My computer has three operating systems (Ubuntu, Debian, and Windows). I primarily use Plex from my Ubuntu system. Account name: TheHighestFive, Server name: Spiky. Things were working fine as I simply left plex running to have remote access to my shows and movies whenever I wanted as did my family and friends. But recently I found a reason to use my Windows a bit more (video games) and I wanted to ensure my friends and family could watch what they want while I was gaming.
So I went ahead and installed Plex to my Windows 10 OS. Same machine, same external hard drive, same files, same library. It had me register a new server, which was fine. Now its Account name: TheHighestFive, Server name: Spiky-Windows. Now, on my Plex on my firestick (still TheHighestfive account) I have access to both Spiky and Spiky-Windows. Although it said Spiky was offline, but that server was offline…so it appears to be working. HOWEVER….
When my friend went to watch things from my account, the Spiky server was no online (as to be expected), but Spiky-Windows wasn’t even listed! So I figured the best move was to I go to the Manage Libraries page under Spiky-Windows, hit the three dots, and hit grant access. I found his name, and sent the invite to those libraries. Same libraries, different server. Plex says the invitation was sent, but the invitation is nowhere to be seen in his email.
I’m just wondering if I’m doing something wrong? Does Plex want me to pay per server? I already have the annual watch pass. I’m just trying to make sure my server is running for my friends and family regardless of which operating system I’m using at the time.
EDIT: So it turns out I relied on plex deciphering me half-typing in my friend’s account’s names into the Grant Access screen in the manage libraries screens. So when I fully typed in my friends names, it wouldn’t give me the option to grant them access because “[FRIEND] is already your friend”. So now I’m even MORE lost. Yes, they’re my friend but how do I give them access to the libraries to both Spiky and Spiky Windows?!
You shouldn’t need to send a new invite if you’re simply granting them access to additional libraries (those on Spiky-Windows). So my guess would be, you’ve tried inviting them with a different e-mail address / account?
Hi. Thanks for the quick response. The invitation was sent by the same account/email (TheHighestFive). When I go to the friends page like you listed, each friend has “access to 2 libraries” next to their names (makes sense, TV shows and Movies from the Spiky server). But while on the Spiky-Windows server, I click grant access, type in their name exactly, and then when I hit grant access (assumingly to select a library to grant them access to), I see “You don’t have any connected servers.” Now I’m even more confused than I was
Did I word it wrong? I said it’s the same account over both systems. The only difference is one says spiky (on ubuntu) the other says spiky-windows (on windows). To my understanding the structure is:
Account > servers
So I can have one account with different server names.
Are you saying that, if I had named my Windows server Spiky, Plex would’ve recognized everything and made it as though I was logged in through my ubuntu system (spiky)?
No. If you used the same user account, all is as it should be. I probably misunderstood what you meant.
If you have several servers in the same account, you don’t need to point your web browser to different IP adresses.
All that is needed is to switch servers using the dropdown selector in the left sidebar, after entering the Settings menu.
If a server is just freshly created, it may take a while until you see its libraries in the “grant access” menu. Just let it sit for a few hours and/or stop and restart the server which has the new libraries. Then refresh the web app in your browser.
Yeah, like I said in the original post, but hopefully in better detail, my one account, TheHighestFive, has a server on my Ubuntu system called spiky. But since I run a triple boot system, I don’t physically have 3 machines to run plex. I have 3 operating systems on one machine. So when I shut down my computer, I opt to open in Windows. Where I just downloaded and installed Plex today. Made a new server under the same email/account that I used on my Ubuntu(spiky) system but now on Windows with the name Spiky-Windows. I gave spiky-windows access to the same external hard drive spiky has. Now, on my firestick, on my TV, where the account TheHighestFive is logged in, I can use remote access and watch what I want on spiky-windows. But Spiky shows offline. That’s to be expected. But when I go to the friends page on Plex in the browser/app on my computer, and go to grant access to the “new” libraries for spiky-windows, it tells me I have no connected servers to grant access to. I’m very confused as this seems like it should be a relatively cut and dry/easy thing to do but it’s just….not working.
As I said: wait a few hours and stop and restart the server. Then try again.
Btw. if you are going to run 3 different servers under the same remote access port, you will get trouble.
You should think about running the server either on a VM which is going to use the same image under all 3 operating systems, or use a dedicated machine for Plex which is independent from your desktop.
