Plex server on Wifi, Media Library wired to Router: Is This Stupid?

[Adam8281]

My basic question is whether my setup results in my local media being bounced over wi-fi before it is streamed via Plex to an external client. Here's the setup:

• Plex media server on Nvidia Shield. The device is in my entertainment center, and connected to my network via wi-fi
• Library is on external hard drive, which is connected via gigabit hardwire to my router

I can imagine two routes my library content takes when it is streamed to external clients:

1. Media, which is connected via LAN to router, is streamed over WiFi to Plex server, then is streamed over WiFi back from Plex server to router, then goes out over wire to the Internet and ultimately to the client.
2. Plex server communicates with external client to initiate stream, and this entails some WiFi transmission since Plex server is connected via WiFi, but the path of the actual media goes from the library, over gigabit ethernet to the router, and then out to the Internet and ultimately to the client.

If scenario 2 is right, that would be great, because my client would be receiving the media in the fastest possible way. If scenario is right, that seems very inefficient, and erases the benefit of having my media hard-wired to the router over gigabit ethernet.

Do you know which scenario is correct?

Thanks!

 

[ch33zw1z]

Scenario 1 is what's happening. You're sending the data over WiFi twice.

 

[Fardringle]

You want the media connected to the server device in the fastest method possible since the server will frequently try to recode the media to match the playback device. In scenario 1, the server has to 'download' the media from the storage device attached to the router, encode it as needed, then send it back over WIFI/Internet to the playback device.

I don't have a Shield, but a quick check online says you should be able to connect the external drive directly to the Shield's USB port.

 

[JeffMD]

optimal? no... but is it probably fine for most cases? yea. As long as you are using a robust AC 5ghz network to handle this part you will have more than enough bandwidth until you try to stream 4k blueray files. I would consider instead a NAS solution that can run plex. That way your entire plex setup is not reliant on your nvidia shield box being up.

 

[Adam8281]

Thanks for the great responses. This setup has been working well since my wifi is robust, but I will plan to move to a NAS running Plex server, and in the meantime hardwire the media storage to the Shield

 

[sdifox]

Just hardwire Shield to router and that should be good enough.

 

[hoorah]

It can be either scenario. I don't use plex, but I use emby which is very similar.

If a file plays 'directly', it will come straight from the source. If a file has to transcode, it will go through the wifi to the server, be transcoded, and then go back out over wifi.

When a file plays directly and when it transcodes is a function of the device, bitrate, codecs supported, and settings within plex.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

If it's stupid and it works, it's not stupid. ;-)