# Easiest way to set up a plex server on linux?
**URL:** https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183
**Category:** Plex Media Server
**Tags:** server-linux
**Created:** [November 10, 2023, 10:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183 "2023-11-10T10:16:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@WirbelFCM](https://forums.plex.tv/u/WirbelFCM)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2023, 10:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/1 "2023-11-10T10:16:52Z")
Hello,
I‘m looking for an easy way to setup plex server on any linux on a mac mini. I only need the plex server on the machine and filesharing active /FTP/SMB) to be able to copy files to the server.
The mini is a mac mini server 2012 with 2,6GHz i7 with 10GB RAM and a 250GB SSD.
Imtried ubuntu but i didnt get the file- and screen sharing configured. I also tried to set up plex on OMV but this was catastrophic 🙈
I want (need) to use linux because my drives are exfs formatted 🤷♂️
Is there any EASY way for noobs? 😕
THX!
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### Author:  [@Freeben666](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Freeben666)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2023, 10:35am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/2 "2023-11-10T10:35:37Z")
Hello,
1. Install your distribution of choice form this list:
- Fedora
- CentOS
- SUSE
- Ubuntu
- Debian
1. Grab the corresponding package for PMS on this page : [https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/?cat=computer&plat=linux#plex-media-server](https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/?cat=computer&plat=linux#plex-media-server)
2. Install the package (depends on the distro)
Also : [https://support.plex.tv/articles/200288586-installation/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200288586-installation/)
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### Author:  [@WirbelFCM](https://forums.plex.tv/u/WirbelFCM)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2023, 10:51am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/3 "2023-11-10T10:51:19Z")
Thank you. I’ve already gotten that far, but how do I get FTP/SMB to work so I can access the drives from my Mac and screen sharing if necessary?
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### Author:  [@Freeben666](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Freeben666)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2023, 4:21pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/4 "2023-11-10T16:21:12Z")
There are plenty of tutorials on these subjects on Youtube/Reddit/… Some things would depend on the Linux distro you chose.
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### Author:  [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)
#### Post date: [November 10, 2023, 4:30pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/5 "2023-11-10T16:30:01Z")
> [@Linux Tips](https://forums.plex.tv/t/linux-tips/276247/4):
>
> Mounting CIFS + SMB network shares for Plex use The basic checklist Prepare the NAS Create the CIFS/SMB credentials file for use in /etc/fstab Create a ‘mount point’ directory structure on your Linux machine which will be where all your media shares are grafted and made available for Plex use. Create an entry in /etc/fstab for each share you wish to mount. Mount and debug as needed A. Prepare the NAS. This is unique to each NAS. In general, you only need grant read permission. Should …
Note: Don’t use FTP . It’ll be painful to setup and not do what you want. SMB/CIFS will work. Also, If you wish a bit more freedom, you can use NFS if available on the file server side. (NFS is native to Linux and works best)
> [@Linux Tips](https://forums.plex.tv/t/linux-tips/276247/5):
>
> Mounting NFS network shares for Plex use The basic checklist Prepare the NAS: Create a ‘mount point’ directory structure on your Linux machine which will be where all your media shares are grafted and made available for Plex use. Create an entry in /etc/fstab for each share you wish to mount. Mount and debug as needed A. Prepare the NAS. This is unique to each NAS. In general, you only need grant read permission. Should you desire Read/Write for yourself, we will allow for it On Lin…
Supplemental: For all local media disks on the host,
> [@Linux Tips](https://forums.plex.tv/t/linux-tips/276247/2):
>
> Using other hard drives (Windows or Linux) with PMS This How-To is written to help with Internal and External drives. It also is written to demonstrate how to cope with NTFS and EXT4 formatted drives. By logical extension, any format supported by Linux can be handled using the technique shown here. In all cases, the goal is to give user plex permission to read your media files which Linux doesn’t allow by default due to its strict security model. We will walk through the steps needed …
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### Author:  [@BanzaiInstitute](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BanzaiInstitute)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 12:41am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/6 "2023-11-11T00:41:13Z")
I wrote a Ubuntu how-to a while back that may help you with some things.
> [@\[How To\] Installing Plex Media Server on Ubuntu Linux](https://forums.plex.tv/t/how-to-installing-plex-media-server-on-ubuntu-linux/786977):
>
> Plex Media Server on Ubuntu Linux Getting Plex up on Linux is not hard, but even if you have some understanding of Unix-like operating systems there are a lot of little issues to figure out. This brief guide is meant to get you up and running quickly: I did the forum searches so you don’t have to. It is important to note that this guide assumes that your server will be behind some other firewall and not exposed directly to the internet while you’re installing Plex. Also, this guide is not me…
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### Author:  [@WirbelFCM](https://forums.plex.tv/u/WirbelFCM)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 2:00pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/7 "2023-11-11T14:00:04Z")
Thanks but i wanted an EASY way, no hour long terminal sessions. This is 80s computing. Isnt this possible from the desktop? Like computing in 3rd millenium? 🙄
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### Author:  [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/8 "2023-11-11T14:53:59Z")
Linux is not “Point & Click”. You will need to use the command line.
If you want point & click only, stay with MacOS or Windows.
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### Author:  [@WirbelFCM](https://forums.plex.tv/u/WirbelFCM)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/9 "2023-11-11T15:11:29Z")
and why is there an desktop if there is no point & click?
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### Author:  [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 3:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/10 "2023-11-11T15:38:21Z")
The desktop is there to appease the Windows and MacOS refugees 🤣
You want the easy way?
1. Using the Gnome Disks utility and Nautilus File Manager, mount the drives
2. Using the Ubuntu app store, install the Plex snap app
3. Using the File browser, open Plex
4. In the browser, Claim the server and create new library sections
5. Wait for it to finish.
It won’t be anywhere near as good as via the command line but it will work
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### Author:  [@WirbelFCM](https://forums.plex.tv/u/WirbelFCM)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/11 "2023-11-11T15:51:06Z")
wow i already said: the problem is not the installing of the server (this already ran). the problem is that the filesharing wont run :-/
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### Author:  [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 4:26pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/12 "2023-11-11T16:26:19Z")
> [@WirbelFCM](#):
>
> filesharing active /FTP/SMB) to be able to copy files to the server.
You can always `scp` files.
This really is about learning Linux which we are not equipped to teach.
There are many tutorials out there which will show you step-by-step.
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### Author:  [@BanzaiInstitute](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BanzaiInstitute)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/13 "2023-11-11T19:48:44Z")
> [@WirbelFCM](#):
>
> This is 80s computing.
Linux may not be for you.
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### Author:  [@dbirch](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dbirch)
#### Post date: [November 11, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/14 "2023-11-11T19:56:55Z")
@WirbelFCM If you are not familiar with Linux why are you trying to run Plex under it? Linux is by far the least friendly option for non-tech people.
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### Author:  [@WirbelFCM](https://forums.plex.tv/u/WirbelFCM)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/16 "2023-12-05T13:28:08Z")
so plz tell me an alternate
i only need a stable system as plex server where i can connect my four 8TB exfs4 hadr drives to.
thats all i need and where i am looking for an solution for over an year :-/
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### Author:  [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2023, 6:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/17 "2023-12-05T18:29:04Z")
As it’s a Mac Mini… how about installing the latest supported version of macOS? The 2012 Mac mini should run up to macOS 10.15 „Catalina“… that’s still supported by the latest version of Plex Media Server (which requires macOS 10.13 „High Sierra“)
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### Author:  [@WirbelFCM](https://forums.plex.tv/u/WirbelFCM)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2023, 1:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/18 "2023-12-17T13:03:57Z")
Yes this is my solution until now. But not the best way ☹
Modern MacOS versions have a lot of things on it i dont need and what makes the system instable. Notifications, icloud sharing and so on. And i dont get the file sharing service activated to copy files from an other mac to the plex server drives.
I would like to use my Intel NUC8 as plex server but im a little bit cunfused that there is no easy way to do this until now. I tried it with an ubuntu system and with openmediavault but that was not a solution.
In my mind it should be easy to create a „PlexOS“ image with an simple linux core with plex server app integrated that should make it easy to run a plex server on any computer 🤷♂️😕
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### Author:  [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/19 "2023-12-17T18:07:53Z")
> [@WirbelFCM](#):
>
> I would like to use my Intel NUC8 as plex server but im a little bit cunfused that there is no easy way to do this until now.
I have 3x NUC8-i7-HVK.
Ubuntu is a dream on it.
1. Install 2x 1TB NVMe SSDs (or 512GB for the OS and 1TB for Plex metadata)
2. Increase to 64 GB RAM
3. Use Ubuntu Server 20.04 / 22.04 as your base. (5.15 Linux kernel)
4. If you want a UI, Install “Cockpit”.
– Simple tool - Web based (even remote)
– Manages all the services (systemd) and storage (including network storage)
This is a quick abbreviated shot of my NFS storage mounts from the NAS.
I have a terminal option so I can get on the command line through Cockpit if I need to.
The idea of making a `PlexOS` is a good one. We played with the idea.
The problem with that is just like what you get with Windows –
– **Everybody has different hardware and wants theirs supported too**
We talked about a “Plex” white box. The logistics of internationally supporting a physical device are simply too much.
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### Author:  [@WirbelFCM](https://forums.plex.tv/u/WirbelFCM)
#### Post date: [December 19, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/20 "2023-12-19T13:36:00Z")
Well but inthink every linux distribution installs the needed software for the hardware it is installed on. This should be possible with an PlexOS too 🤷♂️
Or am i wrong?
Until now i use plex on a Mac Mini Server 2012. That runs very good but my NUC8i7 is out of use here (was my roon core until now, but i’m afraid of roon and use plexamp now) and would be the better hardware (the 8th gen i7 in the NUC has double speed than the 3rd gen in the mini - based on benchmarks mac mini 2012 and Mac Mini 2018 which has the same i7 as the NUC8 and the NUC has m.2 while Mac only SATA6) for plex thats why i would prefer this 🤷♂️
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### Author:  [@BanzaiInstitute](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BanzaiInstitute)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183/21 "2023-12-20T20:11:16Z")
> [@ChuckPa](#):
>
> We talked about a “Plex” white box. The logistics of internationally supporting a physical device are simply too much.
Yeah, that would be an enormous undertaking.
What I’d love to see is some kind of Plex “certification” where a streaming gizmo has some little Plex badge on the package … Maybe a 2-3 tier system, with the top tier meaning full support for DV and passing through every audio codec.
If any manufacturers cooperated, you guys testing the devices and OKing the certification badge wouldn’t be _too_ much work. And that relationship might spur manufacturers to make Plex-friendly software fixes more promptly.
[Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/easiest-way-to-set-up-a-plex-server-on-linux/859183.md?page=2)