Media Server Setup Guides

Plex Media Server

1. Download the Plex installer for your OS.
2. Run the installer and follow the wizard – accept defaults unless you have a custom data folder.
3. During the initial setup, sign in with your Plex account (or create a free one).
4. Add your media folders (Movies, TV, Music) under Libraries → Add Library. Make sure the folders are readable by the Plex service.
5. Enable Remote Access in Settings → Server → Remote Access. Plex will attempt to open the necessary ports automatically; if it fails, forward TCP port 32400 on your router.
6. Optional: Install the Plex Media Server Docker image on your Nginx host for isolated updates:

   docker run -d \
     --name plex \
     -e PUID=1000 -e PGID=1000 \
     -e TZ=America/Denver \
     -p 32400:32400 \
     -v /path/to/config:/config \
     -v /path/to/media:/data \
     plexinc/pms-docker

Emby Server

1. Visit Emby Downloads and select the appropriate package.
2. Install and launch Emby; the web UI is available at http://localhost:8096.
3. Create an admin account and add media folders under Library → Add Media Folder.
4. Enable HTTPS (recommended) in Settings → Network → Advanced – you can provide your own self‑signed cert or use Let’s Encrypt via a reverse proxy.
5. For Docker deployment, run:

   docker run -d \
     --name emby \
     -e TZ=America/Denver \
     -p 8096:8096 \
     -v /path/to/config:/config \
     -v /path/to/media:/mnt/share1 \
     emby/embyserver

Jellyfin

1. Jellyfin is completely free and open‑source. Download the latest release from jellyfin.org.
2. Run the installer (Windows/macOS) or extract the Linux binary to a folder and execute ./jellyfin.
3. Open http://localhost:8096 in a browser and run the initial wizard – set language, admin credentials, and add your media libraries.
4. To run Jellyfin in Docker (recommended for isolation):

   docker run -d \
     --name jellyfin \
     -e TZ=America/Denver \
     -p 8096:8096 -p 8920:8920 \
     -v /path/to/config:/config \
     -v /path/to/cache:/cache \
     -v /path/to/media:/media \
     jellyfin/jellyfin

5. Configure Remote Access in the Dashboard → Network – map the external ports (8096 HTTP, 8920 HTTPS) through your router.

General Tips for All Servers

• Store media on a dedicated NAS or high‑performance HDD/SSD array; ensure the mount point is readable by the server user.
• Keep the server software up to date – most platforms provide a simple “Check for Updates” button.
• Use a reverse proxy (NGINX, Caddy, Traefik) with a valid SSL certificate for secure remote streaming.
• Set appropriate umask or Docker --user flags so that transcoding processes have permission to write temporary files.
• Enable hardware transcoding if your CPU/GPU supports it – this dramatically reduces bandwidth when streaming to mobile devices.