Summary
Problem: Apple TV Plex app and app.plex.tv show no server/media. Firestick TV Plex app works; direct local web UI works, iPhone and iPad plex app workds.
Status: Plex Server is online, claimed, and published to plex.tv with valid local/public plex.direct endpoints. Remote Access now shows fully accessible via manual port 32400.
Suspected cause: Client-side resolution/path selection (plex.direct/DNS), app cache/session, or a tvOS/web app discovery quirk. Previously-advertised Tailscale endpoints likely caused failed connection attempts; those have been removed.
Environment
Platform: Docker Compose on Linux (Proxmox kernel: 6.14.11-1-pve, host logan-lxc).
Plex: plexinc/pms-docker:public in host network mode (compose.yml, service plex).
Hardware accel: Intel iGPU Quick Sync via /dev/dri (device 8086:3e92).
LAN: 10.0.0.0/24 (server 10.0.0.100).
Public IP: WAN IP(port forward 32400 → 10.0.0.100:32400).
Tailscale present on network historically; not required for Plex remote access.
What Works
Local Web UI: http://10.0.0.100:32400/web loads and shows libraries.
Fire TV Plex client: sees server and media.
TLS on local plex.direct: https://10-0-0-100..plex.direct:32400/identity returns 200 OK from LAN.
Plex Server health: container up/healthy; listens on *:32400; server logs normal.
What Doesn’t
Apple TV Plex app: no server/media despite correct account login.
app.plex.tv: UI shows no servers/media across devices, despite correct account login.
Key Verification
Server claimed and online:
plex/config/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Preferences.xml:2 shows PlexOnlineUsername=“MY USERNAME”, PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=“1”, token present.
Server publishes valid connections to plex.tv:
After cleanup, https://plex.tv/api/resources lists:
Local HTTPS: https://10-0-0-100..plex.direct:32400
Public HTTPS: https://my.wan.ip.plex.direct:32400
Flags: presence=“1”, publicAddressMatches=“1”, natLoopbackSupported=“0”.
Remote Access:
Plex Web UI now shows: Private 10.0.0.100:32400; Public [MY-WAN-IP]:32400; Internet (accessible).
Actions Taken
Verified container health and listening port 32400.
Verified /identity returns 200 locally (HTTP and plex.direct HTTPS).
Verified server presence via https://plex.tv/api/resources using server token (redacted).
Enabled Remote Access with manual public port 32400, added router port-forward.
Cleaned up Plex Preferences:
Removed customConnections (was advertising Tailscale and stale endpoints).
Trimmed LanNetworksBandwidth to 10.0.0.0/24.
Restarted the Plex container to republish endpoints.
Client resets:
Apple TV Plex app: Signed out/in (no change).
app.plex.tv: Log out, cleared site data, signed in (no change).
Confirmed server-side “Secure connections” is Preferred.
Evidence/Excerpts (sanitized)
Preferences (plex/config/…/Preferences.xml:2):
FriendlyName=“MediaServer” PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=“1” secureConnections=“1” allowedNetworks=“10.0.0.0/24” ManualPortMappingMode=“1” ManualPortMappingPort=“32400” CertificateUUID=“” PlexOnlineUsername=“MY USERNAME” PlexOnlineToken=“”
plex.tv resources after cleanup (sanitized):
Device: MediaServer product=Plex Media Server version=1.42.2.10156-… provides=server presence=1
Connections:
https://10-0-0-100..plex.direct:32400 (local=1)
https://my.wan.ip..plex.direct:32400 (local=0)
Flags: dnsRebindingProtection=“0” natLoopbackSupported=“0” publicAddressMatches=“1”
Connectivity:
https://10-0-0-100..plex.direct:32400/identity → 200 OK (from LAN).
Attempt from server to public plex.direct inside LAN initially failed with “No route to host” (router hairpin NAT not supported). After Remote Access fix, plex.tv lists public HTTPS endpoint correctly; external reachability from WAN not yet re-tested.
Client Troubleshooting Performed
Apple TV Plex: sign-out/in, correct owner account used. tvOS app does not expose “Secure connections” or “Allow insecure on LAN” toggles in current UI.
app.plex.tv: sign-out/in, site data cleared. Still empty.
DNS: No ad blockers; router configured with DNS-rebind exceptions for plex.direct (done previously).
Full reset of the Apple TV and still the same issue.
Open Questions for Plex Team
With presence=1 and valid local/public plex.direct in api/resources, under what conditions does app.plex.tv render no servers?
Does app.plex.tv prefer public endpoint even on same LAN? If so, is lack of NAT loopback sufficient to cause “no servers shown” instead of falling back to local HTTPS?
Any known issues with tvOS client discovery when only HTTPS plex.direct endpoints are advertised and “Secure connections” is Preferred?
Is there a way to force clients to prefer the local HTTPS endpoint reliably (without customConnections)?
