Guardian is a lightweight companion app for Plex Media Server that lets you monitor, approve, or block streaming devices in real time. It enables enforcing per-user or global access policies, automatically terminating unwanted sessions, and granting temporary access, all through a clean and simple web interface. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install Guardian on your Synology NAS using Docker and Portainer.

💡Note: This guide works perfectly with the latest Guardian v1.3.4 release.

💡Note: Check out my guide on how to Install Guardian on Your UGREEN NAS.

• STEP 1

Please Support My work by Making a Donation.

• STEP 2

Install Portainer using my step by step guide. If you already have Portainer installed on your Synology NAS, skip this STEP. Attention: Make sure you have installed the latest Portainer version.

• STEP 3

⚠️Mandatory. Install Plex on Your Synology NAS using my non Hardware Transcoding Guide or my Plex Hardware Transcoding Guide. If you have Plex already installed on your Synology NAS, skip this step.

• STEP 4

Connect to your Plex instance and go to Home. Press F12 on your Keyboard. A new window will open. Expand the window until you see the Network tab. Click on the Network tab. In the apposite field, type in library. Click Stop on the red record button. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 5

Click Start to start the record.

• STEP 6

Click Reload page. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 7

Click on the first Name in the window. Copy your Plex Token between = and & and save it in a safe place. You will need this Token later at STEP 16. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 8

Go to File Station and open the docker folder. Inside the docker folder, create one new folder and name it guardian. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

• STEP 9

Log into Portainer using your username and password. On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on Home then Live connect. Follow the instructions in the image below.

On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on Stacks then + Add stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 10

In the Name field type in guardian. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Note: Copy Paste the code below in the Portainer Stacks Web editor.

services:
  backend:
    image: hydroshieldmkii/guardian-backend:latest
    container_name: Guardian-BACKEND
    environment:
      NODE_ENV: production
      DATABASE_PATH: /app/data/plex-guard.db
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/guardian:/app/data:rw
    restart: on-failure:5

  frontend:
    image: hydroshieldmkii/guardian-frontend:latest
    container_name: Guardian-FRONTEND
    ports:
      - 3037:3000
    environment:
      NODE_ENV: production
    depends_on:
      - backend
    restart: on-failure:5

• STEP 11

Scroll down on the page until you see a button named Deploy the stack. Click on it. Follow the instructions in the image below. The installation process can take up to a few minutes. It will depend on your Internet speed connection.

• STEP 12

If everything goes right, you will see the following message at the top right of your screen: “Success Stack successfully deployed“.

• STEP 13

🟢Please Support My work by Making a Donation. Almost 99,9% of the people that install something using my guides forget to support my work, or just ignore STEP 1. I’ve been very honest about this aspect of my work since the beginning: I don’t run any ADS, I don’t require subscriptions, paid or otherwise, I don’t collect IPs, emails, and I don’t have any referral links from Amazon or other merchants. I also don’t have any POP-UPs or COOKIES. I have repeatedly been told over the years how much I have contributed to the community. It’s something I love doing and have been honest about my passion since the beginning. But I also Need The Community to Support me Back to be able to continue doing this work.

• STEP 14

The installation process can take up to a few seconds/minutes. It will depend on your Internet speed connection. Now open your browser and type in http://synology-ip-address:3037 Create your administrator account. Click Create Admin Account. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 15

Click Go to settings. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 16

On the Custom Plex URL area, type in http://NASLOCALIP followed by :32400/web
On the Plex server token, type in your own Plex Token that you have previously got at STEP 7.
On the Plex server IP address, type in your own NASLOCALIP followed by :32400/web without http:// at the beginning.
On the Plex server port, type in 32400

Click Save Now then scroll down the page.

Click the Save Now button after you add port 32400. Click Test Plex Connection. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 17

Your Guardian Device Management at a glance!

• STEP 18

Your Active Streams at a glance!

Enjoy Guardian!

🆘TROUBLESHOOTING

If you encounter issues by using this container, make sure to check out the Common Docker issues article.

Note: If you want to run the Guardian container over HTTPS, check How to Run Docker Containers Over HTTPS. In order to make Guardian work via HTTPS, it’s mandatory to activate WebSocket.

Note: Can I run Docker on my Synology NAS? See the supported models.
Note: How to Back Up Docker Containers on your Synology NAS.
Note: Find out how to update the Guardian container with the latest image.
Note: How to Free Disk Space on Your NAS if You Run Docker.
Note: How to Schedule Start & Stop For Docker Containers.
Note: How to Activate Email Notifications.
Note: How to Add Access Control Profile on Your NAS.
Note: How to Change Docker Containers Restart Policy.
Note: How to Use Docker Containers With VPN.
Note: Convert Docker Run Into Docker Compose.
Note: How to Clean Docker.
Note: How to Clean Docker Automatically.
Note: Best Practices When Using Docker and DDNS.
Note: Some Docker Containers Need WebSocket.
Note: Find out the Best NAS Models For Docker.
Note: Activate Gmail SMTP For Docker Containers.