Install Plex Media Server on Almalinux 8/9 – Best Setup

In this guide, you will learn how to Install Plex Media Server on Almalinux 8/9. Plex Media Server is a powerful and versatile organizational tool that allows you to access your digital libraries – including music, photos, and videos – from virtually any computer or mobile device. It acts as a central hub for your media, streamlining access and providing a user-friendly interface for managing and enjoying your content.

Plex is cross-platform and can be run on most operating systems, making it a popular choice for home media enthusiasts. The following steps, provided by the Orcacore team, will walk you through the installation process on AlmaLinux. This guide is applicable to both AlmaLinux 8 and AlmaLinux 9. You will successfully Install Plex Media Server on Almalinux 8/9.

Before proceeding, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

• Access to your AlmaLinux server as a non-root user with sudo privileges.

• A basic firewall set up and configured. Refer to the following guides for initial server setup:

  • Initial Server Setup with AlmaLinux 8
  • Initial Server Setup with AlmaLinux 9
• A domain name pointed to your server’s IP address (optional, but recommended for easier access).

Let’s begin the steps to Install Plex Media Server on Almalinux 8/9.

Step 1 – Download and Install Plex on AlmaLinux

First, update your system packages to ensure you have the latest versions:

sudo dnf update -y

Next, visit the Plex downloads page and obtain the direct download link for the latest RPM package. Use the wget command to download the package to your server. You can utilize the wget command.

sudo wget https://downloads.plex.tv/plex-media-server-new/1.32.5.7349-8f4248874/redhat/plexmediaserver-1.32.5.7349-8f4248874.x86_64.rpm

Note: The version number in the URL may change. Always download the latest version.

Once the download is complete, install the Plex Media Server using the following command:

sudo dnf install plexmediaserver-1.32.5.7349-8f4248874.x86_64.rpm

Step 2 – Enable and Start Plex Media Service on AlmaLinux

With the installation complete, you need to enable and start the Plex Media Server service. This ensures that Plex starts automatically on boot and is currently running.

sudo systemctl enable plexmediaserver
sudo systemctl start plexmediaserver

Verify that the Plex Media Server is active and running using the following command:

sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver

Output:

● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
     Active: **active** (**running**) since Mon 2023-09-04 06:03:51 EDT; 3min 31s ago
   Main PID: 75468 (Plex Media Serv)
      Tasks: 111 (limit: 23609)
     Memory: 241.2M
        CPU: 46.370s
     CGroup: /system.slice/plexmediaserver.service
...

The output confirms that the service is running.

Step 3 – Configure Firewall For Plex Media Server

Assuming you have firewalld running, you need to allow Plex service and port 80 through your firewall.

sudo firewall-cmd --add-service=plex --zone=public --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --add-port=80/tcp --permanent

Reload the firewall to apply the changes:

sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Step 4 – Configure Apache as a Reverse Proxy for Plex

Using Apache as a reverse proxy allows you to access Plex through a standard web port (80 or 443) and use your domain name. First, install Apache:

sudo dnf install httpd -y

Start and enable the Apache service:

sudo systemctl enable --now httpd

Allow HTTPD scripts and modules to connect to the network:

sudo setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect on

Create an Apache virtual host file. You can use a text editor like vi editor:

sudo vi /etc/httpd/conf.d/plexmedia.conf

Add the following content to the file:

<VirtualHost *:80>
   ServerName example.com
   ErrorDocument 404 /404.html

   #HTTP proxy
   ProxyPreserveHost On
   ProxyPass / http://localhost:32400/
   ProxyPassReverse / http://localhost:32400/

   #Websocket proxy
   <Location /:/websockets/notifications>
        ProxyPass wss://localhost:32400/:/websockets/notifications
        ProxyPassReverse wss://localhost:32400/:/websockets/notifications
   </Location>
</VirtualHost>

Replace example.com with your actual domain name. Save and close the file.

Check the Apache virtual host file for syntax errors:

apachectl -t

Output:

Syntax OK

Reload Apache to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl reload httpd

Step 5 – Access and Set up Plex Media Server From Web Interface

You can now access your Plex Media Server through the web interface by navigating to the following URL in your web browser:

http://yourserver-ip:32400/web

Or, if you configured the Apache reverse proxy:

http://example.com

You will be prompted to sign in with a Plex account. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create one.

After signing in, you will see the Plex Media Server dashboard.

From the dashboard, you can add your media libraries and configure your server. You can enjoy your digital items from any device. The free version has limited features. You can upgrade to Plex Premium for additional functionality.

Conclusion

You have successfully learned to Install Plex Media Server on Almalinux 8/9. You accomplished this by downloading the RPM package, configuring the firewall, and setting up Apache as a reverse proxy. You can now access and configure Plex through the web interface.

This guide is applicable to both RHEL 8 and RHEL 9.

Hope you enjoy using Plex Media Server!

Now, let’s explore alternative methods for achieving the same goal.

Alternative Solutions for Installing Plex Media Server

While the above method is a solid approach, let’s consider two alternative ways to install and access Plex Media Server on AlmaLinux:

1. Using Docker Compose:

Docker provides a containerization platform that simplifies application deployment. Using Docker Compose, you can define and manage multi-container Docker applications. This approach offers better isolation, portability, and easier updates.

• Explanation: This method involves creating a docker-compose.yml file that defines the Plex Media Server container, along with any necessary dependencies. The docker-compose up command then builds and starts the container.

• Code Example:

  First, install Docker and Docker Compose:

  sudo dnf install docker -y
  sudo systemctl start docker
  sudo systemctl enable docker
  sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/latest/download/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
  sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

  Create a docker-compose.yml file:

  sudo vi docker-compose.yml

  Add the following content:

  version: "3.8"
  services:
    plex:
      image: plexinc/pms-docker:latest
      container_name: plexmediaserver
      restart: unless-stopped
      ports:
        - "32400:32400/tcp"
        - "3005:3005/tcp"
        - "8324:8324/tcp"
        - "32469:32469/tcp"
        - "1900:1900/udp"
        - "32410:32410/udp"
        - "32412:32412/udp"
        - "32413:32413/udp"
        - "32414:32414/udp"
      environment:
        - PLEX_CLAIM=YOUR_PLEX_CLAIM_TOKEN # Optional, if you have a claim token
        - TZ=Your/Timezone # Replace with your timezone
      volumes:
        - /path/to/plex/config:/config
        - /path/to/your/media:/data
      network_mode: host

  Replace YOUR_PLEX_CLAIM_TOKEN with your Plex claim token (if you have one), Your/Timezone with your correct timezone, /path/to/plex/config with the directory you want to store the Plex configuration files, and /path/to/your/media with the directory containing your media files.

  Finally, start the container:

  sudo docker-compose up -d

  You can then access Plex through http://yourserver-ip:32400/web.

2. Using Nginx as a Reverse Proxy instead of Apache:

Instead of Apache, Nginx is another popular and efficient web server that can be used as a reverse proxy for Plex. Nginx is known for its performance and resource efficiency, making it a suitable alternative.

• Explanation: This involves installing Nginx, configuring a virtual host file, and setting up the reverse proxy directives to forward requests to the Plex Media Server.

• Code Example:

  First, install Nginx:

  sudo dnf install nginx -y
  sudo systemctl start nginx
  sudo systemctl enable nginx

  Create an Nginx configuration file:

  sudo vi /etc/nginx/conf.d/plex.conf

  Add the following content:

  server {
      listen 80;
      server_name example.com;
  
      location / {
          proxy_pass http://localhost:32400;
          proxy_set_header Host $host;
          proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
          proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
  
          # Websocket support
          proxy_http_version 1.1;
          proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
          proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
      }
  }

  Replace example.com with your domain name.

  Test the Nginx configuration:

  sudo nginx -t

  Reload Nginx to apply the changes:

  sudo systemctl reload nginx

  Now, access Plex through http://example.com.

These alternative methods offer different approaches to installing and accessing Plex Media Server on AlmaLinux, providing flexibility based on your specific needs and preferences. The first solution of the article showed you how to Install Plex Media Server on Almalinux 8/9.