I’m tired of fighting with my Plex server constantly. I know what I have setup works, but I don’t know if it’s the reason why I can’t keep the server up and running.
I have a Seagate Desktop External Drive (2N2AP2-500) that I want to use as my Plex server through my ASUS Router (RT-AC68P). I don’t want to go through my Windows 10 computer, because when Plex is in use, the computer ramps up, is loud, and I could only assume that it’s going to either take off or blowup. I am able to have it setup for a little bit, but the connection usually drops when there is a new Server update (which don’t seem to be able to be run automatically, but I have to manually update them) or after a certain amount of time, it seems that nothing can be accessed from the External Drive. Plex will come up with all of the titles, but when I try to watch something, it gives me a playback error:
I understand that this might not be a Plex issue, but I don’t know who to go to for help. I really would like to have my library to be available, and to be able to be available anytime that I want to use it. Thank you!
Plex is a client-server system. You have to have Plex Media Server running somewhere in order to stream media. Given the equipment listed in your post, this means running it on your Windows 10 computer. You cannot run Plex Media Server on the Asus router.
Regarding auto-updates: In a word, don’t. Not all updates are stable, especially if you’re running Plex Pass (beta) versions. Only update Plex Media Server if there is a compelling reason to do so, such as desired feature addition, necessary bug fix, or required update for client compatibility. If you must install an update, let others be the guinea pigs. If possible, wait a few days to see if the release is stable before installing.
Regarding network stability:
Assign the PC a router reserved IP address (unless it already has a static IP address). This is done in LAN -> DHCP Server -> Manual Assignment in the RT-AC68 router menus (see example screenshot below, from my RT-AC68 router).
Attach the PC to your network with an Ethernet cable. Connect it to a port on the back of the router or to a 1 Gbps switch.
Is there a reason the hard drive has to be attached to the router? If not, connect it to a USB3 port on the Plex Server. You’ll have to re-work your libraries, as their location will change, but you won’t have to worry about a network drive disconnecting.
