Plex media server how to see the library media files

[deepakdeshp]

Hello,
I installed Plex media server on Mint 20.3 Cinnamon. I can see the on line media(I am not sure how these are sourced).

I can't see the movies on the local computer as library on the same machine. I did settling--manage--library. I added the folder with media files to this library. I don't know where these will be available on the Plex browser interface.

[deepakdeshp]

Ok I can see the media files on the same machine in the Plex application in the browser at 32400 port. The problem was that after adding library the Plex server had to be restarted.
But I can't see these media files in the library remotely on my Android phone.

[smurphos]

The Android app now hides user libraries under the More menu option at the bottom of the home screen. If running UFW on the machine with the server you will need to add appropriate access rules. If you are trying to access from outside your LAN you need to make your Plex server visible to the internet. This is done on the server settings, and you may need to set up port forwarding on your router.

[deepakdeshp]

Thanks. I have disabled UFW on the Mint media server.I am trying to access the Plex media files from LAN.
I have enabled remote access it shows 192.168.1.109:3400 as private address. When I point the browser to this ip from my android phone or Mint machine, it says that the site can't be reached. I tried to see if there is an plex Android client on play store to install on Android but I didn't find any. So I just installed the Plex server on the phone.

[smurphos]

This is the Android App - https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... l=en&gl=US

I have enabled remote access it shows 192.168.1.109:3400 as private address.

Should be 192.168.1.109:32400 ?

Try allowing the server to fallback to insecure connections on the local network




And double check your home router for any settings that are designed to isolate networked devices from each other.

Any VPNs in use? (Double check they are not set to route local traffic via the VPN)

[deepakdeshp]

. allowing the server to fallback to insecure connections on the local network

.Thank you.That did the trick and I can see Plex media files on the local network.
I am not able to add a folder to the library though. In setrings--manage--library--edit--search for folders and add them. I did that restarted Plex, which didn't add the folder files to plex. In the library it does show the 2nd added folder. Then I restarted Mint yet no joy.

Then I added a movie file to the pre existing folder ,and I can't see this file in Plex,neither on the Mint server machine nor on the Android client. I am stumped. Something simple is escaping me.

[smurphos]

Something simple is escaping me.

Permissions most likely. User 'plex' needs a minimum of read access to your media folders and files. There are various ways to achieve this...e.g. make your media readable to other users, or add user 'plex' to your group and make the media readable to your group.

[deepakdeshp]

Something simple is escaping me.

Permissions most likely.

Chances are less because this is a folder on my dual boot Windows 11 machine with the Windows partition mounted. NTFS don't have the Linux permission. I will check this permission thing again.

[mcroger]

Chances are less because this is a folder on my dual boot Windows 11 machine with the Windows partition mounted. NTFS don't have the Linux permission. I will check this permission thing again.

This is one of the reasons why the disks hosting my movie library are formatted in exFat (dual boot Mac OS - LM 20.3).

[phd21]

Hi deepakdeshp,

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

I found out with most media servers like Plex, Kodi, Emby, etc... that if you want to add media (videos, music, pics) that are not in local drive folders but on external "other" drives, that you may have to change their mounting point from the Linux Mint default (example: /media/phd21/5D89930762BDF832/videos-128gb) to another folder like "/mnt". Then, the media servers have no problem accessing those drivers and their folders.

The post below has easy to use instructions for changing or creating drive mounts and works with any installed file system not just NTFS.

NTFS Partition does not activate even with automount, until clicking drive in file manager - Linux Mint Forums
viewtopic.php?f=208&t=278971&hilit=disks

Another "quirk" I noticed with some media servers including the one I use "UMS (Universal Media Server)" is they sometimes get confused if you have folders with the same name like multiple "/Videos" or "/Movies" folders. So if that is the case, you may consider renaming those folders. I usually will rename them to identify the drive and its folder(s) like my external 1tb WD Blue drive (NTFS) will have a videos folder of "blue-videos", my external 1tb WD grey drive (NTFS) will have a videos folder "grey-videos", my Patriot 480gb SSD drive (Linux ext4 and NTFS) will have "/480gb-videos", etc...

Also, it is not IMHO a good idea to keep the UFW firewall disabled except when trying to determine if the firewall is a problem with certain application(s) or functions.

Plex is a really nice media server, but I have never been able to get it to work with generic DLNA/ UPnP applications or devices regardless of the firewall. It has only worked for me when I add their Plex applications to my smartphones, Roku, smart blu-ray player, etc... Yet, UMS and other more basic media servers show right up with generic DLNA/ UPnP applications or devices. Update: The second link below *** has the correct firewall rules for Plex DLNA to work.

FYI: There are other posts on Plex and Media servers in this forum and elsewhere:

(SOLVED) PLEX Media Manager - Linux Mint Forums
viewtopic.php?f=47&t=281925&hilit=plex+media

*** How to Install Plex Media Server on Ubuntu 20.04 | Linuxize
https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-instal ... ntu-20-04/

What network ports do I need to allow through my firewall? | Plex Support
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201543 ... -firewall/

Troubleshooting Remote Access | Plex Support
https://support.plex.tv/articles/200931 ... te-access/

FYI-2: Per our emails
Media Server - What to use? - Linux Mint Forums
--My replies in this link have information on downloading and setting up UMS. Although my instructions for this are older, they still work and the newer UMS versions can use the newer already installed Java version. The instructions will have to be modified for the newer UMS version like "ums-10.14.1" vs the older one in the post.

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=273165&hilit=unive ... dia+server

Hope this helps ...

[smurphos]

The DLNA server in Plex is off by default. You just need to switch it on...

[deepakdeshp]

The DLNA server in Plex is off by default. You just need to switch it on...

I enabled it but have to learn DLNA use. I will try finding it.
As expected the permissions for my Windows folder which is part of the Plex library is rwx. Will try adding an ext4 folder to the library, though I feel it shouldn't matter.

[smurphos]

How are you mounting your NTFS partiution? Via fstab? If so lets have a look at /etc/fstab

[deepakdeshp]

How are you mounting your NTFS partiution? Via fstab? If so lets have a look at /etc/fstab

I click the Windows icon in nemo and it gets mounted on /media/uma. There is no fstab entry. The access rights of the directory and the files and folders under it are 777, rwx for all.I copied Harry 1.mp4 file on the desktop and added the Desktop fo;der to plex library. When I search for Harry in Plex library I cant find it. Am I wrong?

[deepakdeshp]

Hi deepakdeshp,



I found out with most media servers like Plex, Kodi, Emby, etc... that if you want to add media (videos, music, pics) that are not in local drive folders but on external "other" drives, that you may have to change their mounting point from the Linux Mint default (example: /media/phd21/5D89930762BDF832/videos-128gb) to another folder like "/mnt". Then, the media servers have no problem accessing those drivers and their folders.
Hello Phil,
Thank you for coming in. As per your suggestion I unmounted Windows from the /media and mounted it on /mnt1. Logged out and logged in , restarted Plex Yet I cant see the files in the Folder. I had copied Harry 1.mp4 to Mint Desktop and added the Desktop folder to Plex library again re logged in . I couldnt see this movie in Plex. Desktop is on /sda7 which is ext4.

Code: Select all

 mount |grep /mnt1
/dev/sda3 on /mnt1 type fuseblk (rw,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,blksize=4096)
(base) uma@uma ~ $ ls -ld /mnt1
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 8192 Jan 25 16:15 /mnt1
(base) uma@uma ~ $ ls -l /mnt1|head -5
total 6554229
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root       4096 Oct 21 08:51 $Recycle.Bin
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root          0 Jan 23 09:18 $WinREAgent
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root        112 Oct 15 09:23 bootTel.dat
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root     475136 Jan 25 16:16 Config.Msi
 

The Windows files are listed above.

[deepakdeshp]

The problem is that from ntfs file system the folders can be added but Plex doesnt show these files in the library

[mcroger]

How are you mounting your NTFS partiution? Via fstab? If so lets have a look at /etc/fstab

I click the Windows icon in nemo and it gets mounted on /media/uma. There is no fstab entry. The access rights of the directory and the files and folders under it are 777, rwx for all.I copied Harry 1.mp4 file on the desktop and added the Desktop fo;der to plex library. When I search for Harry in Plex library I cant find it. Am I wrong?

Then this is probably the issue. Inheritance of Ubuntu, the /media works with access control lists.
Overriding the default mount point /media with a /mnt/custom_folder did the trick for me.

https://itectec.com/ubuntu/ubuntu-permi ... nal-media/