Apple tv 3 - Plexconnect external (connection problems)

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1

I've made an test set-up with an Apple tv 3 and plexconnect on my local network and got this working pretty easy and everything was working fine.

 

So i knew my configs were right for this local setup. The idea i had was to setup my apple tv 3 at a remote location and running PMS & plex connect on my server here.

Now i've my apple tv 3 remote and set the correct external DNS my apple tv 3 keeps saying: "Accessing trailers".

 

In my Plexconnect i see the DNS request coming through and Plexconnect says for example:

 

DNSServer: DNS Request Received!

DNSServer: Source "82.169.11.11" , 53478)

DNSServer: Domain: trailers.apple.com

DNSServer: ***Intercept request

DNSServer: -> DNS response 10.0.0.15

 

This all looks like the DNS request is coming through and it looks like plexconnect is forwarding the request to my PMS (which is on 10.0.0.15) but the apple tv keeps saying: "Accessing trailers" until it times out.

 

I've the idea that something with my configs are wrong, and i've seen some more topics about this problem but i couldn't find the right solution.

 

Technical details:

Model: Apple tv 3 - 6.0

DNS on Apple tv: 178.20.11.11 (external ip of host running plexconnect)

OS: Plexconnect is running on Windows server 2008(vmware) with python 2.7 (everything was working on local network test)

IP: Local network IP of host running Plexconnect 10.0.0.15 (Port forwarded 53UDP 80TCP 443TCP)

PMS: PMS (v. 0.9.8.14) is running on same machine(10.0.0.15) as Plexconnect (Windows server 2008 vmware)
Plexconnect - Master 12-12-2013
PMS Whitelist (login without authentication) 82.169.11.11/255.255.255.0,178.20.11.11/255.255.255.0,127.0.0.1/255.255.255.0,10.0.0.0/255.255.255.0

 

82.169.11.11 <- location apple tv 3 running with DNS server: 178.56.11.11

178.56.11.11 <- location PMS and plexconnect running on 10.0.0.15 (Port forwards: 53UDP 80TCP 443TCP 32400TCP)

 

Link to settings.cfg plexconnect: http://pastebin.com/qFiMmBTL

 

As you can see in the screenshot(attachment) i tried to connect to trailers(PMS): DNS request intercept

 

And connection to youtube app (DNS request forwarded) and it was working also

 

I've no clue what's going wrong i hope someone here can help me to find out and solve this problem.

I don't want to wait for support for myplex because i find this also a challenge to solve

2

I guess you could have a look at Wahlman's tips & tricks. He is doing stuff like that...

Did you open all the necessary ports on your router - to let the aTV requests pass (80, 443)?

3

I guess you could have a look at Wahlman's tips & tricks. He is doing stuff like that...

Did you open all the necessary ports on your router - to let the aTV requests pass (80, 443)?

Thx Baa for your fast reply!

Yes Port 53UDP 80TCP and 443TCP are forwarded to Plexconnect.

When im trying to browse(with a pc of laptop) at the apple tv location to http://178.56.11.11:80 and 443 im getting:

"Error response

Error code 403.

Message: Not Serving Client 82.169.11.11

Error code explanation: 403 = Request forbidden -- authorization will not help."

So plexconnet is responding and it doesn't look like a problem with port forwardings but im not sure of that.

Edit: Where can i find Wahlmans Tips & Tricks for running an external plexconnect setup ?

4

>>Edit: Where can i find Wahlmans Tips & Tricks for running an external plexconnect setup ?

Everywhere... he really spreads his words. :-)
See his signature links.
5

Are you aware of the dangers of opening up port 53 to the world and his dog when running an unhardened DNS server?

Is there any reason you cannot just run a PlexConnect instance at the remote location and use MyPlex to access your media from your home server?

6

f00b4r im aware of the risks. thats why im using IP filtering. sorry i didn’t wrote that in my first post. thx for the warning!


first of all im looking for a solution with my remote plexconnect. otherwise i’ve to setup a pc or raspi with plexconnect. i preffer a remote plexconnect.

7

Followed wahlman guide for dyndns (but instate of that i used my static ip 178.20.11.11

https://forums.plexapp.com/index.php/topic/86031-plexconnect-on-the-go-atv23-no-jailbreak/

Still no result.

Copy plexconnect log(First tried youtube app this is working and than opened trailers):

15:48:49 PlexConnect: started: 15:48:49
15:48:49 Settings: getsetting enable_plexconnect_autodetect=True
15:48:49 PlexConnect: IP_self: 10.0.0.15
15:48:49 Settings: getsetting hosttointercept=trailers.apple.com
15:48:49 Settings: getsetting hostofplexconnect=178.20.11.11
15:48:49 Settings: getsetting defaultjs=http://178.20.11.11
15:48:49 Settings: getsetting enable_dnsserver=True
15:48:50 DNSServer: started: 15:48:50
15:48:50 Settings: getsetting port_dnsserver=53
15:48:50 Settings: getsetting ip_dnsmaster=8.8.8.8
15:48:50 Settings: getsetting prevent_atv_update=True
15:48:50 DNSServer: ***
15:48:50 DNSServer: DNSServer: Serving DNS on 10.0.0.15 port 53.
15:48:50 DNSServer: intercept: ['trailers.apple.com', '178.20.11.11'] => 10.0.0.15
15:48:50 DNSServer: restrain: ['mesu.apple.com', 'appldnld.apple.com', 'appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net'] => 127.0.0.1
15:48:50 DNSServer: forward other to higher level DNS: 8.8.8.8
15:48:50 DNSServer: ***
15:48:50 WebServer: started: 15:48:50
15:48:50 Settings: getsetting port_webserver=80
15:48:50 WebServer: ***
15:48:50 WebServer: WebServer: Serving HTTP on 10.0.0.15 port 80.
15:48:50 WebServer: ***
15:48:50 ATVSettings: init class CATVSettings
15:48:50 ATVSettings: load settings
15:48:50 Settings: getsetting enable_webserver_ssl=True
15:48:50 WebServer: started: 15:48:50
15:48:50 Settings: getsetting port_ssl=443
15:48:50 Settings: getsetting certfile=./assets/certificates/trailers.pem
15:48:50 Settings: getsetting certfile=./assets/certificates/trailers.pem
15:48:50 WebServer: ***
15:48:50 WebServer: WebServer: Serving HTTPS on 10.0.0.15 port 443.
15:48:50 WebServer: ***
15:49:48 DNSServer: DNS request received!
15:49:48 DNSServer: Source: ('82.169.11.11', 60736)
15:49:48 DNSServer: Domain: init.itunes.apple.com
15:49:48 DNSServer: ***forward request
15:49:48 DNSServer: -> DNS response from higher level
15:49:48 DNSServer: DNS request received!
15:49:48 DNSServer: Source: ('82.169.11.11', 58740)
15:49:48 DNSServer: Domain: xp.apple.com
15:49:48 DNSServer: ***forward request
15:49:48 DNSServer: -> DNS response from higher level
15:49:48 DNSServer: DNS request received!
15:49:48 DNSServer: Source: ('82.169.11.11', 60769)
15:49:48 DNSServer: Domain: itunes.apple.com
15:49:48 DNSServer: ***forward request
15:49:48 DNSServer: -> DNS response from higher level
15:50:10 DNSServer: DNS request received!
15:50:10 DNSServer: Source: ('82.169.11.11', 65458)
15:50:10 DNSServer: Domain: www.google.com
15:50:10 DNSServer: ***forward request
15:50:10 DNSServer: -> DNS response from higher level
15:50:10 DNSServer: DNS request received!
15:50:10 DNSServer: Source: ('82.169.11.11', 52511)
15:50:10 DNSServer: Domain: gdata.youtube.com
15:50:10 DNSServer: ***forward request
15:50:10 DNSServer: -> DNS response from higher level
15:50:26 DNSServer: DNS request received!
15:50:26 DNSServer: Source: ('82.169.11.11', 64405)
15:50:26 DNSServer: Domain: trailers.apple.com
15:50:26 DNSServer: ***intercept request
15:50:26 DNSServer: -> DNS response: 10.0.0.15
8

If you are at a remote site with a atv3 you need a plexconnect host as well at the remote site pointed at your home pms. At home you would not need plexconnect running at all whatsoever to get this to work only pms. Everything you need is in that guide to use your atv3 remotely. I assume you opened up port 32400 on your router at home pointed at your home pms so you can use your atv3 remotely? You do not need any other ports on your router open at home besides the port for pms.


This is what your settings.cfg should look like:


[PlexConnect]

port_pms = 32400

port_webserver = 80

ip_plexconnect = 0.0.0.0 <----------Leave this alone!

certfile = ./assets/certificates/trailers.pem

ip_dnsmaster = 8.8.8.8

loglevel = Normal

enable_dnsserver = True

logpath = .

ip_pms = 178.20.11.11

enable_plexgdm = Flase <-----------This should not be set to true!

hosttointercept = trailers.apple.com

port_ssl = 443

enable_webserver_ssl = True

prevent_atv_update = True

port_dnsserver = 53

enable_plexconnect_autodetect = True

9

If you are at a remote site with a atv3 you need a plexconnect host as well at the remote site pointed at your home pms. At home you would not need plexconnect running at all whatsoever to get this to work only pms. Everything you need is in that guide to use your atv3 remotely. I assume you opened up port 32400 on your router at home pointed at your home pms so you can use your atv3 remotely? You do not need any other ports on your router open at home besides the port for pms.

Wahlman.j Thank you for your reply.

Im trying to avoid this kind of situation. I want to avoid running a plexconnect script at the remote location.

That's why im trying to make my local plexconnect avaible for the remote location. (PMS and plexconnect is at the local location internal ip 10.0.0.15 external ip 178.20.11.11

I saw you wrote some dyndns tutorials which look like to contain the details and software i need.

As i tried to install these i can't get the plexconnect local make avaible for the remote location.

I have a static IP so i dont need to use a dyndns so i've put my ip in the settings.cfg

How could we get this to work ?

Server 2008 which is running plexconnect in under vmware.

I already disabled GDM as kind of test but didn't make any difference.

10

I do not know of any way to get a atv3 to work at a remote site without using a plexconnect host at the remote site as well. I have heard of people using a vpn but I would imagine that would be expensive. I would rather just go buy a rPI or something to keep it cheap. If you can get it to work please let us know :wink: but my tutorial is for the use of a plexconnect device at the remote site as well only.

11

The Problem is, PlexConnect forwards the DNS Request to your local-IP. You can check this with a Windows-PC when setting the DNS to your Plexconnect-host. Then do a nslookup to trailers.apple.com and it will return the local-ip adress of the PlexConnect Host.

in your settings.cfg you configured the option ip_plexconnect = 10.x.x.x (whatever your local IP is). This is the IP, that the DNS server returns to the lookup of trailers.apple.com.

If you could change it to your public ip (ip_plexconnect = 84.212.x.x or something like this) and all ports are open, the DNS will then return the Public IP adress.

So the Theory.

unfortunately, Windows isn't capable of building Sockets with IP-adresses others then your local ip. 

So you have to run your PlexConnect service locally where your ATV is. Then change your Settings.cfg "ip_pms=" to the external IP Adress, where the PlexMediaServer is running (port 32400 needs to be open).

---For the Attached Image---

PMS and PlexConnect public ip: 84.xxx

PMS and PlexConnect local ip: 192.168.178.5

My Public ip: 178.xxx

pms2323.png

Edit: Maybe there is any way to tell the DNS Server wich IP he should return?

12

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