Introduction
You’ve done the heavy lifting. Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS is installed, your storage is partitioned and mounted, SMB shares are working, and Jellyfin is sitting there waiting. Now it’s time to point it at your media and finish the wizard so you can actually watch something.
This post walks the rest of the way. You’ll complete the setup wizard, add your libraries, set a few sane defaults, and confirm playback works. By the end, your old PC will be a working media server that streams to anything on your LAN.
Accessing the Jellyfin Web Interface
Step 1: Connect to Jellyfin
Open a web browser on a device connected to your network.
Enter the server’s IP address followed by the port number :8096.
Example:
http://192.168.1.100:8096
This loads the Jellyfin setup wizard. It should look like this:
If the page doesn’t load, check this post: Troubleshooting - Jellyfin Server Access Issues
Running the Jellyfin Setup Wizard
Step 1: Choose Your Language and Region
Pick your preferred language.
Step 2: Create an Admin Account
Pick a strong admin username and password. This is the account that controls everything on the server, so don’t reuse a password you’ve used anywhere else.
Tips for Creating a Strong Username and Password
Use Unique Credentials: Skip common usernames like “jellyfin” and passwords like “123456.” Pick a unique username, and for the password use a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters.
Make It Long: Passwords should be at least 12 characters.
Avoid Predictable Words: Don’t use easily guessed information like your name, birthday, or server name.
Use a Password Manager: If remembering complex passwords is a pain, a password manager can generate and store them securely for you.
Step 3: Add Media Libraries
- Click “Add Media Library.”
- Pick the content type (Movies, TV Shows, Music, etc.).
- Click the
+next to “Folders” and browse to the folder where the media is stored (e.g.,/mnt/media/Movies).
- The defaults are fine for an initial setup. Leave them alone.
- Repeat for
/mnt/media/Showsand/mnt/media/Music.
Step 4: Configure Metadata Options
Metadata pulls in the cover art, plot summaries, cast lists, and ratings for your movies, shows, and music. It’s what turns a folder of filenames into something that actually looks like a streaming service.
For now, accept the defaults. You can fine-tune later.
Step 5: Remote Access (Optional)
Not recommended. If you want remote access, you’ll need to forward Jellyfin’s port (default 8096) on your router to the server’s internal IP. That exposes the server to the public internet. If you do this, use a VPN or put it behind a reverse proxy with HTTPS and a real certificate. Don’t open port 8096 to the world and hope for the best.
Step 6: Finish the Wizard
Click “Finish.” The server will start scanning your media folders and populating the libraries.
If everything went well, you should see the web interface with your media listed.
Testing Your Jellyfin Setup
Step 1: Open the Jellyfin Client
You can use the web browser, or install the Jellyfin app on the device you actually want to watch on (phone, tablet, TV, streaming stick).
Note: Right now this is only accessible while you’re connected to your local network.
Jellyfin apps: download from your platform’s app store, or grab them from the official site.
Step 2: Test Playback
Play a sample movie or TV show to confirm the server is working. You can do it straight from the web browser, but some browsers choke on certain codecs. For a cleaner test, use the official Jellyfin client app. It handles more formats natively and doesn’t lean on the browser for decoding.
Client apps: Jellyfin Client Downloads
Conclusion
That’s Jellyfin up and running with user accounts, metadata, and media libraries. Your server is now streaming to anything on your network.
There’s plenty more to dig into when you’re ready. Themes, plugins, hardware transcoding, user permissions, and remote access are all next steps worth exploring. Get comfortable with what you’ve built first, then pick one thing at a time.
Time to grab some popcorn and watch something on the server you built.