Network drives for all the things

I am trying to think about how I want to manage this but so far I am coming up blank or it is beyond my ability.

What I want to do is have a central location for my media files (videos and photos, mainly RAW images).

Currently I use plex for my movies on a laptop I got for free from work (HP 8470p running windows 10 pro with a 4TB external USB 3.0 drive). I like being able to use the windows remote login app from my Pixelbook to fix or tweak anything I need.

For my photos they are kept on my wife's 1TB onedrive account but the subscription is going to be running out soon.

What I want to do is be able to watch my movies (via plex) and browse/edit my photos. I am thinking the for the photos I would like to copy the ones I want to edit to my computer locally and then reupload the edited versions (kind of like a mapped network drive).

My primary computer is a Google Pixelbook (95% of the time), and a few other windows laptops and desktops.

Ideally I would like to control the HP server remotely from my Pixelbook as it is located in a awkward position behind the TV.

My technical experience is limited, I try linux every so often but go back to windows eventually because I cant figure something out. Stability of the system is very important to me.

Another method I was thinking of is to make my own dropbox/google drive system and just select the folders I want synced depending upon what I am working on.

What would be the simplest way to set something up like this?


EDIT: I would like to have the Plex visible outside the local network, but the photos would stay local.

 

I think I have an idea but I am not sure if I can make it work with Chrome OS.

For photos I have an extra 320GB and 500GB hard drive laying around. I could use a Raspberry Pi or plug in an enclosure into my router (Asus AC2900). I would rather plug it into the router to save on setting up more devices. Has anyone had any luck doing this with a chromebook?

I would continue to use my existing HP laptop as a dedicated plex server.

 

The only thing I can think of is something like OwnCloud.
https://owncloud.org/

You would have to setup a server. A Raspberry Pi running ubuntu would probably work well, and you could also install plex on that.

I have tried file sharing from my Asus router N66U by plugging in a flash drive, but its basically FTP with no frills directory listings, not to mention FTP security is really weak. I'm not sure I would be comfortable putting lots of photos behind a consumer grade router FTP.

 

Would I be able to use the onecloud on my existing laptop as the server?

Whelp. The HDD on my HP laptop decided to bite the dust this evening so that is going to leave me a few more options.

I would not be opposed to putting Ubuntu (or Mint) on it instead of windows.

Looks like solid explorer (with an SMB server) for the pixelbook and windows for the laptop/server/plex machine might be the best solution.

 

@Clutch I personally have mini pc running 10 Pro acting as a server with enforced SMB3, running Syncthing for automatic sync of select folders and Everything! server for instant file search on top. My choice was limited to Windows since drives were already Bitlocker-encrypted and I stronly rely on Everything!, but it was nice to just enable features already present in the OS anyway.

I am note entirely sure whether the SMB3 part is applicable to you, but if you end up going that route I can provide tips on configuration and hardening. As for Syncthing, it definitely works on Android thus on Chrome. Everything - probably not.

 

Not with windows. It looks like most of the "cloud" type software (owncloud, nextcloud, etc.) all require a linux server.

You could run ubuntu on it (or mint), and even install the owncloud/nextcloud server too, or do something else like FreeNas. Another idea is just ubuntu with network sharing.

 

Trying to figure out if windows or linux would be best (plex will work either so that part does not really matter).

https://www.guidingtech.com/smb-server-solid-explorer-android/

https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/serverguide/samba-fileserver.html.en

 

FWIW one can run a very minimal Linux VM e.g. dietpi which makes deploying Linux server stuff a breezee, and have the best of both worlds - but in @Clutch 's case it's probably easier to just run everything under Linux. In this scenario, the only pro of using Windows I see is familiar RDP environment vs having to configure VNC tunneling over SSH for similar Linux experience, and that's pretty much it.

 

Got the ssd drive in the mail.

It took while to get plex to see my external drive. I had to use this method.

Now i just need to get the external drive visible from another computer.

I was trying to use this but I think it is out of date and I am not sure how some of the steps work;
https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/serverguide/samba-fileserver.html.en

 

Man, there is always something...

I found this tutorial, but my external drive under permission says, "you are not the owner, so you cannot change these permissions".
https://itsfoss.com/share-folders-local-network-ubuntu-windows/

I think it has something to do with the type of formatting but I am not sure.

 

Got most everything working. I am able to see the external drive from my pixelbook using these instructions.
https://travelinlibrarian.info/2013...-hard-drive-from-ubuntu-to-a-windows-network/

Now I just need to get the plex viable outside the network but I think that is a router issue.

 

@Clutch what version of SMB does your Samba server run? Also, are you using Plex for a multitude of devices, or for Chromebook alone? If latter, what is the benefit of Plex vs just playing the file from network share directly?

 

I use the Plex because I also use it with the Xbox, Android, ios, windows, and Chromebook.

I am not sure what version of Samba. I got it from the software manager on mint.

 

Got the Plex working. It says it is not available outside the network but it is...

Might explain why it should have been working but was not.