It would be nice to be able to enter a public IP manually and not have to use the detected IP address. When I am using a VPN client the IP address changes and I cannot forward the port needed through that connection for remote access.
I would like to be able to check a box to disable automatic IP detection and enter my true local public IP address for remote access when my VPN client is connected.
There are several related existing requests
+1 for this request!
+1 also from me.
+5 for what it’s worth. The IP detection is flawed.
The new Custom Server Access URLs feature probably allows you to achieve what you are after
See Server Network Settings (Advanced) Support info
That’s a good one, sa2000. Thanks. Going to try this when I return home.
So this does work and it does not. Upon entering my desired IP address (in URL format) into that field I can see it being reported under https://plex.tv/pms/resources.xml?includeHttps=1. The URL being reported there is accessible from the outside.
However, Plex itself still keeps reporting the wrong IP under Server -> Remote Access -> Remote Mapping.
For some reason Plex does not recognize that the IP address has changed.
I understand it is an extra additional route and if the port is specified in the custom url, one does not have to use Remote Access. But of course you need to get the routing right so it ends up on local port 32400 on the server
The routing is right, I am 100% sure about that (I am a network engineer, so at least in that field I know what I am doing :)).
I just don’t understand why Plex keeps reporting an IP address that doesn’t even exist anymore. Talking about the outside IP btw, e.g. the Internet IP.
I never trusted Disable Remote Access function - but what does that do ? Does it remove the normal internet IP route from the resources.xml?includeHttps=1 ?
Anyway - with this being a new feature - there is bound to be the need for some tweaking and improvements
The Disable Remote Access function doesn’t seem to do anything. The IP address is only reported on resources.xml?includeHttps=1 if I actually have it in the custom url field. If I don’t have it in there, my external IP is not listed on resources.xml?includeHttps=1 at all, it’s only visible inside the Plex server admin GUI - and the wrong one too.
I don’t know how Plex figures out it’s external IP, but at least in my case it’s not doing it right, reporting an old IP that’s no longer there.
I guess I’ll just let it sit for a few hours and check if it has resolved the new IP then.
@cryptochrome said:
The Disable Remote Access function doesn’t seem to do anything. The IP address is only reported on resources.xml?includeHttps=1 if I actually have it in the custom url field. If I don’t have it in there, my external IP is not listed on resources.xml?includeHttps=1 at all, it’s only visible inside the Plex server admin GUI - and the wrong one too.I don’t know how Plex figures out it’s external IP, but at least in my case it’s not doing it right, reporting an old IP that’s no longer there.
I guess I’ll just let it sit for a few hours and check if it has resolved the new IP then.
What is important is what is on the xml. The screen being wrong for an IP address that is not being used because you are using the custom url should not matter. They just need to improve on what gets displayed.
So does it create a plex.direct url for the custom URL IP Address ?
Yes, it does. If I fill the custom URL field, I am seeing it in resources.xml?includeHttps=1. But only then. If I have the custom URL field empty, the XML only contains my internal addresses, not a single external one. As if the server mapping function wouldn’t work at all.
@cryptochrome said:
Yes, it does. If I fill the custom URL field, I am seeing it in resources.xml?includeHttps=1. But only then. If I have the custom URL field empty, the XML only contains my internal addresses, not a single external one. As if the server mapping function wouldn’t work at all.
That is ok. Is it not? That is the only public route you want : The custom server access url connection route
Yes, that’s what I want, but why does it no longer work automatically? Something is not right.
I am trying to understand how this is working - so bear with me.
The custom server access urls is supposed to be additional alternative to the normal Remote Access fuctionality and independent of that setting page - when you specify a WAN port on the URL in the custom url field
If you do not specify a custom port - then i believe it will use the port that is on remote access settings screen
So one scenario would be - no Remote Access setting and not enabled.
Specify a public IP and port or domain and port in the custom url field
Setup all the port routing to ensure that port reaches 32400 on the server
Are you saying that this does not work automatically ?
Second scenario: Manually specify port ticked and a wan port number entered on the remote access setting screen
Custom Server Access URL just has the Public IP or domain
This i understand should try and use the manually specified port for the public URL IP
I am exhausting what i think I know about this.
Scratch everything I said. It was my fault. I apologize. This is one of those facepalm situations. I had an issue with a virtual switch on my KVM host (where Plex is running inside a virtual machine). It was “patched” to the wrong physical network interface.
Everything is working now.
Again, sorry for the confusion.
I guess it’s always a Layer 8 issue.
Thanks sa2000! I placed my dns url into the “Custom Server Access URLs” window which points to my external IP including my port. Now my plex server stays connected to the correct external IP even when I am using a VPN tunnel for all other traffic.
This is exactly what I was after! 
