i think this is a computer network question.

[osu1991]

I did not know that. Water under the bridge now that I've installed a mesh network. But I'm curious. How exactly do you use an external Ethernet adapter with a FireTV Stick?

It plugs into the firestick micro usb port and then has a dongle that provides and ethernet port and another micro usb port for the power

Amazon product ASIN B074TC662N

 

[Atheist Peace]

I did not know that. Water under the bridge now that I've installed a mesh network. But I'm curious. How exactly do you use an external Ethernet adapter with a FireTV Stick?

nether do i on the fire stick...

 

[Atheist Peace]

If you consider Wi-fi a threat to life and limb, most Fire TV sticks support an external Ethernet adapter ($12 and up) and even with a 4K stick, that adds up to less than a Raspberry Pi 4 kit. There are also dozens of "media streamers" available that have fairly full-featured remotes that fall in between the Fire TV stick and the Shield.Do you want to play video games? This is why I can't stress enough the importance of telling us what you want and letting us go hog wild with the best way to get there (given the conditions you impose).

The sticks are perhaps as good as the Shield when it comes to what most people have available on their home media server. The Shield may excel on the highest quality content (4K with HDR and >6 channel sound) but you're probably going to want a much better server than you're daily driver Pee Cee to make that happen.

first. there is a TON of wi-fi interference so i want to use Ethernet

im not much a gamer. but my son has many NVIDIA games, so it would just be a plus.... if the performance was not so horrible for plex on the xbox1, i would just get 2 more of them.

i have no use for 4k as all the movies i have came from torrent sites with no 4k or surround sound. the number one use for this will be adult movies. and old time movies.

this is the most helpful video i found for plex clients was this one and the amazon rated horrible

so if i am wrong about using my $400 0 computer for a server. i will only spend $400 for a plex server. due to the high ass cost of my computer.... any ideas? i could add a 3rd shield and do this...

 

[arlo]

Hey dude. I'm not sure if you understand that if you put Plex Media Server on your pc that it can still function as a regular computer.
Instead of running around the rim of the pool wondering how to swim. Jump in. Or wait until gramps tosses you in.
Being 100% nice and 30% funny here. I tried OpenNAS and it dedicated the whole computer as a media server.
Look at the HCL for Plex. See if your pc has the "oomph" for it. Remeber. Kodi started out as XBMC.
But the bottom line is if you live in the USA, beware torrents ANYTHING. Unless you already have a VPN.
And sure. I use wired Ethernet as much as I can. If all of your wifi stuff is crammed close together....no wonder you mention interference. Spread it out.
My wifi works pretty good. I have Ethernet/otg adapters for Amazon streamers here. They work alright where I have cat cable close by.
I live in an old old farm house. Who wants to string cable in one of these?
But also have repurposed DD-WRT routers setup as repeaters, client bridges. No biggie. Jump in.

 

[harshness]

so if i am wrong about using my $400 0 computer for a server. i will only spend $400 for a plex server. due to the high ass cost of my computer.... any ideas? i could add a 3rd shield and do this...

There are lots of online sources for serviceable refurbished computers for under $300. Something with a 4th generation or later i5 and 8GB of RAM should do just fine. The only complication may be your unwillingness to install the software and that could cost you. This takes away any worries that someone gaming might hurt the server performance.

How much free hard drive space do you have in your computer?

You need to be careful about spending a lot of time on YouTube watching reviews as they get stale quickly and the suck a lot of time.

 

[Atheist Peace]

There are lots of online sources for serviceable refurbished computers for under $300. Something with a 4th generation or later i5 and 8GB of RAM should do just fine. The only complication may be your unwillingness to install the software and that could cost you. This takes away any worries that someone gaming might hurt the server performance.

How much free hard drive space do you have in your computer?

You need to be careful about spending a lot of time on YouTube watching reviews as they get stale quickly and the suck a lot of time.

unwillingness? i do not want to learn lennox. i have had to learn too many languages in my 50 years.

I have 3 4TB HDD with about 8 TB free.

I have learned countless things on you tube. it is an invaluable asset

 

[Atheist Peace]

Hey dude. I'm not sure if you understand that if you put Plex Media Server on your pc that it can still function as a regular computer.
Instead of running around the rim of the pool wondering how to swim. Jump in. Or wait until gramps tosses you in.
Being 100% nice and 30% funny here. I tried OpenNAS and it dedicated the whole computer as a media server.
Look at the HCL for Plex. See if your pc has the "oomph" for it. Remeber. Kodi started out as XBMC.
But the bottom line is if you live in the USA, beware torrents ANYTHING. Unless you already have a VPN.
And sure. I use wired Ethernet as much as I can. If all of your wifi stuff is crammed close together....no wonder you mention interference. Spread it out.
My wifi works pretty good. I have Ethernet/otg adapters for Amazon streamers here. They work alright where I have cat cable close by.
I live in an old old farm house. Who wants to string cable in one of these?
But also have repurposed DD-WRT routers setup as repeaters, client bridges. No biggie. Jump in.

I AM GRAMPS
The PC will run anything on the market.
I will check out HCL for Plex
I have been using VPN since i first got broadband 20 years ago during the Napster days.
my network wiring is all cat 6 and installed. so there is zero need for wi-fi
all the amazon clients rated horrible in the reviews i watched. besides i do not like their business practices and how they treat their people so i will never give them a penny of my money.

 

[arlo]

Core i7-6500U 12gigs of ram. It's a laptop. Cast to my Sony smart tv through 2.4 gHz wireless>router>Ethernet connection on TV.
Had to install Plex on the tv. Updated Plex on lappy. "Just a movie", nuttin fancy. Plex on lappy was running ~0.08% processor usage. Wifi was ~4-6mbps.
Not bad. Agree? No noticeable balkiness on the laptop while watching YouTube vids.
Remember, no Plex Pass and I only access media from my LAN.
Love or hate the popular streaming devices, most places allow a 14 day return. I neither love or hate the Fire TV or Fire TV Cube I use. Roku...meh....apple Anything and I do the devil finger cross thingy. I have developer options enabled and downloader installed on both. Get's me from "under their belt". And for streaming 4K content, music, etc. They do a purdy gal-darned good job. Speaking in Grampa-nese! lol.
And are Bluetooth Mouse/KB friendly.
And to close this thing, slapping the laptop near my tv and using HDMI, wired 'net....I can stream to it from my other computers. Or post replies on Sat Guys.
A bit chilly to be taking a dip this time of year here.`
`

 

[harshness]

unwillingness? i do not want to learn lennox. i have had to learn too many languages in my 50 years.

Unwillingness.

Linux is not a language. It uses a GUI similar to Windows or Mac and the management interface to Plex on all platforms is web browser based so you wouldn't know the difference (outside of performance) between the Raspian (Debian Linux) Pi Plex or the Windows Plex.

I have learned countless things on you tube. it is an invaluable asset

It is also a time suck that doesn't always do a good job of introducing you to what's new and interesting in favor of things that some individual (or individuals) spent the time to do a video on.

 

[osu1991]

Plex Forum

You will get the same answers.

I use an older 2011-12 vintage desktop with 3rd gen i5/8gb ram as my Plex server with 50TBs of space. It's connected via gigabit ethernet to the router. I stream via wireless ac to 4k tvs and 4k fire sticks. I have no trouble streaming raw 4k HDR Atmos files via wireless as long as the device I'm streaming to can play the files natively, so the Plex server doesn't have to transcode. Transcoding 4k video because the device doesn't support the audio or the subtitles, I just don't have enough power for that. 1080p and below it doesn't even stress the system to transcode several streams, if needed.

 

[greenpeacock568]

Thanks all for the replies. I also have similar question. I think I will try Plex. Thanks again!