The objective here is to set up a Plex server on FreeNAS. The repository should be readable only to FreeNAS users. but should not accessible to anyone else. This will allow FreeNAS users to access media using other Windows applications such as WMP and VLC. The instructions that follow are suitable for a home network that doesn’t have active directory services for authenticated access.
At the time of writing this, I am working with FreeNAS 9.10.2-U2 and Plex plugin 1.4.4. The instruction below assumes the user has a working knowledge of FreeNAS and also starts with the assumption that the Plex plugin has been installed on the server.
Step 1: Create the group and user plex.
It is crucial that plex has a UID and GID of 972.
Step 2: Create the dataset media.
As we want the dataset to be managed from Windows, ensure the share type is Windows.
Step 3: Assign plex ownership of media.
Step 4: Create the Windows media share.
Step 5: Adjust permissions on the Windows share.
If you have problems with this step, please review the post Administrator Access to Windows Shares in FreeNAS.
Share permissions of media when first viewed from Windows:
Adjust share permissions such that only FreeNAS users (in this case belonging to the group freenas) have read access to media. Also allow system administrators full access to the share.
Step 6: Add storage to the Plex plugin.
Step 7: Start the Plex plugin on the server and set up your clients
Time to enjoy what Plex has to offer. You may need to tailor the Plex server to your requirements. Client configuration will depend on which clients you have, however, the setup is fairly intuitive. Further server and client configuration are beyond the scope of this article.
References
- Plex
- Giving Plugins Write Permissions to Your Data
- Configuring Authenticated Access Without a Domain Controller
Revision History
- Initial post. (170310)
- Minor corrections. Group permission refinements. (170508)
- Clarification on managing Windows permissions (170507)
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