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Total Guide to use Plex on Synology NAS

Total Guide to use Plex on Synology NAS

This guide talks about how to install Plex on Synology NAS, configuration and enforce HTTPS on portal.

  1. Download Plex Package. Go to https://www.plex.tv/media-server-downloads/ and choose Synology and Intel 64bit package if you are running latest DSM
  2. Manually install the package through Synology DSM package center. (choose the downloaded .spk file in Synology DSM package center. And all next to install the package. Probably it will prompt to allow necessary ports at the end of the installation. Allow them or do what you know to do)
  3. Once installed, open a browser to access http://NAS-IP:32400/web to configure the Plex Media Server.  If you are using Chrome or Firefox with strict certificate verification, this has to be http not https if you’ve already configured Let’s Encrypted SSL certificate for Synology DSM following this article. Otherwise, you will fail to connect through https. I will explain how to make https work later.
  4. Following the steps of Plex initial configuration.
    1. Register a Plex account (go to https://www.plex.tv/sign-up/?forward=web) and please remember your username and password.
    2. Go back to Synology DSM, Create a new Sharefolder and grant user ‘plex’ read/write access to it.
      • Create Different folders under that Sharefolder, such as Movie, TV Show, Music to manage your media files properly.
      • You can also use the Synology System Default Sharefolder (video) when use VideoStation or Synology MediaServer. But need to modify the Sharefolder permission to allow read/write for user ‘plex’.
      • Copy some testing movies/music into those folders.
    3. In the Plex web configuration page, add media library one by one. Eg. map Plex Movie to Synology new created Movie folder, map TV Show to Synology TV folder.
    4. If you concern about security, no need to enable ‘remote access’ or you can enable ‘remote access’ but not expose the port to Internet directly from your home edge router. Plex can still work in relay mode. Port forwarding is not mandatory required.
    5. Other Plex configuration is based on your needs and situation, just pay attention to language and location setting to better recognise movie metadata and subtitles
  5. Enable Plex web HTTPS to secure the access.
    1. In Plex network configuration tab, the https certificate requires P12 format which increases the additional work for Synology user.
    2. If you follow this article to obtain and implement Let’s Encrypt certificate for your DSM, then you need to convert pem certificates files to P12 format.
    3. Create a script file to do this job under /volume1/Plex/scripts/SynoPlexP12Renew.sh (Just download the script from github link and store it on NAS)
    4. Modify the above scripts with customised folder directory.  ‘script_folder=’
    5. Randomly type a P12 cert password for further use ‘p12cert_password=’
    6. Point the Synology Let’s Encrypt certificate path. ‘letsencrypt_cert_folder=/usr/syno/etc/certificate/_archive/PATH/’ if you following my previous article.
    7. chmod +x /volume1/Plex/scripts/SynoPlexP12Renew.sh to give it privilege to execute
    8. ./volume1/Plex/scripts/SynoPlexP12Renew.sh to test the script. It should convert the pem cert file into p12 and stored under /volume1/Plex/scripts/
    9. Copy the P12 cert path ‘/volume1/Plex/scripts/’ and the P12 cert password you defined in step #5.5 and your DSM HTTPS domain Common name.
    10. You are ready to go!
  6. Fix the Plex Media Server always shows in Remote mode even the server and control device are in the same network
    1. This is due to DNS rebind feature that prevents plex.direct domain callback.
    2. Follow the later part of the post https://support.plex.tv/articles/206225077-how-to-use-secure-server-connections/ to whitelist DNS rebind protection on your router or other DNS server.
    3. If you use Pi-Hole with unbound recursive DNS, you need to add a line private-domain: "plex.direct" in unbound configuration file /etc/unbound/unbound.d/01.pihole.confand add rebind-domain-ok=/plex.direct/ in Pi-Hole dnsmasq configuration file.
  7. You also need to pay Plex to get some features unlock for better use.
    1. If you just use AppleTV to stream NAS video/audio, it’s free
    2. If you use laptop browser to stream NAS video/audio, it’s free
    3. If you stream NAS audio to SONOS, it’s free
    4. But if you need to use mobile device, such as iPhone/iPad to watch NAS video, listen NAS music, it is locked for 1 min, you have to pay Plex and Apple to get the In-App purchase unlocked.
    5. If you decide to purchase Plex Pass, then the mobile device activation is already included. No need for double payment.

Anything unclear or not working just leave comments. I hope this article helps you.

I think Plex is a good media server solution that can totally replace Synology native VideoStation and AudioStation. US$5 to unlock device activation is affordable.

 

Written by Felix. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 Unported.

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  • Terrific post however , I was wanting to know if you could write a litte more on this topic? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more. Thanks!

    4 years ago Reply
    • felixOwner

      @GuQin: Thanks for your comment. May I know which part is not clear? There’s lot of guide available while mine is purely focusing on the combination with Synology and Plex and some security consideration.

      4 years ago Reply
  • ManMani

    I have a Synology NAS with Plex Server installed on it. If I want to allow my brother to stream my libraries through the Plex Apple TV app outside of our home network will he need to pay for Plex Pass?

    4 years ago Reply
    • felixOwner

      @ManMani: No need for Plex Pass. You can create an account for your brother and share specific libraries with him. As long as your home Internet upload speed is fast enough, your brother is all good to use Apple TV Plex app to play.

      4 years ago Reply
  • random1337

    Is there another source for the SynoPlexP12Renew.sh script?

    4 years ago Reply
    • FelixOwner

      @random1337: Thanks for your comment. Didn’t realise the script link is no longer valid. I have updated it now. Please try. Thanks.

      4 years ago Reply
  • mbonne

    +1 for this. Perfect time saver once all configured.
    I also modified the Lets Encrypt scheduled task in DSM to include running this Plex cert renewal script after the LE renewal.

    4 years ago Reply
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    3 years ago Reply
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    2 years ago Reply
  • Hardgrapes

    Every guide I read on this subject suggests that when I boot up the server package on Synology for the first time it will give me a simple screen that lets me set up my NAS to serve. This has never happened for me. Instead, I get an “unauthorized” screen or, if I delete cookies and screw with the URL a bit, it will only allow me to access my existing server on my desktop (which I want to replace with my synology NAS). I have tried turning off my desktop server (to the chagrin of people I share my Plex with) and copying my local app data to the proper folder on my NAS (a process which takes 10+ hours) to no avail. Other people seem to have this issue but it is always unclear whether/how it got solved. Please help!

    2 years ago Reply

xFelix

Total Guide to use Plex on Synology NAS
This guide talks about how to install Plex on Synology NAS, configuration and enforce HTTPS on portal. Download Plex Package. Go to https://www.plex.tv/media-server-…
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2019-05-15