Fix Plex Buffering Fast with RcloneView — Tune Mounts, VFS Cache, and Network Limits

November 19, 2025 · 8 min read

Senior Engineer

Plex is only as smooth as the storage behind it. With RcloneView you can see, tweak, and monitor every setting required to stream 4K libraries from Google Drive, Dropbox, Wasabi, or S3 without pauses.

Plex buffering has multiple culprits—slow disks, underpowered VFS cache, aggressive scanners, or Google Drive throttling. RcloneView layers a GUI over rclone so you can mount clouds, dial in cache modes, and watch real-time throughput without memorizing flags. This article gives Plex admins a checklist to eliminate stutters and reclaim binge nights.

Manage & Sync All Clouds in One Place

RcloneView is a cross-platform GUI for rclone. Compare folders, transfer or sync files, and automate multi-cloud workflows with a clean, visual interface.

One-click jobs: Copy · Sync · Compare
Schedulers & history for reliable automation
Works with Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, S3, WebDAV, SFTP and more

WindowsmacOSLinux

Get Started Free →

Free core features. Plus automations available.

Quick triage: is it Plex, network, or the mount?

Symptom	Likely cause	What to check in RcloneView
Buffering after 30–60 seconds	Cache not holding the whole file or cache on a slow disk	Mount details → Cache Mode (Full) and Cache max size large enough on SSD
Buffering when skipping chapters	Cached data expiring too quickly	Advanced mount options → Cache max age longer window and Dir cache time (5–15 minutes)
Streams fine locally but stalls remotely	Network/ISP bottleneck	Confirm mount is on fast storage; check LAN/ISP. Use Mount Manager to verify it stays mounted.
Plays SD but 4K fails	Cache size too small for big files or mount path changed	Advanced options → Increase Cache max size and keep a fixed Target or Mount to local path for Plex
Library scans freeze Plex	Repeated directory fetches	Advanced options → Dir cache time (e.g., 5–15 minutes); schedule scans during off-hours

If the mount is the bottleneck, the fix lives in RcloneView.

Step 1 — Mount clouds with the right defaults

Open multiple cloud remotes in RcloneView

Add your cloud remote (Google Drive, Dropbox, Wasabi, S3, etc.) in Explorer → + New Remote. Need a refresher? See /support/howto/remote-storage-connection-settings/add-oath-online-login.
Open Mount Manager → Add Mount.
Choose the remote folder that holds media (gdrive-media:Movies) and set a mount path visible to Plex (drive letter on Windows or /Volumes/CloudMovies on macOS/Linux).
Keep Target on Auto unless Plex needs a fixed drive letter. To lock it in, choose a letter (Windows) or enable Mount to local path and point to a persistent folder (Linux/macOS).
In Advanced, keep Mount type on cmount for Windows; use nfsmount only if you already rely on NFS on Linux/macOS. Check Network drive on Windows so the Plex service sees the mount. Use Allow other on Linux when Plex runs as another user. Leave Read only off if you add files or subtitles through the mount.
Under Cache mode, pick Full (best for Plex). Set Cache max size, Cache max age, and Dir cache time in the same dialog to keep large media cached.
Enable Auto start on launch so mounts return when the server reboots.

Advanced mount options translated for Plex users

These field names match RcloneView’s Mount dialog. Defaults follow the Mount Cloud Storage as a Local Drive guide; the “Plex-friendly” column clarifies how to set them for streaming.

RcloneView field	What it controls	Plex-friendly setting
Volume name	Label shown by the OS/file manager.	Optional; use a clear name like `Plex Cloud`.
Mount type	Backend engine (`cmount` default on Windows, `nfsmount` mostly Linux/macOS).	Keep `cmount` unless you already use NFS; switching rarely improves buffering.
Target	Drive letter or auto-assigned mount target.	`Auto` is fine; pick a fixed letter/path if Plex runs as a service.
Mount to local path	Custom mount location.	Use when Plex expects a stable Unix path (e.g., `/mnt/plex-media`).
Network drive	Marks mount as network drive on Windows.	Enable so Plex service accounts can see the mount.
Read only	Blocks writes to the remote.	Leave off to allow subtitle downloads or metadata touches; enable only for playback-only mounts.
Allow other	Lets other OS users access the mount (Linux).	Enable if Plex runs under a different user than your login.
Cache mode	VFS cache behavior: `off`, `minimal`, `writes`, `full` (default `writes`).	Use Full for Plex to keep whole files cached and speed seeking.
Cache max size	Max VFS cache size (bytes). `-1` = no limit.	Set an explicit size (e.g., `75000000000` for ~75 GB) to protect SSD space.
Cache max age	How long cached data stays valid (nanoseconds).	3600000000000 = 1h, 21600000000000 = 6h. Start with 6–12h so 4K files stay warm.
Dir cache time	How long directory listings stay cached (nanoseconds).	300000000000 = 5m, 900000000000 = 15m. Match your scan frequency (5–15m typical).

Step 2 — Tune VFS cache size and freshness for Plex

RcloneView exposes cache knobs that directly affect Plex playback. Enter time values in nanoseconds.

Cache mode: Use Full for Plex so the whole file stays in cache for smooth seeking. If you also write subtitles/metadata through the mount, Full still works; leave Read only unchecked so writes are allowed.
Cache max size: Reserve enough SSD for concurrent streams (e.g., ~75–100 GB per active 4K user). Example: 107374182400 ≈ 100 GB.
Cache max age: Keep cached media warm for hours so returning to an episode skips refetching. Example: 21600000000000 = 6 hours; 43200000000000 = 12 hours.
Dir cache time: Reduce directory churn during Plex scans. Example: 300000000000 = 5 minutes; 900000000000 = 15 minutes. Refresh manually after adding content.
RcloneView does not surface VFS read ahead, buffer-size, or --tpslimit; focus on the cache fields above for the biggest Plex gains.

Step 3 — Match RcloneView throughput to Plex demand

Keep a fixed Target or Mount to local path so Plex libraries never lose their mount path after reboot.
Use Auto start on launch so mounts come back before Plex services start.
On Windows, enable Network drive; on Linux, enable Allow other so the Plex service account can see the mount.
Watch Mount Manager status. If a mount flips to Unmounted, re-mount from there or the system tray menu instead of rebuilding libraries.
For multi-library setups, create separate mounts (e.g., Movies vs. Shows) and set Cache max size per mount to prevent one library from evicting another’s cache.

Step 4 — Harden network + OS settings

Local network: Plug the Plex server via Ethernet; set QoS so it receives priority bandwidth.
Windows: Mount using a fixed drive letter and ensure the Plex service runs as the same user that owns the mount.
Linux/macOS: Use /etc/fstab or a launch agent only after verifying RcloneView’s auto-mount works—consistency matters more than manual scripts.
Bandwidth caps: In Settings → Transfers, leave bandwidth uncapped for LAN streaming, but set an upper bound (e.g., 300 Mbps) if other workloads share the pipe.

Troubleshooting cheatsheet

Problem	Fix
Buffering after idle period	Increase Cache max age (e.g., 6–12 hours) and keep Cache mode on Full so cached chunks stay warm
Buffering when multiple users stream	Raise Cache max size to fit simultaneous 4K files and ensure the SSD has free space
Drive un-mounts overnight	Enable Auto start on launch and use a fixed Target or Mount to local path
Plex can’t see mount	On Windows, check Network drive and run Plex with the same credentials; on Linux, enable Allow other
Library scans are slow	Increase Dir cache time to 5–15 minutes; refresh cache after adding new content

Real-world buffering fixes

4K HDR collectors
- Cache Mode: Full
- Cache max size: 120 GB (SSD/NVMe)
- Cache max age: 12 hours (43200000000000 ns)
- Dir cache time: 15 minutes (900000000000 ns)
  Result: Instant chapter skips, <1s buffer for Dolby Vision remuxes.
Family server with mixed 1080p/4K
- Two mounts: Movies, Shows, each with its own cache sizing
- Scheduler job warms frequently watched folders nightly
  Result: Separate caches prevent kids’ cartoons from evicting movie caches.
Traveling users on LTE
- Bandwidth cap: 80 Mbps
- Plex transcoding set to 8 Mbps 1080p
- RcloneView mount stays on Full cache mode; writes still queue until connectivity returns
  Result: Stable streams even over cellular hotspots.

FAQ

Do I need a separate mount per library?
Not required, but splitting large libraries keeps caches manageable and lets you tune cache size/age per library (e.g., longer cache age for 4K movies than for TV episodes).

Play without pauses

Plex buffering is solvable once you tame mounts, cache, and quotas. RcloneView provides the GUI to configure VFS cache correctly, monitor throughput, and automate warm-ups—no guessing at shell scripts. Dial in the settings above, watch your transfer graphs, and enjoy Plex libraries that behave like local storage.