Cannot create a CalDAV account on Synology Server

Question

Level 1

22 points

Cannot create a CalDAV account on Synology Server

Hello,

I am the sys admin of a small office and we are running a macOS X server and a few Synology servers.

We have a CalDAV Server running on the OSX Server (port 8443) and a CalDAV server on one of the Synology servers (port 5006).

The problem is as follows:

From the Internet my users cannot create/access their CalDAV accounts on our Synology server when they use a Macbook Pro or a Macbook Air running 10.12.6. On the other hand, they have no problem at all accessing their CalDAV accounts with their iPhones and iPad's (iOS 7 -10).

I have read numerous reports on the Internet claiming that Apple's CalDAV client is buggy since El Capitan, and I indeed can confirm that when I tested our Synology CalDAV server on machines running Yosemite it was working fine.

I cannot find any Console connection log file data on the Macs that could give me a hint where to search for an answer.

Can anyone help ?

Thank you for your tips.

MacBook Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.6)

Posted on Sep 7, 2017 4:35 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 19, 2017 4:08 AM in response to Remulus

We run a web application with caldav and carddav in a docker container on the synology nas and accessing it from lan and internet. Interestingly, cardav works fine, caldav only works on iOS but not on OS X Sierra.

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Answer 2

Remulus Author

Level 1

22 points

Sep 21, 2017 4:18 AM in response to Andreas Renggli

Hi Andreas,

I have received the following info from Synology Tech Support.

The Calender package app provides the option to share a calendar with the ystem default group "user".

The user simply clicks on the calendar app from the desktop and then he see all shared calendars.

Furthermore, it should be possible to create calDAV account for this calendar from the Mac's Calendar client by entering the account data:

https://host:5001/caldav/user

Unfortunately, this does not work on our Macs either. As soon as I enter the URL, port and the path and I close the dialog the data has disappeared.

Does this work for you ?

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Answer 3

John Galt

Level 10

162,126 points

Sep 7, 2017 4:34 PM in response to Remulus

Synology does not use AFP. It can't, since AFP is proprietary software that Apple licenses to no one.

Please read Re: Sierra & AFP NAS server random eject BUG, for one recent example. There are many others.

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Answer 4

Remulus Author

Level 1

22 points

Sep 7, 2017 6:53 PM in response to John Galt

Synology have been using AFP at least since OS 5 if not earlier. They may have licensed it. Anyway, both protocols are enabled. I noticed that when trying to create the CalDAV account with the Calender software under El Capitan or Sierra the error message "Could not verify account user or password" pops up very very quickly, much too quickly for looking up a DNS server or trying to actually log in. Also, I do not see a failed connection entry in the Synology log files.

I have the feeling as if Apple's CalDAV client does not even get to the stage of trying to connect. That is why I would like to check the logs on the Macs but I cannot see any CalDAV related logs.

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Answer 5

DirkSt

Level 1

4 points

Sep 8, 2017 6:44 AM in response to Remulus

Hi,

I can't help but very much appreciate your initiative for having exactly the same problem. CalDav on Synology works fine with my IOS, but not with my new Macbook pro, and I experience the same problems as you have described.

I would be glad if Apple sorts out the problem!

With best regards

Dirk

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Answer 6

Remulus Author

Level 1

22 points

Sep 8, 2017 6:27 PM in response to DirkSt

Hi Dirk,

thanks a million for your response. It re-assures me that I am not an incompetent sys admin but that the issue is caused by Apple's CalDAV ( and CardDAV) clients.

Unfortunately, Apple's Tech Support is notoriously non-responsive when it comes to such issues. Synology's Tech Support, on the other hand, has been extremely supportive in trying to find the cause of this issue which appears to be beyond their control.

Thanks again for your information and regards,

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