drop-down menu, click WebSocket. After you click on WebSocket, two Header Names and two Values will be automatically added. Click Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Synology Proxy WebSocket

  • STEP 8

Go to Control Panel / Network / Connectivity tab/ Check Enable HTTP/2 then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 4

  • STEP 9

Go to Control Panel / Security / Advanced tab/ Check Enable HTTP Compression then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 5

  • STEP 10

Go to File Station and open the docker folder. Inside the docker folder, create one new folder and name it ilias. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 6

  • STEP 11

Now create three new folders inside the ilias folder that you created at STEP 10 and name them data, db, html. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 7

  • STEP 12

Right click on the ilias folder that you have previously created at STEP 10 then click Properties. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Ilias Synology NAS Permissions 1

  • STEP 13

Go to the Permission tab then click Advanced options. From the drop-down menu choose “Make inherited permissions explicit“. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Ilias Synology NAS Permissions 2

  • STEP 14

Select Everyone then click the Edit tab. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Ilias Synology NAS Permissions 3

  • STEP 15

Check all Read and Write Permissions. Click Done. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Ilias Synology NAS Permissions 4

  • STEP 16

After you click Done on STEP 15, check “Apply to this folder, sub-folders and files“. Click Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Ilias Synology NAS Permissions 5

  • STEP 17

Log into Portainer using your username and password. On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on Stacks then + Add stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

1 Synology Portainer Add Stack

  • STEP 18

In the Name field type in ilias. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Note: Copy Paste the code below in the Portainer Stacks Web editor.

version: '3.9'
services:
  ilias:
    image: srsolutions/ilias
    container_name: Ilias
    ports:
      - 4876:80
    depends_on:
      - mysql
    environment:
          ILIAS_AUTO_SETUP: 1
          ILIAS_DB_PASSWORD: example
          ILIAS_DB_USER: root
          ILIAS_MEMORY_LIMIT: 512M
          ILIAS_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE: 900M
          ILIAS_TIMEZONE: Europe/Bucharest
          ILIAS_DEFAULT_SKIN: dark
          ILIAS_ROOT_PASSWORD: mariushosting
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/ilias/data:/var/iliasdata/ilias:rw
      - /volume1/docker/ilias/html:/var/www/html/data:rw
  mysql:
     image: mariadb:11.3-jammy
     container_name: Ilias_DB
     command: |
            --character-set-server=utf8
            --collation-server=utf8_general_ci
            --max-allowed-packet=32M
            --default_authentication_plugin=mysql_native_password
     environment:
          MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: example
          MYSQL_DATABASE: ilias
     volumes:
       - /volume1/docker/ilias/db:/var/lib/mysql:rw

Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for TZ. (Select your current Time Zone from this list.)
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for ILIAS_ROOT_PASSWORD and type in your own password. mariushosting is an example for a password. You will need this password later at STEP 22.

ILIAS-Synology-NAS-Set-up-8-new-2025

  • STEP 19

Scroll down on the page until you see a button named Deploy the stack. Click on it. Follow the instructions in the image below. The installation process can take up to a few minutes. It will depend on your Internet speed connection.

ILIAS-Synology-NAS-Set-up-9-new-2025

  • STEP 20

If everything goes right, you will see the following message at the top right of your screen: “Success Stack successfully deployed“.

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 10

  • STEP 21

Go back to STEP 1 or you will deal with karma 🙂.

  • STEP 22

The installation process can take up to a few seconds/minutes. Please ⚠️wait approximately 10 minutes or you will get a blank error page if you try to connect too soon. Now open your browser and type in your HTTPS/SSL certificate like this https://ilias.yourname.synology.me In my case it’s https://ilias.mariushosting.synology.me If everything goes right, you will see the Ilias login page. In the Username area type in root as the default username and your own ILIAS_ROOT_PASSWORD that you have previously added at STEP 18. Click Login. Follow the instructions in the image below.

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 11

STEP 23

Your ILIAS Dashboard at a glance!

ILIAS Synology NAS Set up 12

  • STEP 24

Set Up Email Notifications on ILIAS.

Enjoy ILIAS!

Note: Can I run Docker on my Synology NAS? See the supported models.
Note: How to Back Up Docker Containers on your Synology NAS.
Note: Find out how to update the ILIAS container with the latest image.
Note: How to Free Disk Space on Your NAS if You Run Docker.
Note: How to Schedule Start & Stop For Docker Containers.
Note: How to Activate Email Notifications.
Note: How to Add Access Control Profile on Your NAS.
Note: How to Change Docker Containers Restart Policy.
Note: How to Use Docker Containers With VPN.
Note: Convert Docker Run Into Docker Compose.
Note: How to Clean Docker.
Note: How to Clean Docker Automatically.
Note: Best Practices When Using Docker and DDNS.
Note: Some Docker Containers Need WebSocket.
Note: Find out the Best NAS Models For Docker.
Note: Activate Gmail SMTP For Docker Containers.

This post was updated on Wednesday / March 6th, 2024 at 12:32 PM