SSH access on Iomega and Lenovo IX/PX NAS systems is a hidden feature, primarily intended for use by official support personnel. By default, it’s disabled and undocumented in the standard user interface, as it’s not meant for general users. However, enabling SSH opens up a powerful backend interface that provides direct command-line access to the underlying Linux operating system. This functionality allows advanced users to go beyond the limited stock options offered by the NAS firmware and gain full control over their device’s software environment.
Once SSH is enabled, users can install and run a variety of custom and unsupported Linux services such as SickBeard, SABnzbd, CouchPotato, and Transmission directly on the NAS. This dramatically extends the functionality of your device, transforming it from a simple storage box into a fully customizable media server or automation hub. In the following guide, we’ll walk you through the exact steps to unlock SSH access on your Iomega or Lenovo NAS and begin installing these powerful open-source tools.
⚠️ Use at Your Own Risk! ⚠️
Enabling SSH access on your Iomega / Lenovo IX4-300d NAS can expose your system to risks if misused. This feature is hidden and intended for support personnel only. Proceed only if you understand the implications and responsibilities of using SSH.
Enable SSH on Lenovo / Iomega IX4-300d
SSH is not available through the normal interface but can be unlocked via a hidden diagnostics or support page. Follow these steps carefully:
Open the Hidden Support Page
Depending on your NAS firmware version, use one of the following URLs in your web browser. Replace [NAS IP] with the actual IP address of your NAS device:
-
Firmware 4.0.2.9960+ (Lenovo):
http://[NAS IP]/manage/diagnostics.html -
Firmware 3.3.4.29856 (Iomega):
http://[NAS IP]/diagnostics.htm -
Alternative (if above fail):
http://[NAS IP]/support.html
If the correct URL is used, a hidden Diagnostics / Support page will load.
Set the SSH Password
Once the hidden support page opens, you’ll find an option to enable SSH and set a password. Choose a strong password and apply the settings.
⚠️ Make sure you remember this password. You’ll need it to access SSH.
Login via SSH
Now that SSH is enabled and running, you can access your NAS using a terminal or SSH client. Use the following credentials:
-
Username:
root -
Password:
soho+ your password-
For example, if your password is
123, your SSH password will besoho123
-
Connect with this command (replace [NAS IP]):
Locate Shared Folders
Your NAS stores shared folders in the following directory:
This path is where you can find and manage your data directly from the command line.
is there a way to only login on ssh with a private key?
There is no option for a private key in the web settings… There may be a way to do this by manually finding and changing the SSH server’s config file.
Once you have ssh connected the NAS:
– create root HOME
– modify /etc/passwd to reflect the new home dir for root,
– create .ssh directory (mode 700) in root’s home
– create .file authorized_keys in .ssh
– cp the private key for your account in the client machine you used to connect to NAS
Now if you try ssh root@nas_ip you should not be required for a password.
If you find problems, switch verbose on in your ssh command
Good luck
Thanks.. i’ll give it a try
How do you make the /root or /home/root to stay after the reboot of the device. Both of the locations are deleted after device reboot. Thanks
I cannot help you, i’m sorry.
How did you change the message on the display? Most of all I’m interested in a way of putting the display off after x minutes and on after pushing a button…
A user at valcolabs.com found a way to change the LCD image to any bmp image you want BUT it the image only stays on for about 10 seconds and then reverts to the default NAS system messages.I did some extra research on the LCD but could not find anything interesting.
Change LCD Image temporary:
http://www.valcolabs.com/2012/02/06/pimp-my-px4-lcd-image-hacking/
Hi Steven i desable web acces on my NAS and i want to get it back can you please help me
ix4-300d Manual:
Reset Button — Hold the Reset button for four seconds to reset security and network settings. This allows you to regain access if network settings are incorrect or you’ve forgotten your password.
CAUTION! Holding the Reset button for longer than 15 seconds while the ix4-300d Network Storage is powered on will result in a full factory reset(wipes data).
Thanx it’s work but now i want to install web server for ruby on rails on my NAS ! How to ?
Hey man, you seem to know more about this than most people online. I’d like to switch the media server for UMS (Universal Media Server). It doesn’t seem to let me run apt-get. Any thoughts on why?
I’m noticing that WGET won’t work either, and it says there’s no space, and I check df -h and it says the root directory is 50MB and it’s all taken up. Thoughts?
you can see if UMS is in the repository list, run following command :
/opt/bin/ipkg list
this will show a list of all apps you can download from the server,to install an app :
/opt/bin/ipkg install “appname”
To list all installed apps :
/opt/bin/ipkg list_installed
i succesfully managed to login only with a private key, and also after a reboot it worked. so i made it to only login with a private key.
after a real power down i’m not able to get into the ix4 anymore, i think my .ssh directory is missing.
is there a alternetive way to get into the ix4? or when i upgrade to the latest firmware will the sshd_config overwritten? and so is with the latest firmware possible to get everything to work again?
how can I transfer my data from PC to NAS quickly?? )with cable connected in router)
Just use the explorer in windows to copy files.?
Steve – this is great information. You seem to know more than EMC Lenovo support – they have limited knowledge of the inner workings of their own device. Anyhow, I’m trying to install an SSL cert from GoDaddy. I managed to extract a CSR file from the NAS device, but I’m having difficulty installing the CRT file downloaded from GoDaddy using the web interface. Can this be done from OpenSSL? If so, any guidance would be much appreciated.
I’m sorry but I cannot help you with that. I’ve seen in previous comments someone who got a private certificate working
Hi Steven, i tried following your instructions for enabling SSH, but it says port 22 is already in use. Does that mean SSH is already enabled, or should I just use a different port?
thanks
Looks like there is already an ssh server tunning, try to connect via ssh….
I have 3 of these NAS and want to change the logo and slow down the fans (it’s quite cold where I keep them) but I have a question – Can Firmware be updated after these changes?
I”ve managed to lower the fans: http://stevenbreuls.com/2015/01/silence-your-lenovo-ix4-300ds-fans/
I also managed to mod the display but it’s not very stable
HELP im trying to get a lenovo ix4 300d set up to use as home storage???
This is the wrong blog for those questions but if you explain what’s not working… I will try to help you here.
Hello Steve
I have an ix4 300d. I am able to enable ssh. I am able to install Optware and the to modify startup script but when i reboot the device the directories in the opt directory have been removed other than the original directories. Am i doing something wrong?is it related to directory permissions? Not sure. Glad of any help
Dear Anthony Hughes, I have exactly the same problem as you and after a reboot I have everything cleared. Have you found a solution to the problem? I will be very grateful to you for any hint!
Steve– A useful option for speeding up these NAS units is adjusting the stripe size. I’ve noticed that mine was rebuilding terribly slow and the default cache size was set to 2048. 16M seems to work much better.
echo 16384 >> /sys/block/md1/md/stripe_cache_size
Someday I’ll write the shell script to auto-adjust the fan speed based on the temperature and send it over too you.
nice, I’m not running raid, just all as normal storage (backup @ amazon cloud) is this stripe_cache_size usefull for me? Thanks
No, the stripe_cache setting is specific to RAID5 and maybe RAID1.
FYI– during resync (or anytime for that matter), you can run:
cat /proc/mdstat
to check the status of the RAID, including the resync speed.
In my RAID5 (4x Samsung Spinpoint HD204UI 2TB drives) I was getting about 22MB/sec; Bumping up to 16M stripe sped me up to over 40. Of course, the same drives in an actual Linux machine with software raid resync’s at nearly double that.
Wow, that’s double the speed, good find! This will for sure help others getting their system running as smooth as possible.
Hi Steven, I’m having an issue where we had some sort of power failure and when I booted the ix4-330d up, I get the USB and Network symbols. I tried upgrading the firmware via USB but get a no zImage message. The appliance gets an IP Address and responds to ping, but I can’t get to the web interface and it refuses telnet/ssh. Any ideas? Thanks.
I’m sorry but i dont know that much about restoring a ix4 device. but i know there are some ppl on a forum who unbricked their device. is your usb fat32 and is the file indeed correct?
Thanks for the reply. I’ve tried multiple USB’s in multiple formats to try to get this thing going. My boss bit the bullet and ordered another ix4 so we can try to get the data. I think the RAID is fine so we are hoping we can just plug the disks into the new one.
that could just work, I remember someone trying and succeeding in this after his first ix died. good luck.
Scott–
Two things– In disk-less NAS units, there is a flash rom that boots the device, assembles the raid, and starts up.. In units that shipped with disks, the flash rom was omitted and the system boots off the disks (a small partition), a system that is a little more dangerous IMHO.
The drives are a Linux MD raid. It gets a little tricky with the way Lenovo/Iomega created the volume groups though. If you drop them into a Linux machine, (or any machine and boot an Ubuntu DVD) you should be able to reassemble the array, scan for volume groups, mount the file system, and then copy your data off..
Good Luck!
Any idea where to put start up scripts in FW 4.1.312.34560 so they won’t be deleted after reboot?
Hi, i don’t have the nas anymore but your startup.sh script gets removed on reboot? so you were still able to insert the script in the startup daemons using editconfig.sh from my other tutorial?
http://192.168.1.5:7005/2013/11/preserve-custom-servers-after-omegalenovo-ix4-300d-update/
If that is still working its just the startup.sh script that gets removed, you could try to move it to a different location, not sure but try some of the folders in the root etc,bin… and see if that works, you could also try to put the script on your share /mnt/pools/A/A1/****** and see if it runs (not sure if the pools are mounted before the script gets executed)
Hope that will help
Steven
Have you ever heard of an ix4-300d just losing the shares?
Can I find the configuration of the shares somewhere via ssh?
Hi, I’m sorry to hear. I don’t know where the configuration for the shares is actually stored but there is a big chance you can access your shares via ssh. they are located under /mnt/pools/A/A0/*Sharename*, if they are not available you could look into some Linux guides as the firmware is just a Linux distribution.
Thanks. I am currently copying. Slow, but everything seems to be there.
Great to hear its working, I’m actually not using the NAS anymore due to too many data losses lately (partially my own fault). I’m got back to using a USB-SATA disk reader until I built my windows server.
Great to hear. I’m not using the NAS anymore due to too many data losses (sometimes my own fault). I switched to a USB-SATA dock until I built my windows server.
Does smb know how to access ssh with the latest firmware?
This tutorial is still working on the latest firmware. you should be able to enable ssh by using the “diagnostics” url just like you would on any of the previous firmwareS.
Is there a way to find event logs via ssh?
Please advise.
Hi, it looks like the logs are found in /tmp/var/log/messages
Great blogs btw, some really good stuff. Would you know the path to modify the fan config file for the px4-300r once I get in via SSH? I tried following your path and there is nothing like it in the px4-300r.
It appears fan 5and 6 are the ones that spin up to 20K for a 30 seconds every few hours. I have the March 2020 firmware and it still does it.
These guides are probably not going to work on your system, they are completely different even in architecture. you would have to find the fans another way
Hello, I did the firmware update and now it crashed in a mandatory browser configuration. Asks to create a user, but does not create. Can you help me?
Hi, not sure if this is still monitored, but…
1. What is the command to shutdown the IX4-300D NAS from a batch script (not thru HomeKit)? I want to automate a proper shutdown when my computer notices the UPS is running low during power outage.
2. The links to the other guides, in this article, are not working.
Thanks.
Hi, “shutdown” or “shutdown now” will probably work. some older articles have been removed
Hi, hopefully this is still monitored. I want to send a remote command from my computer (not using Homekit) to the NAS in the case of a power outage (before my UPS dies). What is the command for that? Also, the links to other articles on this page don’t load. Thanks.
Thank you so much for your post helped me a lot today.