Beyond these, you must purchase Surveillance Device License Packs (available in 1, 4, or 8-packs). These are perpetual (lifetime) and can be migrated to new Synology hardware. The "Hack" Reality: Scripts and Patches
For users running Synology software on non-Synology hardware (XPEnology), older versions (like 7.2.2) can be patched with modified .spk files to bypass limits.
Synology's activation servers constantly verify keys. Updates to Surveillance Station or DSM often break these hacks, potentially locking your account for 14 days or requiring a factory reset to regain functionality. Legitimate Workarounds for More Cameras synology ip camera license hack link
Some users utilize scripts (like those found in Kaitiz/Surveillance-Station-9 ) to force the system to recognize 58 or more licenses. These often require running user-defined scripts as root .
Synology provides a set number of for free with every device: Standard NAS (DiskStation): 2 free licenses. Network Video Recorder (NVR): 4 free licenses. Deep Learning NVR (DVA): 8 free licenses. Beyond these, you must purchase Surveillance Device License
If you want to avoid paying $50+ per camera without risking your data, consider these proven methods: 1. Use the Central Management System (CMS)
If you have multiple Synology devices (even older, used ones), you can pool their free licenses. Synology's activation servers constantly verify keys
Set up one NAS as the "Host" and others as "Recording Servers".