Use Case: Home Server Management
This guide walks through setting up RemoteX to manage a typical home server — a machine running Plex, Pi-hole, or acting as a NAS. The goal: common maintenance tasks reduced to a single click.
The scenario
You have a Raspberry Pi or mini-PC on your home network. It runs:
- Plex Media Server — your personal streaming server
- Pi-hole — network-wide ad blocking
- Samba — file sharing across the house
You are tired of SSH-ing in every time you need to restart a service or check disk usage.
Step 1 — Add the server as an SSH machine
Open Menu → Manage Machines → + and fill in:
| Field | Example value |
|---|---|
| Name | Home Server |
| Host | 192.168.1.50 |
| SSH User | pi |
| Port | 22 |
| SSH Key Path | ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 |
| Icon | Server |
If you don't have an SSH key set up yet, click Generate SSH key then Copy key to server and enter your password once. After that, click Test to confirm the connection works.
!!! tip "Pro feature" Adding SSH machines requires RemoteX Pro.
Step 2 — Create a "Home Server" category
In the Button Editor, every button you create for this server will use Category: Home Server. This groups them under a dedicated pill tab.
Step 3 — Create the buttons
Check disk space
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Label | Disk Usage |
| Command | df -h |
| Category | Home Server |
| Target | Home Server (your SSH machine) |
| Execution mode | Show output |
| Icon | drive-harddisk-symbolic |
This shows a breakdown of every filesystem on the server. The output dialog opens automatically.
Restart Plex
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Label | Restart Plex |
| Command | sudo systemctl restart plexmediaserver |
| Category | Home Server |
| Target | Home Server |
| Execution mode | Silent |
| Confirm before running | Enabled |
| Tooltip | Restart the Plex Media Server service |
| Icon | media-playback-start-symbolic |
The confirmation dialog prevents accidental restarts when someone is watching.
Update packages
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Label | System Update |
| Command | sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y |
| Category | Home Server |
| Target | Home Server |
| Execution mode | Show output |
| Tooltip | Update all installed packages |
The Show output mode lets you see what was upgraded.
Flush Pi-hole DNS cache
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Label | Flush DNS |
| Command | pihole restartdns |
| Category | Home Server |
| Target | Home Server |
| Execution mode | Silent |
Check Samba status
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Label | Samba Status |
| Command | sudo systemctl status smbd nmbd |
| Category | Home Server |
| Target | Home Server |
| Execution mode | Show output |
Reboot the server
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Label | Reboot Server |
| Command | sudo systemctl reboot |
| Category | Home Server |
| Target | Home Server |
| Execution mode | Silent |
| Confirm before running | Enabled |
| Color | #e01b24 (red — signals danger) |
| Tooltip | Reboot the home server — disconnects all clients |
Step 4 — Multi-machine: run on several servers
If you later add a second server (NAS, spare Pi), you can configure buttons to target multiple machines. For example, a System Update button that you want to run on both:
- Open the button editor for the existing System Update button
- In Target machines, enable both
Home Serverand your second machine - Save
From now on, clicking the button opens the machine picker — choose which machine to update, or run it twice for both.
Result
Your Home Server category tab gives you one-click access to everything you need. No terminal required.
!!! tip If you manage the server frequently throughout the day, enable Always on top in the hamburger menu. RemoteX stays visible while you work in other applications.