How to Install Plex Media Server on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

Plex Media Server is a popular software that lets you stream your media files across different devices. You can use Plex to organize your movies, TV shows, music, photos, and more, and access them from anywhere with an internet connection. In this tutorial, you will learn how to install Plex Media Server on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, one of the most widely used Linux distributions.

Prerequisites

Before you start, you need to have the following:

  • A computer running Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with root or sudo privileges.
  • A stable internet connection.
  • A Plex account. You can sign up for free here.

Step 1: Update Your System

The first step is to update your system to the latest version. This will ensure that you have the most recent security patches and bug fixes. To do this, open a terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Download and Install Plex Media Server

The next step is to download and install the Plex Media Server package from the official website. You can use the wget command to download the file, and the dpkg command to install it. Alternatively, you can use the curl command to download and install the file in one line. Here are the commands to use:

# Download the Plex Media Server package
wget https://downloads.plex.tv/plex-media-server-new/1.24.5.5173-8dcc73a59/debian/plexmediaserver_1.24.5.5173-8dcc73a59_amd64.deb

# Install the Plex Media Server package
sudo dpkg -i plexmediaserver_1.24.5.5173-8dcc73a59_amd64.deb

# Or use curl to download and install the package in one line
curl https://downloads.plex.tv/plex-media-server-new/1.24.5.5173-8dcc73a59/debian/plexmediaserver_1.24.5.5173-8dcc73a59_amd64.deb | sudo dpkg -i -

Step 3: Enable and Start Plex Media Server

After installing the Plex Media Server package, you need to enable and start the service. This will allow Plex to run in the background and start automatically when your system boots. To do this, run the following commands:

# Enable the Plex Media Server service
sudo systemctl enable plexmediaserver.service

# Start the Plex Media Server service
sudo systemctl start plexmediaserver.service

Step 4: Configure Plex Media Server

The final step is to configure your Plex Media Server and add your media files. To do this, you need to access the Plex web interface from your browser. The default URL is http://localhost:32400/web. If you are accessing Plex from a different device, you need to replace localhost with the IP address of your Ubuntu server. You can find out your IP address by running the hostname -I command.

Once you open the Plex web interface, you will be asked to sign in with your Plex account. After that, you will see a setup wizard that will guide you through the configuration process. You can choose a name for your server, enable remote access, and add your media libraries. You can also customize your settings later by clicking on the settings icon in the top right corner.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured Plex Media Server on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. You can now enjoy your media files on any device that supports Plex, such as your smartphone, tablet, smart TV, or gaming console. For more information about Plex, you can visit the official website or the documentation.

1: https://www.plex.tv/sign-up/ 2: https://www.plex.tv/ 3: https://support.plex.tv/

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Updated on December 12, 2023