The Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro is an external single-drive network hard drive containing its own WiFi hotspot and the ability to install Plex Media Server.The device is not capable of transcoding video on its own, so many people might think of it more as a “companion” Plex Media Server rather than something to fully replace a more capable computer- or NAS-based server.
Tip!: The My Wireless Pro is ideal for taking on the road with you and connecting multiple streaming devices directly to it. Take it with you on a plane, train, or automobile trip!
Related Page: Western Digital: My Passport Wireless Pro
How do I connect Plex apps to the My Passport Wireless Pro?
The My Passport Wireless Pro can act as its own WiFi hotspot, allowing you to connect multiple devices directly to it without needing a router or separate wireless access point. This makes it an ideal device to take on the road with you, or wherever your travels take you.
Do I need to be connected to the Internet to use this device?
For standard use, the device will not need an internet connection when playing content on a Plex app. There are some situations where internet access is necessary:
- When you add content to your library, as the server gathers metadata for your media
- An internet connection may also be necessary the first time you play media, as the server may need to download certain system components
- If you use Plex Home and want to fast user switch to a different member of your Home
Related Page: Internet and Network Requirements
Related Page: Plex Home
Can the My Passport Wireless Pro transcode video?
The My Passport Wireless Pro does not support transcoding of video. To get the most out of it, you will want to use media that has already been optimized and can be Direct Played by the Plex apps you’ll be using for playback.
What if my media is not natively compatible?
Since the My Passport Wireless Pro cannot transcode video itself, you’ll likely want to make sure that your content is compatible with the Plex apps you’ll be using if it isn’t already.
The most obvious method is to simply use a third-party tool to re-encode your content to a compatible format beforehand. For instance, you might use something such as Handbrake to do so.
Another possibility is to use the Media Optimizer feature of Plex if you have Plex Media Server running on your computer with your main library. You could create optimized versions and then copy those over to the My Passport Wireless Pro yourself. Alternatively, you could point the optimization output location to a folder located on your Wireless Pro, which you could then use as a source location for a local library.
Note: Using Media Optimizer like this isn’t intended to be a way to “recreate” your entire main Plex Media Server library on the My Passport Wireless Pro, but it can be a great method for creating select files as needed.
Related Page: Media Optimizer
How do I manage Plex Media Server?
The Plex Media Server on the device can be managed just like normal by using Plex Web App. By default:
- Connect your device to the My Passport Wireless Pro via WiFi
- In a browser, go to
http://192.168.60.1:32400/web
Related Page: Opening Plex Web App
Related Page: Server Settings
How do I access the device’s settings?
You’ll access the My Passport Wireless Pro’s administrative panel just like normal. By default:
- Connect your device to the My Passport Wireless Pro via WiFi
- In a browser, go to
http://192.168.60.1/
Related Page: Western Digital: My Passport Wireless Pro support info
Where is my media stored?
Once the Plex Media Server is installed on the My Wireless Pro, media folders are automatically created for Movies, Music, and Photos. You can create your own folders for libraries if you wish, of course.
How many simultaneous streams are supported?
The real-world performance of the My Passport Wireless Pro can vary depending on the particular properties of the media you’re playing (bitrate, resolution, etc). You can maximize its capabilities by using optimized media that can be Direct Played or Direct Streamed to support multiple devices.
Can I stream media with subtitles?
“It depends”. Capabilities will vary based on both the subtitle format you’re using as well as what the Plex app you’re using supports. In most cases:
- Image-based subtitles (PGS or VOBSUB) will not work because they will usually require video transcoding.
- Text-based subtitles (SRT, tx3g, etc.) will work for many apps.
Note that even for text-based subtitles, not all Plex apps will always be able to play them without transcoding (which is not available here).
Related Page: Using Subtitles
Which kind of WiFi does it support?
The My Passport Wireless Pro supports both the 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands using 802.11ac. This allows you to connect to it from virtually any device you wish.
How do update Plex Media Server?
You can check for an update to the app via the My Passport Wireless Pro’s normal administrative panel (see above). If an update is available, you can install it from there.
Related Page: WD: How to upgrade Plex Media Server on a My Passport Wireless Pro device