Just joined. Totally baffled

[DfY38Mb55 2]

I am a convert from Plex. I have had Plex for years (Lifetime access), and have generally found it satisfactory except for one incessant problem: The server keeps losing access to my media. I generally fix it by downloading the latest server version and restarting my desktop. This time, nothing worked, so I decided to switch to emby (recommended by a Google search).

I am now on a monthly plan until I have a good feel, and I am already frustrated by the setup process. I have downloaded the server and the app. After signing in (not easy; there is no paste option in the password field), I select "add server." The app now asks for a "host." I have no idea what that means. My media are stored in a Western Digital network drive connected to my router by ethernet. My Windows 10 desktop is likewise connected to the router by ethernet. There does not seem to be a way to navigate to that drive or to the folder on the drive that contains the media files. The Emby software asks for a series of numbers separated by dots or for a web address. I have no idea how to provide the requested information. Please help me set up my film library, and please consider simplifying the setup process for lay users in future versions.

Please help me set up my film library in Emby.

Thank you.

[Abobader 3464]

Hello DfY38Mb55,

** This is an auto reply **

Please wait for someone from staff support or our members to reply to you.

It's recommended to provide more info, as it explain in this thread:

Thank you.

Emby Team

[seanbuff 1316]

49 minutes ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

Please help me set up my film library in Emby.

Hi and welcome. Just like Plex, Emby consists of two main complements, the Server and the Client. 

It sounds like you've installed the 'client' software, but have yet to install the Server (Step 1)

Please follow this guide which will hopefully explain the setup process from start to finish, adding your media library will soon become more obvious once you've installed the Server software. Guide: Quick Start

Let us know if you get stuck.

[DfY38Mb55 2]

Thank you for your kind assistance.

I believe I have the server installed. It was the first thing I installed. I only discovered I needed the client later. Now, I have both. The Windows 10 Start menu shows "Emby Server,: "Emby Server Dashboard," and "Emby." See also the attached screen capture image. See also the second image "Unable to connect."

I await further advice, with thanks.

 

Edited June 17, 2025 by GrimReaper
WAN IP masked

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

40 minutes ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

Thank you for your kind assistance.

I believe I have the server installed. It was the first thing I installed. I only discovered I needed the client later. Now, I have both. The Windows 10 Start menu shows "Emby Server,: "Emby Server Dashboard," and "Emby." See also the attached screen capture image. See also the second image "Unable to connect."

I await further advice, with thanks.

Logs???? Without them the developers will have little idea where any problem is. 

[TeamB 2438]

Get everything working just using the web client first, you should be able to set up your libraries and test playback, have all your media and metadata imported and loaded and verify the server is all working just using the Web Client.

Once the server is set up and working, and you can play back media using the Web Client Interface, then move on to the Emby Apps on all your devices.

[TMCsw 249]

1 hour ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

I await further advice, with thanks.

Also, make sure windows network is set to private, check your firewall setting, are you running a VPN? 

[Lessaj 467]

1 hour ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

I await further advice, with thanks.

For host you only enter the IP address, host name or domain name, the second field is the port number.

[justinrh 260]

It would also be helpful to know what client app you are using on what device and on what network (local or WAN/remote).  And sometimes you just need to reboot the server machine ...

[Happy2Play 9780]

Will need a Mod to edit image above @GrimReaper@seanbuff

But there really shouldn't be any issues as the port is open

Since I can see your page remotely It shouldn't be a firewall issue unless you recently changed it.

But as mentioned above what client and type of connection?

 

[DfY38Mb55 2]

7 hours ago, Gilgamesh_48 said:

Logs???? Without them the developers will have little idea where any problem is. 

Logs? I have no idea what logs are, where to find them, or how to provide them to you.

[Happy2Play 9780]

10 minutes ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

Logs? I have no idea what logs are, where to find them, or how to provide them to you.

Sorry did you not read the second post and linked How to Report a Problem?

[DfY38Mb55 2]

3 hours ago, Happy2Play said:

Will need a Mod to edit image above @GrimReaper@seanbuff

But there really shouldn't be any issues as the port is open

Since I can see your page remotely It shouldn't be a firewall issue unless you recently changed it.

But as mentioned above what client and type of connection?

 

I see that someone has redacted the WAN access number in the image file that I sent. Was that for my protection? If so, thank you. Was I wrong to send it unredacted? Did I unwittingly expose my computer to intruders? Is there any further protection measure that I should do now after the fact?

You say, "I can see your page remotely." What page is that? How do you see my page remotely? Is that because I provided the WAN access number? If so, how do I prevent bad guys from doing the same from this point on?

What client and type of connection? The client is the Emby app for Windows (Windows 10). Both the desktop and the storage device are connected to the network by ethernet.

Thank you for your kind assistance.

[Happy2Play 9780]

6 minutes ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

I see that someone has redacted the WAN access number in the image file that I sent. Was that for my protection? If so, thank you. Was I wrong to send it unredacted? Did I unwittingly expose my computer to intruders? Is there any further protection measure that I should do now after the fact?

You say, "I can see your page remotely." What page is that? How do you see my page remotely? Is that because I provided the WAN access number? If so, how do I prevent bad guys from doing the same from this point on?

What client and type of connection? The client is the Emby app for Windows (Windows 10). Both the desktop and the storage device are connected to the network by ethernet.

Thank you for your kind assistance.

Ideally you should customize you Emby ports and make sure when posting server logs you download from logs pages with anonymize option enabled.

I entered your WAN:port into a browser and got your server login page.

When you say Emby app for Windows you mean this one?

Emby for Windows - Emby

 

But if clients on your LAN cannot connect it usually point to a firewall issue as mentioned above.

 

[DfY38Mb55 2]

14 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

Sorry did you not read the second post and linked How to Report a Problem?

Here are the 10 log files in .txt. I hope this is what was requested.

embyserver-63885641715.txt embyserver-63885641888.txt embyserver-63885681934.txt embyserver-63885682354.txt embyserver-63885715200.txt hardware_detection-63885640732.txt hardware_detection-63885641753.txt hardware_detection-63885681953.txt hardware_detection-63885682369.txt embyserver.txt

[Happy2Play 9780]

Well from this image we should have seen your issue earlier.

Host will not contain port as it is the next line.

Edited June 17, 2025 by Happy2Play

[DfY38Mb55 2]

7 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

When you say Emby app for Windows you mean this one?

Emby for Windows - Emby

 

It probably is, but I can't tell because mine is an empty Emby. It has no media, so so it does not look anything like the one advertised.

I have attached a picture of the page from which I downloaded it, if that helps.

[Neminem 1518]

5 minutes ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

It probably is, but I can't tell because mine is an empty Emby. It has no media, so so it does not look anything like the one advertised.

Emby  do not supply media files.

You need to rip your own media, from disc.

Edited June 17, 2025 by Neminem

[Happy2Play 9780]

5 minutes ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

It probably is, but I can't tell because mine is an empty Emby. It has no media, so so it does not look anything like the one advertised.

Will be glad when 4.9 gets released as it will how libraries.  Have you configured your libraries when you installed Emby?

If you go to the Dashboard and click Library are they shown?

[seanbuff 1316]

21 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

Well from this image we should have seen your issue earlier.

@Lessajalready pointed this out earlier

7 hours ago, Lessaj said:

For host you only enter the IP address, host name or domain name, the second field is the port number.

 

[DfY38Mb55 2]

39 minutes ago, Neminem said:

Emby  do not supply media files.

You need to rip your own media, from disc.

Emby, thankfully, does not supply media files. I have my own. All I was trying to accomplish was to use Emby to access my media files (migrating from Plex). Emby didn't seem to want to do that at first. That's how this thread started.

It looks like things are moving now. I am building the first "library." The progress bar is now at 96%. It moved fairly quickly until it reached 90% and then became very slow. Let's see how far it goes.

Thanks to all who have rushed to my rescue. We are not out of the woods yet, but we have advanced.

[Luke 42078]

10 hours ago, DfY38Mb55 said:

Emby, thankfully, does not supply media files. I have my own. All I was trying to accomplish was to use Emby to access my media files (migrating from Plex). Emby didn't seem to want to do that at first. That's how this thread started.

It looks like things are moving now. I am building the first "library." The progress bar is now at 96%. It moved fairly quickly until it reached 90% and then became very slow. Let's see how far it goes.

Thanks to all who have rushed to my rescue. We are not out of the woods yet, but we have advanced.

hi, I would just give it time and allow it to finish. Subsequent scans after the first should be quicker. Thanks.