Server Version#: 1.20.3.3483
Android Plex Version#: 8.7.2.20952
I have enabled debug logging within the Plex app on the Android device. I have dumped all packets traversing my home network. The Android application never attempts to connect to my Plex server, despite its being configured correctly in the settings. The last good version I know that connected was 7.4.
Tested with 8.8.1.21332. It still doesn’t work and still doesn’t even attempt to connect to the manual connection.
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.9.0.21537. Manual connections still do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT.
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.9.2.21619. Manual connections still do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT.
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.10.0.21911. Manual connections still do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT.
PLEASE FIX THIS ISSUE or advise when a fix can be expected!
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.11.0.22186. Manual connections still do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT.
Same here…been going crazy thinking i didnt setup my server properly but turns out the app is just bugged.
I may be wrong here and it would obviously be better if someone from Plex actually responded. But I suspect that the manual connections only get used if there appears to be no active internet connection – so that you can still use the server if your internet goes down.
@MovieWiz, thank you for the suggestion. I tested this myself by physically disconnecting my house from the Internet, closing and reopening Plex on Android, ensuring the device was forcibly connected to the WiFi despite there being no Internet (Android gives a prompt for this and displays a special icon).
In this case, Plex opens and displays an “Error Loading Content” screen instead of loading the advertised media. It still also does not attempt to use the manual connection.
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.12.1.22702. Manual connections still do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT.
Again, the last known good version was 7.4. I have resorted to manually downgrading to 6.3 just to be able to use Plex again on my manual connection. This is disappointing.
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.14.0.23432. Manual connections still do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT.
Have not tested this – using Jellyfin now – but as I recall, there were a couple of other things you had to do to make things keep working if internet went down. You had to enable insecure connections on the local network on all devices, including the server. And you had to make sure “automatically login” was turned off in the account settings. I know that about a year ago, I unplugged my router from the internet and was able to still function properly.
However, in the past months, Plex could better be known as “Regressions R Us” and they’ve been brutally slow fixing all the newly created bugs/problems created in the past 6 months.
@MovieWiz This isn’t, unfortunately, an issue if Internet is down – it’s an issue of a local server being used from a local LAN with no plex.tv connection on purpose. The Plex server has access to the Internet just fine; it’s just not “claimed” or signed in. All insecure connections are allowed.
I have seen the more recent posts here about how Plex is becoming the Bug Zone of software without any real issue-tracking. I am sad about this. I will probably find a different media solution from Plex in the coming years because of this.
+1 for Jellyfin, a Plex alternative. I haven’t yet researched Plex alternatives, but I am happy to know that there are some, because Plex in recent years has absolutely disappointed.
On the internet issue, I think the clients now have to login at least once and then they will use cached credentials to connect to your local server when there’s no internet (assuming the other options I mentioned are set).
The need to login in is an issue that frustrates a lot of users. There’s no need for external logins with Jellyfin. You just login to the server on your local network and you don’t even need to have a password.
Don’t know if this is true for Emby. Jellyfin is fork of Emby before Emby went commercial. Wouldn’t be surprised if there is also a need for external logins with Emby now as well.
I’m sad about the state of Plex as well. I was such a fan of the base product. But they’ve ruined it now with bugs and they make it so hard to try to help them, particularly with the lack of sensible way to report bugs – I’d give them logs but I don’t want to post them publicly. You have to get their attention and then hopefully do a private DM to the plex person that responds. They could improve the system. But they don’t/won’t.
Note that Jellyfin has very limited support for live tv/dvr (very few tuners supported). I use NextPVR for DVR. Jellyfin has a NextPVR plugin. I don’t really use it though. I just record into a Jellyfin library folder and watch normally. This is how I did DVR with Plex as well since I was so disappointed and frustrated with the Plex DVR that I paid for.
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.15.2.24006. Manual connections still do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT.
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.17.1.25326. Manual connections STILL do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT…
Tested again with Android Plex Version 8.20.1.26670. Manual connections still do not work or attempt to connect to the specified IP:PORT.
To Plex developers: this is corruption/greed at its finest. Great job releasing a product that locks you into its ecosystem and effectively disabling any usage of the product without signing up and paying for your subscription service.
Yesterday I wanted to connect with Andorid Plex (8.20) version and no luck with manual connections. And today I found this is site → problem is here for a looong time. I can’t believe!
OK while reading this thread I was thinking: there is no money for Plex, if people use local servers so this will never be fixed, why bother. I don’t want to connect my Plex server to the internet or plex.tv. Maybe somebody will say: connect your local server to the internet to plex.tv, but why should I, if there is no need 
Also problem with iOS version of Plex client. It works as expected and show my plex folders just fist time I add manual connection. Next time(if I reopen app) I have to remove manual connection and add again to work. Frustrating. At least for now on Samsung Tiezen Plex client is working as expected! Jupi. But for how long? While reading this, I expect to stop working with future upgrade.
On Android TV Plex app is even worse, there is NO option to set manual connection.
I was very happy user of Plex on old Samung TV - everything was working as expected.
Now I will try Emby to see if iOS or Android version is better for local server.
:(((
So sad.
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