How to Set Up Plex Media Server

This article will show you how to Set Up Plex Media Server. Plex started out as a hobby project, but over time it grew into a professional streaming server that can handle many different types of media files. Users can install it and use it to access their videos, music, and pictures remotely over the internet or locally over a local network. You can even share them with friends while you’re on the go. The basic version of Plex Media Server is free to use, but it doesn’t have as many features as the paid versions.

You can get more features if you pay $4.99/month for Plex Pass. Like most paid subscriptions, the price goes down as the length of the contract gets longer. This project is perfect for anyone who wants a media server that everyone in the house can use. You can also set it up so that people outside of your local network can use it. With Plex, you can easily access your whole digital library from any computer, smartphone, or streaming device that is compatible, without having to move files by hand.

Plex is a client-server system, where the client gets data directly from the server. With this setup, all of your movies, music, and photos can be stored on the server, which is a single device. We will use the Raspberry Pi in this case. Then, you can connect more than one client to the same server. It’s great because it means you don’t have to have multiple copies of the same media on different devices. We mentioned below are the steps to Set Up Plex Media Server.

How to Install Plex Media Server

1. Download the right installer.
2. Follow the instructions provided by the installer.
3. Once the media server is set up, a new browser window will open with the Plex web app.
4. The web app is the primary method for setting up the Plex server.
5. It can also be used to view your library and play files on your computer.
6. Create a new Plex account when prompted by the web app.
7. Follow the setup wizard to help the server locate your media files.
8. You can store your movies, music, and other files in various locations, including different folders and hard drives (both locally and on network shares).
9. Plex will keep everything organized.
10. The Plex Media Server will automatically check for changes in the directories you selected during setup.
11. Choose the frequency at which Plex checks for changes.
12. If you frequently download new media, set up Plex to automatically update its library when a new file is found.
13. Click the web app’s “Home” button to verify proper functionality.
14. Your movies, music, and media added during setup will be displayed, along with their corresponding poster or album art.
15. If the visuals are not correct initially, give Plex a few minutes to gather the necessary information.
16. To play a file, hover the mouse over the thumbnail and click the Play button.

How to play Plex files

We’ve already said that there’s a Plex client for almost every device on the market. The one for your device will usually be in the online download store for that platform. In the case of Apple TV, it’s in the App Store. It’s what Roku calls a downloadable channel. The Plex client is already on many devices, like smart TVs and Android TV boxes, so there’s no need to download it.

Most of the time, the clients are free, but sometimes Plex charges a small fee to download them. With a Plex Pass subscription, you can use all clients for free. If they don’t look right at first, give Plex a few minutes. Sometimes it takes time for Plex to find all the information it needs. To play a file, just move the mouse over the thumbnail and click the Play button.

1. Turn on the Plex client.
2. The Plex client asks for your Plex account.
3. Use the same Plex account created during server setup.
4. Ensure the playback device and Plex server are on the same home network.
5. The client displays the catalog of media files from the web app.
6. Categories appear on the left side of the screen.
7. Media files matching the categories are organized in the main interface.
8. Choose the file you want to play.
9. The selected file displays information, links, and the Play Now button.
10. Plex’s universal search provides a search function.
11. The search function finds matches from connected libraries, subscriptions, and services.
12. It can find matches from movies, music, and TV shows.
13. It also includes free content from Plex Movies and TV, web shows, podcasts, and Tidal.

What Is Plex?

Plex Media Server, which most people just call “Plex,” is a digital media player and organizer that lets you access the music, pictures, and videos on one computer from any other computer or mobile device that is compatible. You can install the Plex Media Server software on a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer or a compatible network-attached storage (NAS) device, and then play it back on any other internet-connected device that can run the Plex app.

On a computer running Plex Media Server, you can use any compatible device to watch movies, listen to music, and look at pictures. When you do, you can use the internet to access media files on your Plex Media Server computer or let friends and family use the internet to see your movies, music, and pictures. Even for serious media geeks with a lot of experience, it’s a huge pain to get all of your devices to talk to each other and access the same collection. But it doesn’t have to be like that.

Plex is a centralized media server system that solves almost all of the problems that come up when you have a large collection of personal media. The Plex model is simple: store all of your media on a single computer with the Plex server software installed, and use the Plex app on all of your other devices to access it. You can install it on Windows, Linux, or Mac computers, as well as on Android, iOS, game consoles like the Xbox, and your Apple TV. Most smart TVs now come with Plex already installed or you can get it from their app stores.