Ubuntu for Nas?

[hbsterling]

I built a nas and freenas does not work with my ethernet. So I was wondering what OS would be good for plex and maybe file sharing from windows 10. I want it to be headless so I never have to plug in a monitor/desktop. Would ubuntu desktop be good or server, which one is easier. Or could I do windows 10 headless?

[hbsterling]

1 minute ago, BlueScope819 said:

What do you mean FreeNAS doesn't work with your ethernet? I'm pretty sure you have just misconfigured it.

Everytime I try to boot it up it gives me this.

[Electronics Wizardy]

what full system specs?

 

but freeBSD is kinda picky about network cards

 

Ubuntu will work fine as a nas. You can use zfs, and use samba for network shars

[hbsterling]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

what full system specs?

 

but freeBSD is kinda picky about network cards

 

Ubuntu will work fine as a nas. You can use zfs, and use samba for network shars

Intel i3-10100 and asrock h470m-itx. Would ubuntu desktop or server be easier to access from my windows 10 pc?

[hbsterling]

4 minutes ago, BlueScope819 said:

Well, have you checked the network configuration?

Everything works from the router side and dhcp is enabled

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, hbsterling said:

Intel i3-10100 and asrock h470m-itx. Would ubuntu desktop or server be easier to access from my windows 10 pc?

what network port are you using? There is a intel 1g nic and a 2.5g realtek nic. The realtek nic probably won't work, but the intel one probably will.

 

It doesn't matter what version of ubuntu, they will work the same. Id put ubuntu server onit as there is no reason to have the desktop installed.

[Donut417]

19 minutes ago, hbsterling said:

I built a nas and freenas does not work with my ethernet. So I was wondering what OS would be good for plex and maybe file sharing from windows 10. I want it to be headless so I never have to plug in a monitor/desktop. Would ubuntu desktop be good or server, which one is easier. Or could I do windows 10 headless?

I have a dedicate Plex server on Ubuntu Desktop OS 18.04. It works fine, has great up time. Desktop version will work fine, and with it you do get a GU incase you need that. ALSO you can get one of those dumby HDMI plugs and be able to use Remote control software with a GUI if you don't want to just use the CLI interface all the time. 

[hbsterling]

1 minute ago, Donut417 said:

I have a dedicate Plex server on Ubuntu Desktop OS 18.04. It works fine, has great up time. Desktop version will work fine, and with it you do get a GU incase you need that. ALSO you can get one of those dumby HDMI plugs and be able to use Remote control software with a GUI if you don't want to just use the CLI interface all the time. 

Is there a way to access Ubuntu desktop remotely from windows 10?

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, hbsterling said:

Is there a way to access Ubuntu desktop remotely from windows 10?

vnc for remote desktop, but ssh is probably better for most remote management(most all server utils on linux are command line only)

[hbsterling]

3 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

vnc for remote desktop, but ssh is probably better for most remote management(most all server utils on linux are command line only)

Would chrome remote desktop be a good solution?

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, hbsterling said:

Would chrome remote desktop be a good solution?

I personally wouldn't use it. Id use ssh for basically everything. I don't see a reason why you would need a full remote desktop when ssh would work fine.

 

ALso did you try using the intel nic on the board with freenas?

[hbsterling]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

I personally wouldn't use it. Id use ssh for basically everything. I don't see a reason why you would need a full remote desktop when ssh would work fine.

 

ALso did you try using the intel nic on the board with freenas?

Yeah either one did not work

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

don't see a reason why you would need a full remote desktop when ssh would work fine.

Depends on Plex config. For me I store my Plex data on my NAS and use my server for transcoding. The default Plex app in the Ubuntu store doesn't support external storage. The only way to have external storage is use the app directly from the Plex web site. The issue there is when ever you need to update it, you have to download the new version and install it. I still haven't figured that part out of the CLI. Im sure there is a way, but for me I have a monitor connected and that just makes it easier. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Donut417 said:

Depends on Plex config. For me I store my Plex data on my NAS and use my server for transcoding. The default Plex app in the Ubuntu store doesn't support external storage. The only way to have external storage is use the app directly from the Plex web site. The issue there is when ever you need to update it, you have to download the new version and install it. I still haven't figured that part out of the CLI. Im sure there is a way, but for me I have a monitor connected and that just makes it easier. 

You can just wget the file then dpkg -i it.

 

Or just download on your desktop and copy to the network share.

 

3 minutes ago, hbsterling said:

Yeah either one did not work

DOes it show the network adapter int he command line on freenas?

[hbsterling]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

You can just wget the file then dpkg -i it.

 

Or just download on your desktop and copy to the network share.

 

DOes it show the network adapter int he command line on freenas?

I am not sure but I have moved pass it. What can I download on my desktop and copy to network share?

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 minute ago, hbsterling said:

I am not sure but I have moved pass it. What can I download on my desktop and copy to network share?

you would have to download the plex deb file.

 

Normally just ssh in then type 

 

wget https://downloads.plex.tv/plex-media-server-new/1.19.4.2935-79e214ead/debian/plexmediaserver_1.19.4.2935-79e214ead_amd64.deb

 

then sudo dkpg -i plexmediaserver_1.19.4.2935-79e214ead_amd64.deb

 

and now plex is installed on ubuntu server

[Jarsky]

Is there a specific reason you're going with Ubuntu and not just using Windows 10 on the server and just enable RDP, since that's what you're familiar with?

[Donut417]

2 hours ago, Jarsky said:

Is there a specific reason you're going with Ubuntu and not just using Windows 10 on the server and just enable RDP, since that's what you're familiar with?

Linux just works better in server applications. 1) most updates don't require restart 2) You can update the whole system with 2 commands 3) In my experience my Linux server had better up time than Windows 10 4) The choice of having a GUI and going without which means you can allocate more system resources to the task at hand 5) more freedom to do what you want. 

[Jarsky]

2 hours ago, Donut417 said:

Linux just works better in server applications. 1) most updates don't require restart 2) You can update the whole system with 2 commands 3) In my experience my Linux server had better up time than Windows 10 4) The choice of having a GUI and going without which means you can allocate more system resources to the task at hand 5) more freedom to do what you want. 

Not sure why you're telling me about servers when I'm a systems engineer....I support approx 50000 servers as a day job across Windows and Unix and all hardware/virtualisation infrastructure.

 

My question is directed at the OP. Windows 10 only complains about a reboot approx every ~3 months, and you can avoid that by setting your active times and schedule a reboot for low activity times (e.g 3am) to reduce impact, there's no reason to have downtime. The overhead of the GUI is negligible on modern hardware, especially if its a baremetal server (single instance). 

 

My point is, if he just wants a basic fileshare and Plex/Emby, Windows does that perfectly in an environment he's familiar with so should be considered as an option if he just wants something that works without a learning curve, which the nature of his questions suggest. 

 

14 hours ago, Donut417 said:

The issue there is when ever you need to update it, you have to download the new version and install it. I still haven't figured that part out of the CLI. Im sure there is a way, but for me I have a monitor connected and that just makes it easier. 

You could just use their docker and it will automatically update on docker restart which you could just set as a cron job. Or a very popular script is mrwolfs plexupdate https://github.com/mrworf/plexupdate

[Donut417]

2 hours ago, Jarsky said:

Plex/Emby, Windows does that perfectly i

Well I’m telling you with my personal experience with Windows 10 last year on my Plex server it sucked. With Microsoft’s track record with their updates I wouldn’t trust it. Had numerous issues with Windows 10, but never had issue with Ubuntu. Ubuntu is literally set it and forget it. 

[hbsterling]

8 hours ago, Jarsky said:

Is there a specific reason you're going with Ubuntu and not just using Windows 10 on the server and just enable RDP, since that's what you're familiar with?

Is there an application you suggest for remote desktop for windows home

[Jarsky]

5 hours ago, Donut417 said:

Well I’m telling you with my personal experience with Windows 10 last year on my Plex server it sucked. With Microsoft’s track record with their updates I wouldn’t trust it. Had numerous issues with Windows 10, but never had issue with Ubuntu. Ubuntu is literally set it and forget it. 

Sucks in what way? I ran my Plex server on Windows from 2012 - 2017. 

 

4 hours ago, hbsterling said:

Is there an application you suggest for remote desktop for windows home

You could just run Windows 10 Pro without activation? The only limitation is the watermark and personalisation options disabled...not a problem on a 'server' you will probably access infrequently.