Skip to content

[Update] Plex OCA #7208

New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

Sign up for GitHub

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Merged
nmelehan-akamai merged 4 commits into from
Mar 18, 2025
Merged

[Update] Plex OCA #7208

Changes from all commits
Commits
Show all changes
4 commits
Select commit Hold shift + click to select a range
26f6f46
plex distro and deployment updates
Feb 19, 2025
83c85cc
Merge branch 'linode:develop' into change/plex
tbaka-dev Mar 6, 2025
9d27b3c
editorial review
Mar 12, 2025
369f265
Update index.md
tbaka-dev Mar 12, 2025
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension
Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
98 changes: 33 additions & 65 deletions docs/marketplace-docs/guides/plex/index.md
View file
Open in desktop
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
title: "Deploy Plex Media Server through the Linode Marketplace"
description: "Stream your personal media collection to nearly any device with your own Plex Media Server using Linode Marketplace Apps."
published: 2020-09-28
modified: 2024-06-06
modified: 2025-02-19
keywords: ['streaming','plex','video','media server']
tags: ["debian","docker","marketplace", "web applications","linode platform", "cloud manager"]
image: Deploy_Plex_oneclickapps.png
Expand All @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ marketplace_app_name: "Plex Media Server"

## Why Use Plex Media Server

Owning a Plex Media Server enables you to maintain a personal media library in addition to accessing [Plex's own content](https://mediaverse.plex.tv/), all available to stream to nearly [any device](https://www.plex.tv/apps-devices/). The ability to stream your own media is a unique advantage over other streaming services like [Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/), and comes only at the cost of your Linode services. Additional features, including local downloading, bandwidth limiting, and hardware transcoding are also available through the paid [Plex Pass](https://www.plex.tv/plex-pass/) service.
Owning a Plex Media Server enables you to maintain a personal media library in addition to accessing [Plex's own content](https://mediaverse.plex.tv/), all available to stream to nearly [any device](https://www.plex.tv/apps-devices/). The ability to stream your own media is a unique advantage over other streaming services like [Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/), and comes only at the cost of your Akamai cloud computing services. Additional features, including local downloading, bandwidth limiting, and hardware transcoding are also available through the paid [Plex Pass](https://www.plex.tv/plex-pass/) service.

## Deploying a Marketplace App

Expand All @@ -34,109 +34,75 @@ Owning a Plex Media Server enables you to maintain a personal media library in a

## Configuration Options

- **Supported distributions:** Debian 10
- **Recommended minimum plan:** 4GB Dedicated CPU or Shared Compute Instance
- **Supported distributions:** Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
- **Suggested minimum plan:** 4GB Dedicated CPU or Shared Compute Instance

### Plex Options
{{% content "marketplace-required-limited-user-fields-shortguide" %}}
- **SOA Email Address:** *(required)*: Enter an email address you want to use for generating the SSL certificates and configuring the server and DNS records.

The following configuration options create a secure [Limited User](/docs/products/compute/compute-instances/guides/set-up-and-secure/#add-a-limited-user-account) to run your Plex Media Server.

{{< note >}}
- As a security measure, [root login over SSH](/docs/products/compute/compute-instances/guides/set-up-and-secure/#ssh-daemon-options) is disabled for this App. Use your Limited User credentials to access your Linode via SSH instead.
- The Limited User configurations below are for your Linode's [Linux user](/docs/guides/linux-users-and-groups/), which is distinct from your [Plex account user](https://www.plex.tv/sign-up/).
{{< /note >}}

- **Limited User Name** *(required)*: Enter your preferred username for the limited user. If the username `root` is specified, a limited user is not created and extra security features are not configured.
- **Limited User Password** *(required)*: Enter a *strong* password for the new user.
- **Limited User SSH Key:** If you wish to log in as the limited user through public key authentication (without entering a password), enter your public key here. See [Creating an SSH Key Pair and Configuring Public Key Authentication on a Server](/docs/guides/use-public-key-authentication-with-ssh/) for instructions on generating a key pair.
{{% content "marketplace-custom-domain-fields-shortguide" %}}

{{% content "marketplace-special-character-limitations-shortguide" %}}

## Getting Started After Deployment

After your Plex Server has been deployed, you can upload media and configure access to your Plex Server from Plex clients for your media devices.

Before you begin, ensure that you have signed up for a [Plex account](https://www.plex.tv/sign-up/).
Before you begin, ensure that you signed up to [Plex](https://www.plex.tv/sign-up/).

### Initial Setup

Administration of your Plex Server is performed from its web interface. Before you can connect to the web interface from your workstation, you first need to create an SSH tunnel to your Linode.

{{< note >}}
This guide occasionally directs you to substitute variables beginning with `$` in certain commands.

An easy way to make these substitutions is to set the variables in your shell, then simply copy the commands as they are provided in this guide — your shell automatically substitutes the `$` variables in those commands with the values you have set.

For example, you can set configure a substitution for `$IP_ADDRESS` like so:

IP_ADDRESS=192.0.2.0

Your shell then interprets `$IP_ADDRESS` as the value you have provided in following commands, for example:

echo $IP_ADDRESS

```output
192.0.2.0
```
{{< /note >}}

1. From your workstation [terminal](/docs/guides/using-the-terminal/), enter the following the command, substituting `$USERNAME` with your Linux [Limited User Name](#plex-marketplace-app-options), and `$IP_ADDRESS` with the [IP address](/docs/products/compute/compute-instances/guides/manage-ip-addresses/) of your Plex Server Linode:

ssh $USERNAME@$IP_ADDRESS -L 8888:localhost:32400

You now have an established SSH connection to your Plex Server Linode in your terminal, and can also access the Plex web interface from your workstation browser.

1. Enter `http://localhost:8888/web` into your workstation browser to access the Plex Server setup web interface. Enter your Plex account username and password to proceed with the setup.

Administration of your Plex Server is performed from its web interface. Open a web browser and go to the custom domain provided during deployment, or the instance's default rDNS.
![Plex Login Screen](plex-login.png "Plex login screen.")

1. Give your Plex Server a name. Be sure to leave the **Allow me to access my media outside my home** box **checked**, and select **NEXT**.
1. Enter a name for your Plex server and select the **Allow me to access my media outside my home** checkbox. Click **NEXT**.

![Plex Server Setup - Name](initial-setup-set-hostname.png "Plex Server Setup - Name.")

1. Skip Media Library setup by selecting **NEXT** for now. You will [Upload Media](#upload-media) and [Add Media Libraries](#add-media-libraries) in the sections below.
1. Skip Media Library setup by clicking **NEXT**. You will [Upload Media](#uploading-media) and [Add Media Libraries](#adding-media-libraries) in the sections below.

![Plex Server Setup - Skip Add Media Library](initial-setup-skip-media-library.png "Plex Server Setup - Skip Add Media Library.")

1. Finish initial setup and reach the Plex home screen by selecting **DONE**.
1. To finish the initial setup, click **DONE**.

![Plex Server Setup - Finish](initial-setup-finish.png "Plex Server Setup - Finish.")

1. Click on the **Settings** icon in top-right corner of the Plex web interface.
1. Click the **Settings** icon in top-right corner of the Plex web interface.

![Plex Settings Icon](initial-setup-settings-icon.png "Plex Settings Icon.")

1. On the left side bar, ensure that your new Plex Server is selected and select **Remote Access** under the **Settings** section.
1. On the left side bar, ensure that your new Plex Server is selected and in the **Settings** section, select **Remote Access**.

![Plex Server Remote Access Settings](initial-setup-remote-access.png "Plex Remote Access Settings.")

1. Click the check box next to **Manually specify public port**, keep the default value of `32400`, and select **RETRY** or **APPLY**. You may need to select **SHOW ADVANCED** to see these settings.
1. Select the **Manually specify public port** checkbox and keep the default value of `32400`. Click **Retry** or **Apply**. You may need to select **Show advanced** to see these settings.

![Enable Plex Server Remote Access](initial-setup-enable-remote-access.png "Enable Plex Server Remote Access.")

1. Wait until you see a message stating that your Plex Server is **Fully accessible outside your network**.
1. Wait until you see a message stating that your Plex Server is *Fully accessible outside your network*.

![Plex Server Remote Access Successful](initial-setup-remote-access-success.png "Plex Server Remote Access Successful.")

You can now access [uploaded media](#upload-media) and manage your Plex Server from any Plex Client, such as the [Plex Web App](https://app.plex.tv). If you are unable to reach your Plex Server remotely, you can repeat the steps in this section to re-establish a direct connection for administrative purposes.
You can now access [uploaded media](#uploading-media) and manage your Plex Server from any Plex Client, such as the [Plex Web App](https://app.plex.tv). If you are unable to reach your Plex Server remotely, you can repeat the steps in this section to re-establish a direct connection for administrative purposes.

### (Optional) Connect a Linode Block Storage Volume
### (Optional) Connecting a Linode Block Storage Volume

If your media collection is larger than the space available from your Linode plan, [Block Storage](/docs/products/storage/block-storage/) is a convenient solution. This section outlines the steps for creating and connecting a Block Storage Volume for use with your Plex Server.

{{< note >}}
For future reference, you can find examples of the instructions provided in this section in Cloud Manager by navigating to [**Volumes**](https://cloud.linode.com/volumes), then selecting **Show Configuration** from the option menu for your Volume.
{{< /note >}}

1. [View, Create, and Delete Block Storage Volumes](/docs/products/storage/block-storage/guides/manage-volumes/) if you do not already have one prepared.
1. [View, Create, and Delete Block Storage Volumes](/docs/products/storage/block-storage/guides/manage-volumes/) if you don't have one already prepared.

1. Establish an SSH connection to your Plex Server Linode as your [Limited User](#plex-marketplace-app-options).

1. On your Plex Server Linode, create a directory to your Volume's mountpoint:

mkdir ~/plex/media/linode-volume

1. Mount your Volume path to the mountpoint you have created, substituting `$FILE_SYSTEM_PATH` with your Volume's file system path (which is viewable from Cloud Manager's [**Volumes**](https://cloud.linode.com/volumes) dashboard):
1. Mount your Volume path to the mountpoint you have created, substituting `$FILE_SYSTEM_PATH` with your Volume's file system path (which you can get in the Cloud Manager's [**Volumes**](https://cloud.linode.com/volumes) dashboard):

sudo mount $FILE_SYSTEM_PATH ~/plex/media/linode-volume

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -167,9 +133,9 @@ For future reference, you can find examples of the instructions provided in this

docker restart plex

Media on your Volume is now accessible through the Plex web interface at the mounted directory on your Linode. Next, follow the instructions below on how to [Upload Media](#upload-media) to your Volume (use your Volume's mountpoint instead of creating a new subdirectory), and [Add Media Libraries](#add-media-libraries) to enable streaming media stored on your Volume.
Media on your Volume is now accessible through the Plex web interface at the mounted directory on your Linode. Next, follow the instructions below on how to [Upload Media](#uploading-media) to your Volume (use your Volume's mountpoint instead of creating a new subdirectory), and [Add Media Libraries](#adding-media-libraries) to enable streaming media stored on your Volume.

### Upload Media
### Uploading Media

Your Plex Server is set up to access media files in the `~/plex/media` directory. You have many options for uploading or downloading media to your Plex Server. This section shows you how to organize and upload files to your Plex Server using the `scp` command.

Expand All @@ -185,31 +151,31 @@ This section directs you to run commands either on your Plex Server Linode throu

scp example_video.mp4 $USERNAME@$IP_ADDRESS:~/plex/media/movies

Depending on the file size(s), this may take a few minutes.
Depending on the files' size, this may take a few minutes.

{{< note >}}
There are other ways to upload files to your Plex Server Linode. See our section in [Linux System Administration Basics](/docs/guides/linux-system-administration-basics/#upload-files-to-a-remote-server) for more information.
{{< /note >}}

### Add Media Libraries
### Adding Media Libraries

1. Log into a Plex Client, such as the [Plex Web App](https://app.plex.tv), then select the **MORE >** link on the Plex side bar.
1. Log into a Plex Client, such as the [Plex Web App](https://app.plex.tv), and on the side bar, click **More**.

![Plex Home Side Bar — More](media-library-side-bar.png "Plex Home Side Bar — More.")

1. Hover over your Plex Server's name in the Plex side bar, then select the **+** icon.
1. Hover over your Plex Server's name in the Plex side bar and click **+**.

![Add Media Library — Start](media-library-add.png "Add Media Library — Start.")

1. Select your library type, set the name for your media library, select your language, then select the **NEXT** button.
1. Select your library type, set a name and language for your media library. Click **Next**.

![Set Media Library Type, Name, and Language](media-library-type-name-language.png "Set Media Library Type, Name, and Language.")

1. Click **BROWSE FOR MEDIA FOLDER**, navigate to the directory within `/media` where your files are stored, then select the **ADD** button.
1. Click **Browse for media folder**. Go to the directory within `/media` where your files are stored and click **Add**.

![Select Media Library Directory](media-library-select-directory.png "Select Media Library Directory.")

1. Once you are satisfied with your selection, select the **ADD LIBRARY** button.
1. Once you are satisfied with your selection, click **Add library**.

![Add Media Library — Finish](media-library-finish.png "Add Media Library — Finish.")

Expand All @@ -227,7 +193,9 @@ The Plex Marketplace App installs the following required software on your Linode

| **Software** | **Description** |
|:--------------|:------------|
| [**Docker Engine**](https://docs.docker.com/engine/) | Docker Engine is an open source containerization technology for building and containerizing your applications. This Marketplace App deploys Plex Media Server as a Docker container. |
| [**Plex Media Server**](https://hub.docker.com/r/plexinc/pms-docker/) | The Plex Media Server transmits locally-stored media files, enabling you to stream your personal media collection to any device that can support a [Plex Client](https://www.plex.tv/apps-devices/). |
| [**NGINX**](https://www.nginx.com/) | Open Source webserver and reverse proxy. See our guide on [Getting Started with NGINX](/docs/guides/getting-started-with-nginx-part-1-installation-and-basic-setup/) for more information. |
| [**UFW**](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UncomplicatedFirewall) | Firewall utility. Ports 22/tcp, 80/tcp, and 443/tcp for IPv4 and IPv6 are enabled with installation of this app. Additional ports must be opened to send email from your Linode for use with this app. To learn more, see [How to Configure a Firewall with UFW](/docs/guides/configure-firewall-with-ufw/). |
| [**Plex Media Server**](https://hub.docker.com/r/plexinc/pms-docker/) | The Plex Media Server transmits locally-stored media files, enabling you to stream your personal media collection to any device that can support a [Plex Client](https://www.plex.tv/apps-devices/). The Latest release in Plex's Public Main branch is installed by this deployment. |


{{% content "marketplace-update-note-shortguide" %}}