Home Server Software Free

Make Your Computer Into a Server in 10 Minutes (free Software): This covers how to quickly set up your computer (running Windows) as a server. This will allow you to host your own website from your computer and will let you to make web pages with 'buttons' allowing you to control things in your home (robots, c. Top 7 Best Home Server OS in 2019 for All Media Lovers 1) FreeNAS. The first recommended FreeNAS is the most used home server OS by the home and mini scale servers experienced people. It’s not recommended for those people who are going to use home server OS for first time because it has focused toward power users.

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Many have grown dissatisfied with the limited streaming options of services like Netflix, YouTube, and Vimeo. And while there isn’t one perfect networked media solution for everyone, physical media enthusiasts and file sharers alike will find a happy medium in a dedicated media server.

These servers work like HTTP servers, but offer a dedicated user interface plus many other features, depending on which option you decide to go with. And though some incorporate streaming services, these options are best left to those who already have a strong media collection and are seeking a way to enjoy it in a curated manner. So whether you want to streamline your entertainment, reorganize your business media, or house a semi-legal collection of ripped movies, consider these options for home media servers below.

1. Plex

Home Media Server Software Free

(Plex)

Possibly the most popular media server software out there, Plex offers an easy setup and a highly flexible system for managing your media.
Plex can be set up on any hard drive, ideally a NAS (network-attached storage device), but since my PC is on pretty much 24/7 I had no problem making my main machine the host for my own Plex account.

Setting up your Plex server is a largely automated process, and getting a stream set up on the other end is usually as simple as downloading the free app for your chosen platform, be it a smart TV, web browser, XBox One, PlayStation, or Apple TV. Remote access is ready out of the box and does not require any port forwarding or extra setup.

One of the first things you’ll notice about Plex is that its menus are beautiful on every platform. The menus were fast and easy to navigate, though I did run into some hiccups trying to browse my stupidly large music collection. If you have multiple terabytes of media content with metadata, cover art, etc., it will only populate this information as fast as your connection permits.

Aside from this folder-specific issue, the menus are beautiful, fast, and easy to navigate from every platform I tested. Plex transforms your library, adding metadata like cover art and IMDB results to enhance your viewing experience.

Like other options, Plex also transcodes on the fly and automatically adjusts its performance and quality for available bandwidth. During my testing, I had no trouble with streaming wirelessly on my older router and mid-tier Internet service, nor did I encounter any codec errors from playing an incompatible file.

While the bulk of Plex’s features can be enjoyed for free, you do have to upgrade to a Plex Pass if you want to enjoy some nicer features. These include access to some nice features of the otherwise free Plex mobile apps, the ability to sync a cloud storage system, and much more. The Plex Pass has a couple payment options, the most economic for a serious user being the lifetime pass for $149.99. The remaining question will no doubt be: is a Plex Pass worth the price? And for many, the answer will be definitely.

Plex makes hosting your own media server incredibly easy, and the extra visual enhancements to your media collection piece together an experience that will surpass the quality of most streaming services, provided you’ve collected the content to populate it. An all-around solid choice, Plex is a top contender for your media storage solutions.

Pros:

  • Fast and intuitive user interface
  • Easy setup
  • Can provide cover art, music videos, trailers, and more

Cons:

  • Some features require a subscription or lifetime pass
  • Menus might not handle large media collections well (depends on connection quality)

Download Plex or find more information here.

2. Universal Media Server

Universal Media Server is an open-source and fully free media solution, that though quite a bit more complicated than Plex, is just as stable and reliable. This software can be set up on a PC or NAS open-source software, with about the same setup burden, but if any steps of the process get you hung up, a fairly robust support community will be able to help you out.

Installing UMS is a fairly hands-on process. The software walks you through configuring each setting before you can get your server up and running. To make things trickier, some of your devices might not find your stream if you set it up incorrectly. On the other hand, if set it up right, UMS will work with just about any streaming device.

UMS automatically scans defined locations for new media content, but if you don’t personally manage your files, UMS will look like a mess. Odds are that if you’ve got a serious collection going, you’ve taken enough care to tag everything properly, and even if you don’t the app is still plenty usable.

Once it’s set up, UMS offers fast browsing and built-in transcoding to play media on devices that may not support a particular format. You do have some access to plugins like SoundCloud, last.fm, and XBMC are nice, but selection is ultimately limited. You might find some nice new streaming services from it, but odds are they won’t be the ones you already use.

And this will be a deal-breaker for some, but UMS is unable to offer remote access, limiting your server to your local wireless network. For some, this is the whole appeal of a home media server, but for others, they will be okay using UMS exclusively at home.

Though it can prove challenging, tweaking UMS is crucial to making this software your own. If you can handle the challenge of doing so, the reward is well worth it.

Pros:

Home Server Software Free
  • Open source and free
  • Fast browsing
  • Highly customizable

Cons:

  • Confusing setup
  • Limited plugins
  • Lacks remote access options

Download Universal Media Server or find more information here.

3. Subsonic

(Wikipedia)

Subsonic is a longstanding contender in the media library game, albeit one that was originally designed for networking a large music library from a network. As such, video streaming as well as mobile and browser app streaming are among certain premium features that require a simple $1/month subscription. That means you won’t get full media server capabilities without a small fee.

Despite being a secondary feature, video streaming works fairly well on Subsonic, and thanks to the huge quantity of transcoding plugins available, you can play just about every codec. Subsonic Premium also allows you to watch videos from devices like a Chromecast, Sonos system, or an Android/iOS/Windows smartphone, with little to no issues. And even if you are committed to using the free version, you are still able to remotely access your full music library with a unique yourname.subsonic.org address. This privilege can also be extended to any number of users and simultaneous players with an optional password.

Most of the other stock features that SubSonic offers also revolve around music, and for that use, they are actually quite handy. For instance, you have one-click album art and album metadata lookup, lossless audio support, and a solid podcast management system. On top of that, Subsonic is also skinnable and highly configurable, in addition to having a pretty straightforward setup.

Users like myself who are sitting on multiple terabytes of music will greatly appreciate the addition of MusicCabinet, an add-on that incorporates tag-based browsing, personal last.fm suggestions, and missing album recommendations for your favorite artists.

At the end of the day, Subsonic will not be the best choice for everybody, especially since video conveniences are lacking. Avid show and movie watchers will have to deal with a lack of subtitle support, plus an inability to stream quality settings. For myself, music makes up over half the media I own, and Subsonic adequately meets my needs. As an older software, SubSonic doesn’t have the same regular updates as PlayOn, and will be a little harder to work with. But music lovers will have enough to keep them busy, even if they occasionally have to pull a foreign film up on VLC instead.

Pros:

  • Fantastic support for large music libraries
  • Supports podcasts and lossless audio
  • Moderately easy setup

Cons:

  • Small monthly fee for video support
  • Lacks subtitle support and stream quality settings
  • Less robust support community

Download Subsonic or find more information here.

4. Serviio

(Serviio)

Serviio is similar to UMS, as it is a fast and powerful open-source media server rich in advanced controls and functions. But unlike UMS, Serviio has a paid version that offers a convenient remote browser player, an Android app, and some other functionalities. This software runs on either a computer or NAS, and also streams content from online sources, like RSS feeds, live audio/video streams, web page content.

Serviio requires you to already have your content organized and titled correctly, otherwise it will look like a total mess. In the free version, you can stream to newer Playstation and XBox devices, as well as other computers, but other devices like Sonos, Roku, and Chromecast have been known to have issues working with Serviio. Because of its detailed configuration options, almost anything is possible with this software, but it won’t be easy.

If you make a one-time payment of $25 for Serviio Pro, you get access to the convenient MediaBrowser feature, which offers an intuitive browser-based UI that makes mobile, tablet, an PC viewing look equally good. MediaBrowser also offers easier access to subtitles and stream quality controls. Beyond MediaBrowser, you also get other features like the ServiiGo Android app (there is no app for iOS) for streaming content, and the ability to control what content you share, plus to whom you share it with.

Even on the free version, remote server access is available, but you need to have a compatible router, and it is a difficult feature to set up. Also available to free users is Serviio’s plugin ecosystem, which offers a pretty robust selection, mostly support for websites. These include sites like YouTube, Hulu, Twitch, and even some more adult-oriented community choices.

Serviio Pro is definitely a cheaper option than a Plex Pass, but the software offers a competitive suite of features even for free users. If you are up the challenge of a more complex media server software, Serviio can be a highly rewarding choice.

Pros:

  • Has a solid free/open source version
  • Remote access
  • Strong plugin support

Cons:

  • Top features restricted to Pro version
  • Confusing setup
  • No iOS app

Download Serviio or find more information here.

5. PlayOn

Though it has its quirks, PlayOn is a highly functional option for streaming media, as long as you are running it from a Windows PC. PlayOn is only compatible with windows, which unfortunately means that Linux and iOS users as well as those who own a NAS device are left out in the cold. Additionally, PlayOn’s specialty is not expert management of your own files, but rather the streams you usually use to discover new content. To put it another way, it works sort of like a network-wide Roku.

Don’t worry, you can, of course, still add local content like movies, music, and photos to our PlayOn library, but the software focuses even more on providing a diversity of free and paid streaming services. This accounts for over 100 channels to start, including Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, Comedy Central, and all the major TV networks. Browsing this large selection is fairly easy with PlayOn’s latest UI overhaul, which is a marked improvement over past releases. I found the bookmark feature particularly handy to keep track of daily streams, and I also enjoyed using the PlayMark extension to stream videos from my favorite web feeds.

One caveat is that you will need to go with a subscription plan to stream to non-PC devices like a TV, mobile phone, Roku, or gaming console. Sure, you could stream on your local network and PC with the free version, but PlayOn runs a number of specials on their pricing, meaning you will rarely have to pay the full $59.99 for your lifetime pass. This is not bad at all, especially since PlayOn Plus also includes the PlayLater service, a software for your computer or mobile device that records streaming media, and saves it to your device for future viewing. This service mirrors creating your own personal torrent of your own current favorite show, but does so in a way that is perfectly legal while allowing you to skip commercials. And what’s more, PlayOn has a massive community following that writes scripts specifically for capturing your favorite kind of content.

Ultimately, PlayOn might leave some enthusiasts wishing for more features, but it has an easier UI than Roku, and offers PlayLater, which gives you the ability to record any streaming media and play it back later commercial-free. Being able to download previously streamed content works great alongside remote access, and though this isn’t the most consistent media server software out there, it will certainly meet the needs of most.

Pros:

  • Integrates many streaming services alongside local content
  • Strong plugin and scripting community
  • PlayLater service can record streaming content for you

Cons:

  • Windows Only
  • Frequent updates will occasionally cause problems
  • Less control over local playback

Download PlayOn or find more information here.

See Also

Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.

Dear Lifehacker,
I'm ready to take the plunge and build my own home server, but I'm not sure which route I should take. I've seen guides for FreeNAS, Amahi, and even regular ol' desktop Linux, but which should I use? Does it even matter?

How Can I Build a Quiet, Low-Powered Home File Server?

Dear Lifehacker,I like the idea of having a networked backup, streaming, and torrenting home…

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Sincerely,
So Many Servers

Dear So Many Servers,
You're right, there are a ton of options out there, and we've written about many of them in the past—but we've never really compared them to one another. So, here are a few of our favorite options, and how they differ from one another (so you can decide which is the best for you).

Amahi: Simple and Does Almost Anything

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If you're looking to build a home server, Amahi is probably the place to start. It's easy to set up, easy to manage, and supports a ton of different apps, including Plex, Crashplan, Transmission, ownCloud, OpenVPN, SABnzbd+, Sick Beard, Couch Potato, and many, many more. All the apps are available one-click installers through Amahi's interface, but most of them cost a few bucks—but it's worth it for the convenience.

However, if there's anything you can't do through Amahi's interface—or if you don't feel like paying the one-click installer fee—you can install a more traditional Linux desktop over Amahi's base OS and do it yourself. So basically, if you can do it on Linux, you can probably do it with Amahi, making it a perfect solution for a wide range of people. If you're a regular home user, start with Amahi first. Check out our guide for step-by-step instructions.

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Turn an Old PC Into a NAS, VPN, Media Streamer, and More with Amahi

If you have an old computer with some life left in it, or you're building a do-it-all home…

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Free Home Server Software Download

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FreeNAS: Enterprise-Grade RAID Support

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FreeNAS is a very popular home server operating system. While it will work for a simple home server, it's really more geared toward the advanced crowd—to the point where it's probably not ideal for most users (at least compared to simpler options like Amahi). Its most recent version, 9.3, did away with the low-resource UFS file system in favor of ZFS only. ZFS is a fantastic solution for RAID setups, but it requires a lot of resources—including at least 1GB of RAM per TB of storage you have installed. That can add up to a lot.

So, while FreeNAS has a ton of useful plugins for programs like Plex, Subsonic, Crashplan, Transmission, and others, it's not ideal for most home users. If you plan on setting up an enterprise-grade server in your home, FreeNAS is a great option, but most casual users would be better off with one of the options below. Check out our guide to FreeNAS for the basics.

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Free Linux Home Server Software

NAS4Free: Serve Files and Serve Them Well

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If you want something similar, but a bit easier to use—and better for low-powered machines—you can try NAS4Free instead. It's essentially an old version of FreeNAS that's still maintained by the community, and it's great for simple or advanced file servers on, say, an old computer. It doesn't have plugin support like FreeNAS and Amahi, but if you're just looking to serve files across your network, it's a decent option. Check out Ars Technica's comparison of FreeNAS and NAS4Free for more in-depth differences between the two, and our guide to NAS4Free for information on setting it up.

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Linux: Familiar, Free, and Powerful

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If you're already familiar with Linux distributions like Ubuntu, you might consider just running a Linux desktop as your home server. Ubuntu isn't quite ideal, but you can use something lower-powered like Xubuntu or Debian, remote into your machine with TeamViewer, and set it up like you would any other computer. You won't have to learn anything new, and it can literally do anything a Linux desktop could.

Free Home Server Software 2018

If you're comfortable doing everything from the command line, a server-oriented OS like Ubuntu Server (or just a minimal Debian install) could be even better, since you don't have to waste any resources on a GUI.

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Of course, since Amahi has a fully-featured Linux desktop running under the hood, you can do most of this with Amahi too—so there's little reason to build your own server from scratch unless you want to use a specific distribution, or want a fully customized system that meets your needs and your needs only. It's also a decent option if you don't want to make an Amahi account and don't want to pay for any of Amahi's apps. We don't reacommend Ubuntu for this anymore, but our old instructions on an Ubuntu home server should work with many Linux distributions, including Debian.

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Other Alternatives

Of course, these are far from the only options out there, but they're some of the more popular. Developers and IT professionals may also like OpenMediaVault, which is more complicated than Amahi but allows a lot of customization through its API. Windows users may prefer to just run Windows 8 on a spare computer to share files and pool drives, which is a great option if you want maximum compatibility with other Windows systems.

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Of course, if you have money to burn, you might be better off eschewing DIY altogether with a pre-built NAS enclosure, like one from Synology. They'll likely be smaller than anything you build yourself, and probably a little easier to set up too. They'll also be more expensive, but it's a decent option if you don't want to put in a ton of work.

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Five Best NAS Enclosures

Free Windows Server Software Download

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It's not the most detailed comparison in the world, but this should give you a good idea of what to try first. No matter what your needs are, one of these operating systems should be able to fulfill them. So happy experimenting and good luck!

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Sincerely,
Lifehacker

Title image by liquo (Shutterstock), grmarc (Shutterstock), and Yganko (Shutterstock).

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