WebDAV Setup Guide: Connect Nextcloud, Synology & More

WebDAV is the most flexible way to connect your self-hosted storage to Cloudist Watch. Whether you're running Nextcloud, Synology NAS, ownCloud, or any other WebDAV server, this guide walks you through setup and troubleshooting.

Supported Servers

Cloudist Watch works with any standard WebDAV server:

• Nextcloud — automatic detection with Login Flow v2
• ownCloud — same WebDAV path as Nextcloud
• Synology NAS — via the WebDAV Server package
• QNAP NAS — via the WebDAV app
• Apache / nginx — with mod_dav or nginx-dav-ext-module
• Any other server that speaks WebDAV (RFC 4918)

Nextcloud Setup

Nextcloud is the easiest — Cloudist Watch automatically detects it and uses the secure Login Flow v2.

Step 1: Enter Your Server URL

Open Cloudist Watch → Add Account → WebDAV. Enter your Nextcloud URL:

https://cloud.example.com

Just the base domain — no need to add /remote.php/dav or any path. The app handles it automatically.

Step 2: Sign In via Browser

The app detects your Nextcloud server and opens a login page. Sign in with your Nextcloud credentials. If you have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, you'll complete that step here too.

Step 3: Done

After signing in, Nextcloud creates an app-specific password for Cloudist Watch. This is more secure than using your main password — you can revoke it at any time from Nextcloud's Security settings.

The app scans your storage for video files and builds your library automatically.

Nextcloud Thumbnails

Cloudist Watch uses Nextcloud's preview API to show video thumbnails in your library. If thumbnails aren't showing, make sure preview generation is enabled in your config.php:

'enable_previews' => true,
'enabledPreviewProviders' => ['OC\Preview\Movie'],

Synology NAS Setup

Step 1: Enable WebDAV on Your Synology

1. Open Package Center on your Synology NAS
2. Search for "WebDAV Server" and install it
3. Open WebDAV Server → check Enable HTTPS (port 5006 by default)
4. We recommend keeping HTTP disabled for security

Step 2: Connect in Cloudist Watch

Open Cloudist Watch → Add Account → WebDAV. Enter:

https://your-synology-ip:5006

Enter your Synology username and password when prompted.

Step 3: Verify Your Folder Structure

Synology's WebDAV serves files from the root of your shared folders. If your videos are in /video/Movies/, they'll appear at that same path in Cloudist Watch.

ownCloud Setup

ownCloud uses the same WebDAV paths as Nextcloud. Enter your ownCloud URL:

https://your-owncloud-domain.com

The app tries the Nextcloud path (/remote.php/dav/files/username/) first. If your ownCloud version uses this path, login works the same way. Otherwise, it falls back to generic WebDAV authentication with username and password.

QNAP NAS Setup

1. Open App Center on your QNAP → install the WebDAV app
2. Enable it and note the port (usually 8080 for HTTP, 8081 for HTTPS)
3. In Cloudist Watch, enter:

https://your-qnap-ip:8081

Use your QNAP credentials to sign in.

Generic WebDAV Server

For any other WebDAV server (Apache mod_dav, nginx, custom), enter the full WebDAV URL including the path:

https://your-server.com/webdav

Then enter your username and password. The app sends a PROPFIND request to verify the connection before saving your account.

Troubleshooting

"Connection timed out"

• Check the URL — make sure there are no typos and the port is correct
• Verify the server is reachable — try opening the URL in a web browser
• Check your network — if you're connecting to a home server, make sure you're on the same network or have port forwarding configured
• Firewall — ensure the WebDAV port is open (common ports: 443, 5006, 8081)

"SSL certificate error"

This happens when your server uses a self-signed certificate (common with home NAS devices). Two solutions:

Option A: Install the certificate on your device (recommended)

1. Export your server's certificate as a .crt or .pem file
2. On Android: Settings → Security → Install certificates → CA certificate → select the file
3. On iOS: Download the certificate → Settings → Profile Downloaded → Install → Settings → General → About → Certificate Trust Settings → enable it

Option B: Use a free Let's Encrypt certificate

If your server is accessible from the internet, you can get a free trusted SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt. Most NAS platforms have built-in Let's Encrypt support:

• Synology: Control Panel → Security → Certificate → Add → Get a certificate from Let's Encrypt
• Nextcloud: Many hosting providers include SSL, or use certbot

"Server not found"

• The URL might have a typo — double-check the domain name
• If using an IP address, make sure it's correct and reachable
• DNS resolution might be failing — try using the IP address directly instead of a hostname

"Connection refused"

• The WebDAV service might not be running — check that it's enabled on your server
• The port might be wrong — verify which port WebDAV is listening on
• A firewall might be blocking the connection

"Invalid username or password"

• If you have 2FA/MFA enabled, you need an app-specific password — your regular password won't work
• For Nextcloud: Settings → Security → Devices & sessions → Create new app password
• For Synology: Make sure the user has permission to access WebDAV and the shared folders

"Server returned an error"

• WebDAV might not be enabled on the server — check your server's settings
• The WebDAV path might be incorrect — some servers require a specific URL path
• Check server logs for more details about the error

Best Practices

Use HTTPS

Always use HTTPS (https://) instead of HTTP (http://). HTTP sends your credentials in plain text over the network, which is a security risk — especially on public Wi-Fi.

Use App-Specific Passwords

If your server supports app-specific passwords (Nextcloud, ownCloud), use them instead of your main password. This way:

• You can revoke access without changing your main password
• The app password has limited scope
• Your main password isn't stored on the device

Keep Your Server Updated

WebDAV servers receive security updates regularly. Keep your Nextcloud, Synology DSM, or other platform updated to the latest version.

Video Format Support

Cloudist Watch supports 10 video formats over WebDAV:

Summary

WebDAV gives you full control over your video library — no third-party cloud required. Connect your Nextcloud, Synology, or any WebDAV server, and Cloudist Watch turns it into a personal video streaming service. If you run into connection issues, the troubleshooting section above covers the most common problems and their solutions.