Plex Media Server running on AsusWRT Arm Routers!!!

[TeHashX]

ARMel
https://www.hqt.ro/plex-media-server-through-debian-arm/

ARMhf
https://www.hqt.ro/plex-media-server-on-asuswrt-armhf-routers/

Please share feedback, thanks

 

[JGrana]

Folks, with a powerful enough router such as the RT-AC87U or RT-AC88U, I can highly recommend Plex over Minidlna. I am running Plex on a Bananapi presently, connected directly to my RT-AC88U over the 1Gb ethernet link. Runs great.

This is a full featured media server, much more intelligent with managing media/databases.

I am going to give TeHashX plex instructions a go. My dual-cores need some workout!

 

[TeHashX]

2 days without crash

 

[JGrana]

I am on day 4 with no problems. When first installed, I pointed Plex to my USB disk with ~200 movies and thousands of audio file (mp3's). My AC88u got a bit busy for a while as Plex went to get fanart and subtitles.

Be sure to setup a swap file, this was the first time I have ever seen the AC88u use swap.

By the next day, Plex is running happily with very little load on the dual core processor and memory back to normal.

I am streaming a 1080p movie right now and the cores are bouncing between 1% and 5% and memory is running around 37%!

Anyone with a dual core 1Ghz+ router like the AC87u or AC88u, I would ditch minidlna and go with Plex. You won't look back.

Nice job TeHashX and Entware-ng team. (and of course Merlin for letting this all be possible!!!)

 

[TeHashX]

I am on day 4 with no problems. When first installed, I pointed Plex to my USB disk with ~200 movies and thousands of audio file (mp3's). My AC88u got a bit busy for a while as Plex went to get fanart and subtitles.

Be sure to setup a swap file, this was the first time I have ever seen the AC88u use swap.

By the next day, Plex is running happily with very little load on the dual core processor and memory back to normal.

I am streaming a 1080p movie right now and the cores are bouncing between 1% and 5% and memory is running around 37%!

Anyone with a dual core 1Ghz+ router like the AC87u or AC88u, I would ditch minidlna and go with Plex. You won't look back.

Nice job TeHashX and Entware-ng team. (and of course Merlin for letting this all be possible!!!)

I got dozens of requests about installing PMS but this is the really first feedback, thank you.

 

[Nullity]

It's convenient, but is running media, or any high-load services on your most important networking device a good idea (assuming the device is the gateway router)?

 

[JGrana]

It's convenient, but is running media, or any high-load services on your most important networking device a good idea (assuming the device is the gateway router)?

Very good point. I had connected a BananaPi (like a Raspberry Pi but with Gb Ethernet) as a co-processor to my RT-AC88u for running Plex and an NTP server. Works well and, like you said, is not in the routing path.

I didn't have much enabled on the AC88u and noticed that it was typically running at very low CPU load and memory usage. So, I gave it a shot.

My initial impression is positive - again, I don't have App Analysis, Adaptive QoS, any of the USB Applications running so your mileage may vary if you enable other applications.

I will say, after struggling for years with Minidlna (with all due respect to the authors) I felt the time is right to give a more heavy duty media server a shot - dual core 1.4Ghz processor should be able to handle Plex. So far it does. The memory size is the real issue - but a swap file hanging off the USB 3.0 seems to work fine.

 

[bigcid10]

I have a WD Mycloud(gen 2)4TB drive
can I use this service to remotely connect to it thru ddns?
Thanks

 

[TeHashX]

I have a WD Mycloud(gen 2)4TB drive
can I use this service to remotely connect to it thru ddns?
Thanks

WD Mycloud already had official plex media server support, why do you mean remotely connect to it thru ddns?

 

[bigcid10]

WD Mycloud already had official plex media server support, why do you mean remotely connect to it thru ddns?

I don't want to use the wd app to access it from my phone or laptop when not inside my lan
Thank you

 

[bigcid10]

I don't want to use the wd app to access it from my phone or laptop when not inside my lan
Thank you

Also,I don't have a mycloud mirror, so I can't add apps to it like the mirror

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

 

[lbradio]

Perfect post. I've managed to install plex on a RT-AC87U. Thank you very much.
Running as expected.
There 's a NAS in the same network, sharing video. It seems Plex isn't very fond of using a UNC path.
Is there any way to mount a network share, using UNC with username and password authentication?
I already tried

mount -t cifs -o username=<username>,password=<password> //172.20.14.22/video/Misc /tmp/mnt/sda1/media

without success.
Also

mount -t cifs -o username=<username>,password=<password> //172.20.14.22/video /tmp/mnt/sda1/media

didn't help. Mount was succesfull this time, but in Plex no files where found.

 

[TeHashX]

Also,I don't have a mycloud mirror, so I can't add apps to it like the mirror

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

Sorry, I'm still confused, if you install plex media server directly on you WD mycloud mirror will work more reliable than router version.

 

[TeHashX]

Perfect post. I've managed to install plex on a RT-AC87U. Thank you very much.
Running as expected.
There 's a NAS in the same network, sharing video. It seems Plex isn't very fond of using a UNC path.
Is there any way to mount a network share, using UNC with username and password authentication?
I already tried

mount -t cifs -o username=<username>,password=<password> //172.20.14.22/video/Misc /tmp/mnt/sda1/media

without success.
Also

mount -t cifs -o username=<username>,password=<password> //172.20.14.22/video /tmp/mnt/sda1/media

didn't help. Mount was succesfull this time, but in Plex no files where found.

In /opt/etc/init.d/S99debian script, ext_dir should be:

EXT_DIR=/tmp/mnt/sda1/media

Now create a new library in plex that point to /mnt, because inside debian /tmp/mnt/sda1/media = /tmp

 

[lbradio]

In /opt/etc/init.d/S99debian script, ext_dir should be:

Now create a new library in plex that point to /mnt, because inside debian /tmp/mnt/sda1/media = /tmp

Hi,
the EXT_DIR is available, and pointing to sda1.
Until there no problem.

What I would like to arrange is a connection to a network NAS. This NAS (Synology) has IPadress 172.20.14.22 and a share called "video", containing some subfolders.
Somehow the files are not shown in Plex. I assume my way of mounting a share (putty on router) is not the right one.

 

[TeHashX]

Hi,
the EXT_DIR is available, and pointing to sda1.
Until there no problem.

What I would like to arrange is a connection to a network NAS. This NAS (Synology) has IPadress 172.20.14.22 and a share called "video", containing some subfolders.
Somehow the files are not shown in Plex. I assume my way of mounting a share (putty on router) is not the right one.

After mounting your share, enter debian and see if is mounted with ls /mnt

 

[lbradio]

After mounting your share, enter debian and see if is mounted with ls /mnt

I've tried mounting the share the normal way and by first starting debian.
ls /mnt unfortunately doesn't show any files.

However (not in debian) ls /tmp/mnt/sda1/media does actualy show my folders and files.
But no luck in Plex.

 

[TeHashX]

I've tried mounting the share the normal way and by first starting debian.
ls /mnt unfortunately doesn't show any files.

However (not in debian) ls /tmp/mnt/sda1/media does actualy show my folders and files.
But no luck in Plex.

Plex can't see media files if folder media is not mounted in debian
Try to create folder /tmp/mnt/sda1/media/movies and put some video files inside
Mount /tmp/mnt/sda1/media like you did previously

mount -t cifs -o username=<username>,password=<password> //172.20.14.22/video /tmp/mnt/sda1/media

In S99debian script EXT_DIR should be /tmp/mnt/sda1/media
Now restart debian

debian restart

Enter debian

debian enter

See if mounted folder is there

ls /mnt

If yes, create a new library in plex which point to /mnt/movies

 

[lbradio]

Plex can't see media files if folder media is not mounted in debian
Try to create folder /tmp/mnt/sda1/media/movies and put some video files inside
Mount /tmp/mnt/sda1/media like you did previously

mount -t cifs -o username=<username>,password=<password> //172.20.14.22/video /tmp/mnt/sda1/media

In S99debian script EXT_DIR should be /tmp/mnt/sda1/media
Now restart debian

debian restart

Enter debian

debian enter

See if mounted folder is there

ls /mnt

If yes, create a new library in plex which point to /mnt/movies

Thank you very much for your time.

At last I figured out the mounting of a share should be done within Debian.
So that was the first mistake I made.
My second mistake: In the installationprocess I changed the EXT_DIR path to /tmp/mnt/sda1/Media instead of .... media.
Changed that one to.
Now restarted debian two times (the first time generated an error).

After a clean restart I went to the Plex GUI.
Now I've added a new library, pointing to /mnt

This time the movies DID appear in plex ;-)

Again, thank you very much for starting this theat.
I will test Plex on the RT-AC87U, and give some feedback.

 

[twizt3dkitty]

Has anyone tried this on .58 alphas yet? I'm still on official merlin, but was contemplating upgrade

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