Plex has been one of the most popular media servers for years. This is not surprising, because the tool is largely free. Moreover, you can use it to stream almost all media files over your network, from photos and music to videos. In this article, we’ll help you install and configure Plex.
So we are going to set up our own Plex Media Server. It is available for various platforms. In addition to the nas applications, Plex can be downloaded for Linux, macOS and Windows, among others. We choose the latter and use a somewhat older device for this. Plex is quite lenient, but still likes to equip itself with an Intel Core i3 processor and 2 GB of ram.
First you go Download Plex. Then start the exe file and click on Options to indicate where you want the installation folder. Confirm with Install. A little later the server is already installed and you can start it with Launch. Create a Plex account if you don’t already have one and sign up with it. A pop-up window tries to entice you into a Plex Pass subscription for $ 4.99 per month. As far as we are concerned, you can safely close this window.
Add media
You are now ready to further customize your media server. First of all you enter a name for the server. Optionally, you place a check mark here Allow me to use my media outside of the home. The tool then organizes this in such a way that your server (device) can also be reached via the internet.
Once you get on Next one you can add local media folders to your server. You do that with the button Add library, then choose the media type: Movies, TV series, Music, Photos or Other videos. Once you have added everything, click again Next one and then on Ready. Indicate which items you would like to see appear in the sidebar. Finish with the I buttoncomplete installation.
Server interface
You can find the Plex icon in the Windows system tray. Right click on the icon. Choose Start Plex Media Server at Login if you want to start the server automatically as soon as you are logged into Windows. Do you choose Open Plex the web interface of the server will open in your default browser. The local address is 127.0.0.1 on port 32400. This provides the url http://127.0.0.1:32400 on.
You can also easily reach this server from another device in your network. All you need to do is find out the local IP address of the server. To do this, open the Command Prompt on the server and use the command ipconfig. Press enter and you will see the address with your active network connection. That would then be something like http://192.168.0.141:32400.
Have you indicated that your server must also be reachable from outside? Then tune the browser to https://plex.tv/web and log back in with the same Plex account. Dedicated Plex client apps are also available for both your desktop and mobile device. They make it all a bit more comfortable.
Check Plex settings
In the web interface of the Plex Media Server you can adjust several settings. To do this, click on the tool icon at the top right. Numerous setting options now appear on the left. We recommend that you read them all carefully. We list here just a few interesting items that are also available in the free version.
So you will find at Authorized Devices the devices or browsers from which your Plex server has already been accessed. You can also remove those permissions from here. Bee Plex Web, Quality set the video quality for streaming videos (default is 2 megabits per second, 720p). Bee Player you specify the position and size of the subtitles.
Bee Management, Libraries you can edit or delete your current libraries. You can also add new folders and libraries here. You can determine exactly how Plex should handle these libraries, such as the scan frequency Settings, Library. If you want to enable or disable internet access to your server: you will find this option at Remote access. Do not forget any adjustments with Saving Changes to capture.
Plex on smartphones
As mentioned, you can access your local Plex server via a browser. It also works much more comfortably from the Plex client app on mobile devices. The client app can be found in the official app stores, both for iOS and Android. We take the Android version as an example here. It is free and you can watch the free movies from the Plex range with it.
If you want to stream (your own) media from your server to the app, you must first activate the app (if you don’t have a Plex Pass subscription). Activation of the app costs you a one-time fee of EUR 4.33. After that, you can also cast media from your mobile app to other devices on your network, such as the Windows client app. The app can then be used as a remote control.
Install the app from the Play Store and log in from your (wireless) home network with the same Plex account as your server. The app will now automatically tune to your Plex Media Server. In the hamburger menu you will find various media categories. Other videos, Photos and Film Roll On Device consist of the local photos and videos on your Android device. You do have to grant Plex access once for this.
For other devices
Plex also has a client app for your desktop. The number of platforms and devices supported is impressive. We have more than twenty, including Amazon Alexa, Oculus Go, Xbox One and Windows. We choose the latter.
After installation, sign in again with your Plex account. If all goes well, the app immediately connects to the server. When you expand the hamburger menu, you get access to all your own media that you have made available via the server.
Strangely enough you will not find the Movies & TV section here. For free movie watching via Plex on Windows, you will therefore have to go back to your browser. Casting from a mobile app will also not work yet. But don’t let that spoil the viewing fun!
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