# Plex Server Setup
## Video Guide
One-script setup for a Plex Media Server on Ubuntu or Linux Mint. Handles drive mounting and Plex installation in a single run.
## Requirements
- **OS**: Ubuntu 20.04+ or Linux Mint 20+
- **Plex .deb file**: Downloaded from [plex.tv](https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/) to `~/Downloads/`
- **A media drive**: Internal or external drive for storing your media
## Quick Start
1. **Download the Plex .deb** from [plex.tv/media-server-downloads](https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/)
- Choose **Linux**
- Select **Ubuntu (16.04+) / Debian (8+)** → `.deb` package
- Save to `~/Downloads/`
2. **Run the installer**:
```bash
git clone https://git.no-signal.uk/nosignal/Plex-Server-Setup.git
cd Plex-Server-Setup
chmod +x plexint.sh
sudo ./plexint.sh
```
3. **Access Plex** at `http://:32400/web`
## What It Does
### Part A: Drive Mount Setup
Mounts your media drive permanently so it survives reboots.
1. Shows all available drives and partitions (`lsblk`)
2. Asks you to select a device (e.g. `/dev/sdb1`)
3. Detects the drive's UUID (unique identifier that won't change)
4. Asks for a mount point (e.g. `/mnt/media`)
5. Asks for the filesystem type (ext4, ntfs, xfs, exfat)
6. Adds the mount to `/etc/fstab` and mounts it immediately
**Why UUID?** Device paths like `/dev/sdb1` can change if you add or remove drives. UUIDs are permanent identifiers tied to the filesystem itself.
**Supported filesystems:** ext4, ntfs, xfs, exfat, btrfs, and any other type supported by your kernel.
### Part B: Plex Installation
1. Installs prerequisites (`curl`, `apt-transport-https`, `gnupg`)
2. Finds the Plex `.deb` file in `~/Downloads/`
3. Installs it with `dpkg` and resolves any missing dependencies
4. Enables Plex to start on boot (`systemctl enable`)
5. Starts Plex immediately
6. Opens port 32400 in UFW firewall
## After Installation
### Initial Plex Setup
1. Open `http://:32400/web` in a browser
2. Sign in with your Plex account (or create one)
3. Name your server
4. Add your media library — point it to the mount point you chose (e.g. `/mnt/media`)
5. Let Plex scan and organize your media
### Organise Your Media
For best results, organise your media like this:
```
/mnt/media/
├── Movies/
│ ├── Movie Name (2024)/
│ │ └── Movie Name (2024).mkv
│ └── ...
├── TV Shows/
│ ├── Show Name/
│ │ ├── Season 01/
│ │ │ ├── Show Name - S01E01.mkv
│ │ │ └── ...
│ │ └── ...
│ └── ...
└── Music/
├── Artist Name/
│ ├── Album Name/
│ │ ├── 01 - Track Name.flac
│ │ └── ...
│ └── ...
└── ...
```
## Files Modified
| Path | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `/etc/fstab` | Drive mount entry added (one line) |
## Services
| Service | Port | Purpose |
|---------|------|---------|
| `plexmediaserver.service` | 32400 | Plex Media Server web interface and streaming |
## Troubleshooting
### Can't access Plex web interface
- Check Plex is running: `sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver`
- Check firewall: `sudo ufw status` — port 32400 should be ALLOW
- Try `http://localhost:32400/web` on the server itself first
### Drive not mounting after reboot
- Check fstab syntax: `cat /etc/fstab`
- Test it: `sudo mount -a` (mounts all fstab entries)
- Check the UUID is correct: `sudo blkid`
### Plex can't see files on the media drive
- Check permissions: `ls -la /mnt/media`
- Plex runs as the `plex` user — it needs read access to your media:
```bash
sudo chmod -R 755 /mnt/media
sudo chown -R plex:plex /mnt/media
```
Or add the plex user to your group:
```bash
sudo usermod -aG your-username plex
sudo systemctl restart plexmediaserver
```
### "No .deb file found" error
- Make sure the file is in `~/Downloads/` (not a subdirectory)
- The filename must start with `plexmediaserver` (e.g. `plexmediaserver_1.40.0.1234_amd64.deb`)
## Updating Plex
Download the new .deb from plex.tv and install it:
```bash
sudo dpkg -i ~/Downloads/plexmediaserver*.deb
sudo systemctl restart plexmediaserver
```
## Uninstalling
```bash
# Stop and remove Plex
sudo systemctl stop plexmediaserver
sudo systemctl disable plexmediaserver
sudo apt remove --purge plexmediaserver
# Remove firewall rule
sudo ufw delete allow 32400/tcp
# Remove the fstab entry (edit manually)
sudo nano /etc/fstab
# Delete the line this script added, then:
sudo umount /mnt/media
# Remove Plex data (WARNING: deletes all library metadata)
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/plexmediaserver
```
## Credits
- [Plex](https://www.plex.tv/) - Media server software
## License
This project is provided as-is.