SOLVED Setting up a media server

[UnclKracker]

I have an old laptop that I operate as a Plex Media server. I want to keep it as part the LAN to access my media on a NAS and to file share with the other computers on the local network but isolate it from the internet. It plays media without a problem unless. the CPU becomes loaded with any other activity like internet traffic. Then the video will start buffering.

My service provider is Frontier FIOS. The laptop is running Windows 10. Can I make some changes in Widows or the router to remove access to the internet but stay on the local network?

 

[Trouble]

Should be relatively easy.
As you do not need a default gateway to access anything on a local area network (LAN), simply set IPv4 to a static value for address and subnet mask and leave the default gateway blank.
IF your provider uses IPv6 you may want to uncheck that for this machine to avoid it connecting.
IPv4 with no default gateway should be sufficient for the task at hand.

 

[UnclKracker]

Should be relatively easy.
As you do not need a default gateway to access anything on a local area network (LAN), simply set IPv4 to a static value for address and subnet mask and leave the default gateway blank.
IF your provider uses IPv6 you may want to uncheck that for this machine to avoid it connecting.
IPv4 with no default gateway should be sufficient for the task at hand.

I'm following up on my old thread from almost a year ago. I was asking for help setting up an old laptop to stream content on my LAN but isolate it from the internet.

Yesterday, I came across the OEM DVD that shipped with my old Sony laptop. It's Windows 7 Home edition. The laptop has been doing a fair job as a Plex server except when streaming UHD videos. I'm wondering if I dropped Windows 10 and went back to 7 would there be a performance improvement running Plex under a simpler OS? Does Windows 7 ask less of the CPU to make it worthwhile? If it would then the next thing I'd want to do is strip 7 down to only what is needed to operate it as a Plex server on the LAN. I'm a seasoned amateur. Haha. I know just enough to follow a plan and tweek an OS. Just need to find that plan.
Thanks