What is this?
Boxed Media is a small, private media server I run from home for friends and family. Think of it like our own personal Netflix — except you can ask it to add basically anything you want, and it'll usually show up within a few minutes.
What's actually running here?
Underneath the hood, Boxed Media is a stack of self-hosted apps working together: Plex serves the video, Overseerr handles requests, Wizarr handles invites, Tautulli tracks stats, and Immich stores photos. They all live behind a reverse proxy so you can reach each one at its own clean address (no port numbers, no IP soup).
You don't need to know any of that to use it — the only address most people ever need is plex.boxedmedia.org. The rest is here for when you want it.
How to use Plex
Plex is the app you'll spend the most time in. It's the library — movies, shows, music, the lot. You can watch it in a browser, but it's much nicer in a real app.
Getting in the first time
- Check your email for an invite from Wizarr (or ask the host for one). Click the link and follow the prompts to claim your Plex account.
- Once your account is set up, install the Plex app on whatever you want to watch on. There's a version for almost everything: iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Smart TVs, Xbox, PlayStation, browser, etc.
- Sign in with the email and password you just set up.
- You should automatically see Boxed Media listed as a server in your sidebar. Pick a movie, hit play, and you're in.
A few tips
Direct play is best. If you're on a fast connection at home, Plex will stream the file as-is and quality will be perfect. On weaker connections (cell data, hotel wifi), it'll automatically transcode to a lower bitrate so it doesn't buffer.
Subtitles, audio tracks and quality all live behind the gear icon at the bottom-right of the player. Most movies have multiple subtitle languages baked in.
Watch together. Plex has a "Watchtogether" feature in the app — you can sync up a movie with someone else, and the playback stays in lockstep across devices.
How to request a movie or show
If something isn't already in the Plex library, you don't need to ask anyone — just request it through Overseerr and it'll get downloaded and added automatically.
- Open request.boxedmedia.org and sign in with your Plex account (the same one you just set up).
- Use the search bar at the top to find the movie or show you want.
- Click the title, then hit the orange Request button. For a TV show, you can pick specific seasons or request all of them.
- That's it. Most popular content shows up in Plex within a few minutes; rarer or older stuff might take longer.
- You can come back any time to see the status of your requests under Requests in the sidebar.
If a request fails or never appears after a day or two, ping the host — sometimes the source isn't available and it needs to be added manually.
Frequently asked
Is this free for me?
Yes. Boxed Media is run as a hobby for friends and family — no subscription, no ads, no tracking. Just don't share your account with strangers.
How many devices can I watch on at once?
You can be signed in on as many devices as you like. Streaming all of them at the same time depends on the server and your connection — usually two simultaneous streams per household is fine.
Can I download things to watch offline?
Yes. In the Plex mobile app, tap the download icon on a movie or episode and it'll be saved to your device for offline viewing — perfect for flights and road trips. This requires a Plex Pass on the host side, which Boxed Media has.
Why is something buffering or looking blurry?
Usually it's the network. The server is transcoding to match what your connection can handle. Try pausing for a few seconds to let it buffer, switch from Wi-Fi to a stronger network, or manually drop the quality in the player settings.
Something I requested never appeared. What do I do?
Wait at least a day — sometimes things sit in a queue. If it's still missing after that, message the host. The source might not be available and it can be sourced manually.
Can I share my account with someone else?
Please don't. If a friend or family member wants access, ask the host for a fresh invite — it takes about ten seconds to generate one through Wizarr. Sharing accounts messes up "Continue Watching" lists, recommendations, and parental controls.
Where do I back up my photos?
Open photos.boxedmedia.org and sign in with the credentials the host gave you. Then install the Immich app on your phone, sign in with the same account and the same server URL, and turn on auto-backup. From then on, every photo and video on your phone gets uploaded in the background.
I have a problem that isn't listed here.
Reach out to the host directly — text, message, however you usually get in touch. Most issues are five-minute fixes.