How to watch your home Jellyfin library away from home

The problem

Your home computer holds a collection of movies, shows, and music in Jellyfin. At home everything works, but at the cottage, on a trip, or at your parents' place the library is out of reach: the home computer cannot be reached from outside.

How DevProxy solves it

DevProxy gives your library a secure address like https://movies.your-workspace.devtunnels.ru. Open it in a browser or enter it in the Jellyfin app on your phone and TV. Sign-in is protected by Jellyfin accounts.

What you need

• Jellyfin on your home computer, with password-protected accounts for everyone who will watch.
• The DevProxy app and an access key with the "Website or API" ready option. See How to start using DevProxy.

Step 1. Check Jellyfin's address

Jellyfin usually opens on the same computer at http://127.0.0.1:8096. Open it in a browser and make sure your library is there.

Step 2. Set up the DevProxy app

Open the settings file (how to do it) and replace its contents with this text:

server: https://control.devtunnels.ru
token: YOUR_KEY
reconnect: true
tunnels:
  - name: movies
    kind: http
    local: http://127.0.0.1:8096

Paste your key, save the file, and run devproxy start. The same settings are in the dashboard under "Templates", in the Jellyfin card.

Step 3. Connect from your phone or TV

Copy the address of the movies tunnel in the dashboard. In the Jellyfin app, choose "Add server" and paste the address. Sign in with your account.

About traffic

Video uses a lot of your plan's traffic. An hour of a movie in good quality takes roughly 1 to 3 GB, so the free 5 GB per month covers a couple of movies. For regular viewing, the Pro plan with 50 GB per month fits better.

Lower quality saves traffic: in the Jellyfin player, open the playback settings and choose, for example, 720p. Video also stutters less, because the speed is limited by your home internet's upload speed.

Good to know

• Create a separate password-protected account for each family member and do not enable sign-in without a password.
• The home computer must stay on, with Jellyfin and DevProxy running.

If something went wrong

• The app cannot find the server. Make sure the address starts with https:// and that the tunnel is "online" in the dashboard.
• Video keeps pausing. Lower the quality in the player: your home internet is too slow for the chosen quality.
• A warning that traffic is running out. The remaining amount is on the "Overview" page of the dashboard. Switch to a larger plan or wait until the next month.