# Using external hard drive and router as Plex Library
**URL:** https://forums.plex.tv/t/using-external-hard-drive-and-router-as-plex-library/803612
**Category:** Plex Media Server
**Tags:** server-windows
**Created:** [August 7, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/using-external-hard-drive-and-router-as-plex-library/803612 "2022-08-07T21:23:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@danielspangenberg708](https://forums.plex.tv/u/danielspangenberg708)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/using-external-hard-drive-and-router-as-plex-library/803612/1 "2022-08-07T21:23:14Z")
Hi
I’m setting up Plex, and am using my computer, and an external hard drive which has all my movies on it. I have mapped my Plex library so that it points towards the external hard drive, which of course means that the hard drive needs to be attached whenever I want to use Plex.
I wanted to move away from this set up, over to something a bit more “permanent” where I don’t have to have my computer turned on and the hard drive attached to it in order to be able to access my movies.
Initially I thought the Nvidia Shield TV pro would do the trick, but after having spent most of a day trying to set it up, and it failing in delivering an acceptable user experience, I have moved away from this option again.
I then thought that I could attach the hard drive directly to my router - a Linksys WRT3200ACM - and use that instead. But I am unable to map the hard drive (basically assigning a driver letter to it) because the router only supports the SMB1 protocol (which I don’t want to activate).
It shows up as Network Location, though, and I can access it via File Explorer that way. Is there any way to point Plex towards a Network Location, or does it only work with mapped network drives?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Kind regards
Daniel
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### Author:  [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2022, 9:29pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/using-external-hard-drive-and-router-as-plex-library/803612/2 "2022-08-07T21:29:12Z")
The Plex server has to run on something. It won’t run on the router. So there is no point in connecting the drive to the router instead of directly to the computer.
If you are after a more “appliance-like” Plex server, consider a NAS device which is powerful enough to run a Plex server on it.
> **[Is Plex Media Server on a NAS Right for Me? | Plex Support](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201373793-is-plex-media-server-on-a-nas-right-for-me/)**
>
> This guide is designed to provide information on what is required to successfully run Plex Media Server on a NAS...
Alternatively, the bigger Intel NUC mini computers are pretty decent Plex servers.
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### Author:  [@danielspangenberg708](https://forums.plex.tv/u/danielspangenberg708)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/using-external-hard-drive-and-router-as-plex-library/803612/3 "2022-08-07T21:37:42Z")
Thanks for the quick reply.
That’s unfortunate.
A NAS server might be a bit out of budget at the moment, but I’ll perhaps look into that option in the future
Thanks for your help
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### Author:  [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/using-external-hard-drive-and-router-as-plex-library/803612/4 "2022-11-05T21:38:41Z")
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