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Plex Media Server has also been built for the Netgear X10 router (opens in new tab). Ideally, you want something you can leave turned on, connected to the web and most importantly, something you don't throw in a rucksack and take on the road with you.
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If you have a supported NAS drive (opens in new tab), a standalone desktop computer or even a spare Windows Box, these will be the best options. That means storing it all on a laptop you take with you probably isn't the best idea. You'll be hosting the content yourself, so you'll need to make sure you can get to it at all times if you want to be streaming while away from home. Once installed, getting set up is a simple matter of following instructions in the web client - all your Plex-ing on your computer will be done in a browser - to tell it where to look for various media content. It comes in flavors for Mac, Windows and Linux, as well as in a form designed for NAS drives. This isn't nearly as daunting as it sounds and involves downloading the Plex Media Server app to your computer. We’ve rounded up the best pre-built options to help you get your Plex server up and running with minimal effort.Before you can use Plex to access your media on your other devices, you first need to set up your home server. All you need to do is install the appropriate software on them. If this all sounds complicated, the good news is that there are numerous pre-built Plex Server hardware devices you can purchase. Of course, more RAM never hurts, especially if you plan to use the computer for other tasks at the same time. As long as you have at least 2 GB of RAM, you should have no difficulty running a Plex Server. Plex officially recommends an Intel Core i3 or faster as the minimum processor, although faster is generally recommended. It requires a lot of processing power to transcode the video as it is streamed, and even more power if you add subtitles and other additions to the video. Plex Server RequirementsĪ Plex server relies more on CPU than anything else.
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The key is making sure the machine is capable of handling whatever you throw at it.
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The best part about a Plex server is that it doesn’t require a dedicated machine to operate, but it’s often a good idea to set aside one particular Plex server hardware device to use exclusively for that purpose.
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