Introduction
In this article, I will look back at my experience of setting up a media server on a spare PC that was replaced this year. It was an interesting experience that I undertook before I created this website. I hope you find my experience informative and entertaining.
Project Objectives
A few months before I had purchased my new computer, I had set up a Plex media server on the PC, which I was going to replace. It seemed to make sense to use my old computer once it was replaced as a Plex media server. My old computer had the following specification.
- Intel Core i7-6700K
- 32Gb Ram
- Nvida 1060 Graphics card
- 256 Gb SSD Drive
- 2 TB Hard Drive
I also purchased a second 2 TB hard drive to put in the server.
What Operating System Should I Install?
Before I started the project, I investigated and researched the available options. In the end, I decided to install Ubuntu server 20.04, which is a distribution of Linux. I made the decision for the following reasons.
- A populair Linux distribution.
- Plenty of support available on the Internet
- It was free
- Plex Server was available on Linux.
- Would give me an opportunity to learn new skills
I managed to install Linux by watching several youtube videos and guides as I went. In hindsight, this was a mistake. It would have been better to have watched some videos and read a few guides while taking my notes and planning my strategy to meet my own requirements. Linux is a complex operating system, and if I had taken my time planning how I would have implemented Ubuntu, my outcome might have been different.
With Ubuntu server 20.04 running, I installed the Plex server and set up a library to store the media that the Plex media server could access. While Plex had edited and created rights to the media library, I didn’t. Coming from a Windows background, I wasn’t expecting this. Again, I resolved the issue by finding documentation on how to change the read-write attribute rules for folders and files.
For several weeks, the media server ran smoothly under Ubuntu, but I suddenly ran out of storage space and my actions to try and remedy this issue broke my server. I realised that I was out of my depth if I wanted to ensure my Plex media server was to have a little downtime, which was required at the time. I still had access to the data on the Plex media server, which I was able to copy to my PC.
I decided to try FreeNAS, an operating system specifically designed for file servers. I installed the Operating system before installing Plex and defining the media library.
I have since upgraded the server to TrueNAS core, the new name for FreeNAS, and so far, I have had very few problems running my Plex media server.
Network Infrastructure
The other thing I needed to consider was the structure of my home network.
My Modem/Router is in one room while my living area/study is in another room. Several devices were connected to the router by an Ethernet cable.
My first project on entering the first Covid lockdown was to tidy up my Ethernet cables. I bought an Ethernet switch and removed all the Ethernet cables apart from my router. The one remaining cable was plugged into the new switch, and all Ethernet devices were then connected to this switch.
The new clean network infrastructure couldn’t support the network requirements of a separate Plex server and an HDHomerun networked Freeview tuner reviewed here. I expanded the capacity by purchasing an Ethernet over power plugs, one for the power socket next to the router and another for my study/living area. I also bought another switch which is connected to the plug.
My Television and Sky HD box are connected up to the switch connected to the server over the long Ethernet cable. While my PC, media server, and network Freeview tuner are connected to the new switch, which is connected to the router via the Ethernet power plugs.
This is deliberate. For example, my Plex Server could be recording a television programme while I watch another programme streamed from the Internet. The above structure would keep the network traffic generated by those two requirements separate, improving network performance.
Project Outcome
The most important outcome of the project is that I am working media server which can be accessed by any device running the plex client that is connected to my network, potentially 24/7.
It has also given me a new desire to learn more about Linux as my knowledge of the operating system is quite rudimentary, and I would like to learn more about it. As a first step, I plan to install a virtualisation system on my PC and use it to install a Linux environment in a virtual box to play with and learn new skills. You can expect me to write a series of blogs on this in future.
I also want to make more use of my server, which is limited by the lack of storage capacity on the server. I will look to rectify this limitation at some point in the future, and you can expect me to post a blog on this as well at some point in the future.
Please feel free to post any comments below.