## When Do You Need Internet Access
There are a number of situations in which you will need an “internet” connection for either your Plex Media Server or a particular Plex app you’re using.
https://support.plex.tv/articles/200484903-internet-and-network-requirements/
So the info is there for anyone who reads about the PMS requirements. What they really need is a place where prospective and new users can ask questions and experienced users can guide them. THAT would be useful
Oh. I understand that but that link is not even linked in “What is Plex” page.
I mean, that IS what Plex is.
not true. im using plex server on my rpi3 + portable tlink wifi router as a portable server with no internet in providing videos to view by my passengers on to go
How did were you able to set it up without an internet connection?
" First and foremost, you must make these changes in advance . You have to be online and logged into your Plex account to make changes to your local Plex Media Server. There is no way around this."
From the link that you provided above:
https://www.howtogeek.com/303282/how-to-use-plex-media-server-without-internet-access/
According to that, there is no way that you can set it up without an internet connection.
Again, it IS true that you can use it AFTER you have an internet connection, and therefore; am able to set up PMS and your account – then and ONLY then will you be able to use it without internet.
But if you NEVER have internet to PMS, then according to that link to the document provided above, you cannot and will not be able to use PMS without internet.
I feel like we’re going in circles. It clearly states in the Internet and Network Requirements that you need internet to do certain things like set-up and sign-in. Not sure what’s so hard to understand here…
@FlyMeFriendly
See the quote from @esmarq above.
the topic subject is not accurate.
it should be modified to state
“Must have internet to SETUP. Will not recommend”
@FlyMeFriendly
You quoted me in your response.
The links that you provided was in response to my asking @esmarq how he was able to set it up without an internet connection given that @esmarq stated “not true.”
So I’m not really sure what is your intended purpose in providing the links that you posted when you quoted me in my response to @esmarq.
Again, I know that PMS needs an internet connection to log in and do the initial setup. @esmarq starts his response with “not true”. Hence my question “how did were you able to set it up without an internet connection?”.
The links that you provided only furthers the question that I was asking @esmarq, where I know that you need an internet connection to run PMS. (Well, more specifically, you need an internet connection to just do the initial setup, but after that, you can run it without. But to get it up and running initially, an internet connection is absolutely required, therefore; proving contradictory to @esmarq’s claim of it being “not true”.
I’m with you. I don’t see what’s so difficult about understanding the sequence and chain of events/comments/replies here.
Well…both are true though.
If you don’t have internet to do the setup, you can’t use it.
And you need to set it up to be able to use it, which requires an internet connection.
Both of those statements are true, since if you don’t have an internet conection, you can’t set it up, and if you can’t set it up, then you can’t use it. Ergo; you need an internet connection to use.
Course, this is now just getting into a discussion about the logics of the semantics, but the semantics does have special meaning though.
I agree it is semantics.
But you can use it without internet, if you had internet to set it up.
I know that, you know that, others know that. But not everyone does understand that, or accept that.
FWIW I even started a thread here somewhere complaining about the very fact that that I could no longer install plex (in a vm) without any internet, this was about a year ago maybe. I’ll dig it up later for reference.
So, we used to be able to setup (and use) plex locally without any internet.
I love it! You’re so right.
Yeah… Like you can use a car if you have gas.
The but part is the issue.
Ask google “what is plex”
You(well, I) get this.
And not to oppose the OP on this(cause I don’t) but don’t DNLA work straight out of the box?
I agree plex has a definition issue.
here is the thread I opened to complain about this issue (needing internet to setup plex) stand alone server - no account - cannot skip login screen
if someone wants to find a pre version 1.12 server, they should theoretically be able to setup and use plex without internet or logging in.
Like I said, I’ve been using PMS now for a little while.
And I was referred here because I was watching Youtubers review computer hardware and they were talking about so I thought that I would check it out.
The best way that I’ve heard it described is that it’s kind of like Netflix, but for your home, using your own media. (So, like if you’ve converted your own DVD movies to digital mkv/mp4/avi files etc.)
As noted, set up does require you to have an active internet connection, but after that, (although I still have yet to test and verify this), you can set it up so that you no longer need the internet if you want to use it just locally within your home.
You CAN stream stuff FROM your home to devices OUTSIDE your home, and there might be times where/when you might want to do that (say you’re travelling and you’re in a hotel and you want to watch your own stuff – in theory, as long as said hotel as a fast enough internet connection, you will be able to do that).
But if you want to watch stuff locally, in your own home, you can disable remote access to your stuff as well.
DLNA works, AFTER you’ve done the initial log in. My guess it that it has to “register” that device with your account so that if you DO log in remotely, it will know that device is yours. That’s what I’ve been able to deduce/gather.
But again, everything hinges on you being able to successfully execute the initial log in with an active internet connection.
If you can’t successfully complete the initial log in, then nothing else will work for you.
So, like I also said, this generally ISN’T an issue, unless you’re one of the 30% (for example, in the US) Americans that live in a rural community and therefore; lacks, reliable, cost effective, high speed, permanent, broadband internet access/connection.
If you do live in one of those areas where that is true, this you’re kind of SOL with PMS.
Once you have successfully completed the initial log in with an active internet connection, then you are able to get to the settings screen where you can setup DLNA and also internet-less access.
So, once you get it going - admittedly, it’s pretty nice.
My wife used to have to go to the folder on the network share, find the folder/file and then double click on it or drag it over to the VLC Player to be able to play it.
With PMS, for example, she can just go to the type of media she wants, and then the title of it, and just click play (more like a TV/set top box/DVR).
And if you have something like some smart TVs or Apple TV, Plex might just be an app on the TV and then, you can just use the (Apple) TV remote to bring up content. So, to those ends, I do think that PMS is actually better because it makes it more user friendly than more “hard core computer/geeky/nerdy” methods.
If you use it locally, you generally won’t need internet access with the sole exception being the very first log in to set up. That’s the only time, as far as I can tell. Again, I’ll have to actually try it out by logging in and then yanking the power cord on my modem to see what will happen. I don’t think that anything will happen, to be honest.
Hopefully, that helps answer your question about what is Plex.
I was being facetious.
No login require to do dlna. I mean, I remember using dlna eons ago from pms. Though I was NOT using the plex client. Just pms as the dnla server. Has some 3rd party android client that allowed me to stream from local dlna servers.
You don’t actually need a plex client if you are doing dlna. Any app that has dlna capabilities will work. But this might defeat the whole purpose of PLEX, lol.
Sorry.
Yeah, maybe. I don’t know. I don’t really use DLNA much, to be honest, so I’m unable to speak intelligently about it due to that.
You need internet connection for initial setup and you’re good to go without internet for decades.
Idk what’s the problem in today’s age not getting a internet for the initial setup, since it’s so easy to get a internet connection from your phone thru tethering.
Actually, if youre able to download the Plex server application here and response in this forum, you can do the initial setup with internet then go offline for good.
OR stick with samba sharing/nfs if you want a file server that don’t require internet to use. Oh well those things too require internet for initial setup if Linux system doesn’t have it.
All other applications I know need internet for initial setup. Even those application with dlna support that you achieve local sharing require internet in the beginning. You can’t do ■■■■ without internet nowadays.
