Learn how to configure the Jellyfin media system on Windows, macOS, and Linux and access it remotely from other devices using Meshnet.
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is an easy-to-use, open-source media system that enables you to have a single device that covers all your media needs: managing, viewing, sharing, and more. The server can be set up locally on all three desktop operating systems keeping you in full control of your data. However, accessing video files on the Jellyfin server from outside the (LAN) requires or advanced networking configurations.
By using , you can connect the Jellyfin server and the client devices to a single virtual network without changing your router or settings. This setup enables remote access to your Jellyfin server’s content from anywhere in the world.
For a quick start, check out our video tutorial.
This article also contains written instructions for setting up your personal Jellyfin server and accessing your video library remotely using Meshnet.
To start setting up, first, install the Jellyfin server software
To install the Jellyfin server on Windows:
Download the latest installer file.
Launch the Jellyfin installer. If you receive a Windows Defender SmartScreen dialog, select More info and click Run anyway.
Follow the instructions provided by the installation wizard.
Click Close to exit the installer.
Start your Jellyfin server by doing any of the following:
Opening the Jellyfin server app from your Desktop.
Opening the Jellyfin tray app from the start menu.
You should now see a Jellyfin icon in your system tray.
After installing and launching Jellyfin, you can begin configuring your server through its web interface.
Open your internet browser and visit the following address:
http://localhost:8096
Follow the instructions provided by the initial configuration wizard.
On the Setup your media libraries screen, click Next without adding any media folders.
Ensure to select the Allow remote connections to this server option when prompted.
Complete the initial setup and click Finish.
Your Jellyfin server is now active.
To add a media library to the server, you need to guide Jellyfin to where your digital content is located on the system. Jellyfin will then scan the added folders and automatically display all of the compatible files on your server.
To add media files stored locally on your device, follow these steps:
Open your Jellyfin server's web interface and sign in to your account.
In the upper-left corner, select the three-bar menu and, under Administration, click Dashboard.
From the menu on the left, under Server, select Libraries and click Add media library.
In the new window, from the dropdown list, select the desired content type and enter a display name.
Click the plus (+) button next to Folders.
In the Folder field, enter the path to your media folder. Alternatively, you can navigate to it using the options underneath.
Click OK twice.
Tip
First, since the remote access option is enabled on the Jellyfin server, it is recommended to restrict the allowed remote connections only to the Meshnet IP range. You can do so by taking these steps:
In the Jellyfin web interface, select the three-bar menu and click Dashboard.
From the menu on the left, under Advanced, select Networking.
Scroll down to the Remote access settings section.
In the Remote IP address filter field, enter 100.64.0.0/10.
Click Save to confirm the changes.
If you plan on sharing access to your Jellyfin server with friends or family, it is a good idea to create unique accounts for each user. This way, everyone can keep track of their preferred content and your administrator account remains private.
On your Jellyfin web interface, select the three-bar menu and click Dashboard.
From the menu on the left, under Server, select Users.
Click the plus (+) button to add a new user.
In the Name and Password fields, enter the authentication details of the new account.
Under Libraries, choose which media the account can access. Alternatively, select Enable access to all libraries.
Click Save to finish.
After setting up the Jellyfin server and adding the desired media content, you can access the server remotely.
The first method to access media content stored on a Jellyfin server is by using Jellyfin’s media player software.
Copy the server device’s Nord name directly from the NordVPN app.
Launch Jellyfin Media Player and click Add server.
In the Host field, paste the copied Nord name, followed by :8096. Click Connect.
Example
Sign in to the user account created on the Jellyfin server.
All media content stored on the Jellyfin server is now accessible via the Jellyfin Media Player app.
You can also access the Jellyfin server through an internet browser. This method works consistently across all devices using Meshnet.
Copy the server device’s Nord name directly from the NordVPN app.
Open your internet browser.
Paste the copied Nord name followed by :8096/ to the URL field and press Enter.
Example
secret.meerkat-altai.nord:8096/
In the User and Password fields, enter the login credentials of your Jellyfin account and click Sign in.
All media content stored on the Jellyfin server is now accessible via the internet browser.
Navigate to the .
Navigate to the .
In Finder , navigate to the Applications folder and launch Jellyfin. If you receive a confirmation dialog, click Open.
You will find instructions for importing media libraries in the section below.
For additional information regarding media library configuration, refer to the “Media” section under “Server Guide” on the page.
Optionally, you can add shared network locations, like shared folders from your NAS, as media libraries. For more information, see the section at the end of this article.
Before you start using your Jellyfin server, you should modify some of the settings to minimize the risk of .
Download and install Jellyfin Media Player for Windows from .
Download and install from the App Store.
Download and install Jellyfin Media Player for macOS from .
Download the Jellyfin Media Player installation file for your Linux distribution from .
You may also add shared network storage locations as media libraries to your Jellyfin server. These locations can vary from of your Meshnet peers to a . However, the storage medium must first be mounted on the server's system itself, only then you can import it to Jellyfin.
Instructions for mounting network shares on Windows can be found in the section of the "Configure and access shared folders on Windows" article.
After mounting the shared location, follow the steps from the section to import the content to your Jellyfin server.
The shared location is mounted automatically on macOS after you connect to it. To connect to a network share on macOS, refer to the of the "Configure and access shared folders on macOS" article.
After mounting the shared location, follow the steps from the section to import the content to your Jellyfin server.
Instructions for mounting network shares on Linux can be found in the section of the "Configure and access shared folders on Linux" article.
After mounting the shared location, follow the steps from the section to import the content to your Jellyfin server.
