Please note if you are using DSM7.2 or higher you should use the Container Manager version of this guide from the menu.
This guide has reached the end of its updates as most people are now on the latest DSM update - This guide is correct as of 08/12/2023 however no further updates will be added.
| Update | Date |
|---|---|
| Removed docker compose section as rarely used | 18/07/2023 |
What is Sonarr?
Sonarr is used to search, download and organise your TV shows in conjunction with your preferred Usenet or Torrent downloaders and indexers.
Let’s Begin
In this guide I will take you through the steps to get Sonarr up and running in Docker.
As usual, it’s important you complete the three preceding guides which will get your folder structure and docker, user and bridge network setup.
- Step 0.5 : Docker, Memory Recommendations and Limitations
- Step 1: Directory Setup Guide
- Step 2: Setting up a restricted Docker user
- Step 3: Setting up a Docker Bridge Network
Downloading the Sonarr Image
Open up Docker within DSM and navigate to the ‘Registry’ tab and search for ‘Sonarr’.
In the list of available containers select the one made by Linuxserver as shown below, right click on it and select ‘Download’ or click the button at the top of the window.
When the dialogue pops up asking you to choose a version, make sure you choose ‘Latest’ from the list.
You can check the status of the download over on the ‘Image’ tab.
Setting up the container
In Docker click on the ‘Image’ tab, in the list of your containers select the ‘Linuxserver Sonarr’ image and click on ‘Launch’
You will be greeted with the Network screen, we will be using the ‘synobridge’ network we created earlier select it from the list and click Next.
General Settings
Next you will be greeted with the General Settings screen, this is where you can start specifying some of your preferences.
You can change the name of the container to anything you like, and you may want to enable Auto Restart as this will ensure Sonarr starts automatically if you reboot your NAS.
You will also notice a Configure capabilities button — don’t change anything in here!
Next up we are going to click on the ‘Advanced Settings’ button, this will take you to a new window with a number of tabs which we are going to work through.
Environment (PGID, PUID and Timezone)
Next we are going to set up a couple of environment variables that docker will use to allow the container access to our files and folders and also to tell it where we live in the world.
Click the Add button, and fill in the following details as per the table/screenshot, you will need to do one at a time.
| Variable | Value |
|---|---|
| PUID | The UID you obtained in the user setup guide |
| PGID | The GID you obtained in the user setup guide |
| TZ | Your timezone wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones |
Links / Execution Command
You do not need to set up anything on these tabs.
Press ‘Save’ to go back to the initial setup screen, then press ‘Next’
Port Settings
We won’t be changing any of the ports the container uses. You can repeat the ones shown on the right side of the settings page ‘Container Port’ onto the left side ‘Local Port’ once you have done this press ‘Next’.
Volume Settings
We will now be specifying the directories where Sonarr will store its configuration files and where to find our media and downloads.
Click on ‘Add Folder’ select the ‘docker’ folder and create a new sub-folder called ‘sonarr’ select this folder and click ‘select’
Repeat this process to add the /data folder.
You will now add the below settings into the ‘Mount path’ section
| File/Folder | Mount path |
|---|---|
| docker/sonarr | /config |
| data | /data |
Click Next to move to the final screen.
Summary
You have now completed the setup of the container.
You will be shown an overall summary of the settings we have specified, this is a good time to double-check everything is correct. Finally, click on Done and the container should start to boot.
You should now be able to access Sonarr via the IP of your NAS followed by the port 8989
e.g. 192.168.0.40:8989
Key Settings and FAQ
Now you have set up Sonarr there are some key settings you will need to set as these often catch new users out. I will add more as they come up.
Media Management / Root Folders (Settings>Media Management)
Sonarr refers to the place(s) you keep your TV shows as Root Folders. These are where Sonarr will ultimately move your series episodes to once they finish downloading.
| App | Root Folder |
|---|---|
| Sonarr | /data/media/tv |
Download Clients (Settings > Download Clients>Remote Path Mappings)
While most of the settings on this page are self-explanatory something that has caught people out if the Remote Path Mappings setting. If you are hosting all your services on the same NAS do not add any settings here.
I can’t get Sonarr to Connect to my Download Client!
When setting up your preferred download client or Prowlarr etc. Usually you will use the IP of your NAS, however if for whatever reason this is not working you can use http://172.20.0.1 which is the IP of the ‘synobridge’ gateway.
| Update History | Date |
|---|---|
| Added Docker Compose details Added new folder mappings to ensure atomic moves and Hard-linking | 03/05/2021 |
| Guide re-written and updated with DSM7 screenshots | 01/08/2021 |
| Updated wording in some sections and updated the Docker Compose | 16/12/2021 |
| DSM7.1 Updated Screenshots and Steps | 03/06/2022 |
| Added new port settings and Docker Bridge Network | 24/07/2022 |
| Compose version number removed and small wording amendments | 08/04/2023 |
| Amended the path to save the compose file – this is for security, so the container has no access to the file contents. | 14/04/2023 |
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Hello. I have a slight issue, that started today (used your guide to set it up) – today, I noticed that Sonarr and radarr have gotten a “can’t import, check log for details” – after having worked flawlessly for a few days
Hey, is there a specific error mentioning permissions at all or that the path is not available?
Fond the issue with some help – setting up unpackerr to solve it at the moment.
Love your guides though
Actually, issue has returned. Looking into the data/torrents/completed, a season folder has unpacked the files into .mkv. Sonarr gives off “Downloaded – unable to import – check logs for details” – but I can see it have imported 9/12 files. Logs say “found 0 other extra files”
I will ping you an email as will be a bit easier than on here.
I’m having problems with entering the root folder. I can only see the folders from Sonarr, not my newly created folders by following the initial setup from your plan. What am I doing wrong?
Hey Arnie – I will ping you an email.
Problem solved with the help of Dr_Frankenstein. I didn’t put in the right PUID and PGID.
Hi there.
First, thanks very much for this. I am buying you a few cups of coffee!
I followed this guide closely, though I seem to be hung up at the Media Management / Root Folders step. Sonarr won’t actually let me add a root folder, regardless of what I select.
My setup differs somewhat from the example you provide. Here are three folder paths that I attempted to map in Docker:
•My Media/TELEVISION/TV Shows : /tvshows
•My Media/Torrents/In Progress : /downloads
•My Media/ : /data
Ostensibly, it’s the first folder that I’d select as the Root in Sonarr, but while it shows up as an available option, it won’t let me actually select it.
I’d be grateful for any advice you could provide.
Many thanks.
Hey thanks!
OK your /MyMedia folder is effectively the /data folder that I use across the guides. So this is not too complicated, you will basically change any mention of /data in the guides to /MyMedia
Remove the maps you did already… and then
For Sonarr just map /MyMedia to /MyMedia
For your Torrent client you would map /MyMedia/Torrents to /MyMedia/Torrents
This means when your torrent client tells Sonarr it has finished downloading something and it can be found in /MyMedia/Torrents/Completed Sonarr can reach across into that folder as it has the whole /MyMedia folder mapped. This will also mean you get ‘Atomic Moves’ so files move instantly and also Hardlinks will work for torrents you are still seeding.
Hope that helps
No luck, I’m afraid.
In Sonar Media Management Settings, when I try to select a Root Folder, I see my mapped folder (I had mapped “My Media” to “/MyMedia”), but it won’t let me actually select it.
Could the space in my top-level “My Media” folder name be an issue?
Thanks again!
I will ping you an email in the morning GMT as I think this is likely a permission issue.
hi there having a similar issue my tv shows are in a folder called Tv Shows. in volume settings i have it added Tv Shows. what do i put under the mouth path had data in there but nothing should up when i tried to add the shows in Sonarr. put Tv Shows in mouth path incorrect valve
trying to add files in sonarr i get error unable to add root folder folder not writable by user abc
i am just not sure what i am missing /doing wrong luv some help
You can just add /Tv Shows into the mount path section spell it exactly as your underlying shared folder.
Sorry just re-read your comment – ignore the above was thinking of docker-run and docker-compose. The Synology Docker UI will not allow spaces in the folder names, you will need to change the share to TVShows or similar and then mount it to /TVShows (keep all the spellings the same)
ok did that still the same not writable by user abc
wondering if this would have anything to do with having the storage as volumes? my tv shows are stored on volume 1
OK if it is saying not writable you need to ensure the dockerlimited user has been granted read/write access to any addional shares you want to mount. This is done in the Shared Folder settings in Control Panel
yes checked that both the docker folder and tvshows folder have read write ticked
Hey – I will ping you an email!
Once my download are done, they are not been move from the download folder to where they should be. What I am missing in my setting ???? 🙁
|Error|DownloadedEpisodesImportService|Import failed, path does not exist or is not accessible by Sonarr:
Glad this was fixed it was just the PGID/PUID.
Hey, reach out via my contact page or on the Discord server so I can take a look at your logs. They should say why it’s not importing your downloads.
Hello,
I recent followed this guide to set up multiple containers and everything is working fine for the most part. From time to time, during file import the files will remove all permissions that are assigned to them and are left with just the “dockerlimited” account. This prevents the Plex server, hosted on another box from seeing the files. My work around for this is to reapply permission to root folder.
Any clue what I am doing wrong?
Hey, how is the other server connected? I have Plex on an Unraid box connected via SMB working just fine.