# Can't access plex when using app, but can with browser
**URL:** https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741
**Category:** Plex Players
**Tags:** server-linux
**Created:** [May 9, 2025, 4:38am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741 "2025-05-09T04:38:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@danny47906](https://forums.plex.tv/u/danny47906)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2025, 4:38am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/1 "2025-05-09T04:38:39Z")
Server Version#: 1.41.6.9685
Player Version#: 2025.15.0
while on home wifi, phone app says i can’t access my server without a plex pass, but if i set the browser to desktop mode, it lets me watch it from there just fine
server seems to work fine from both tvs i watch on, and my desktop computer
---
### Author:  [@ChristianKent](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChristianKent)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2025, 5:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/2 "2025-05-09T05:18:19Z")
Probably different subnets? or maybe your server is on a VPN?
The reason why your computer and TVs still work is because the code that requires you to have plex pass for remote connection is only on the mobile app right now. Once they update the other clients (apps) you’ll also get blocked there, so you should figure out what is causing Plex to think your server is on a different subnet than your local clients.
You can tell if you’re a different subnet by the IP of the server and the client.
---
### Author:  [@psfowler](https://forums.plex.tv/u/psfowler)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2025, 5:46am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/3 "2025-05-09T05:46:11Z")
Remote Watch Pass appears to be necessary when using Android 9 and Android 12 over my local WiFi Network. Same network, same subnet, no VPN. Android 15 works if you sign in each time. All Androids versions are running 2025.15.0 version of Plex App. Plex server is running on Linux Mint and is version 1.41.6.9685. This problem only started when Plex introduced the changes associated with Remote Watch Pass. Can you please explain why this is happening and when it will be fixed?
---
### Author:  [@pmorch](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pmorch)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2025, 8:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/4 "2025-05-16T08:18:46Z")
I’m not able to use Plex even on my local WIFI network, or on any other network.
I repeat: I am not able to use Plex _at all_ from my Android phone.
My phone is in the same subnet as the computer running plex.
In docker, I’ve been running fine with specifying ports and not setting`network_mode` for a long time, and I’ve also tried `network_mode: host` and disabling my firewall. I did see it play a single time, but I have not been able to reproduce it. I’ve also tried rebooting the phone.
There is a [description](https://forums.plex.tv/t/this-new-android-app-is-awful-where-can-i-download-the-previous-version/915593/7) of how to downgrade the android app, but when I try it on my corporate phone, I get “Blocked by work policy. For more info, contact your IT admin”.
- Server: running as a docker container with version: 1.41.6.9685-d301f511a
- Android app version: 2025.15.0
- Android version: 15
---
### Author:  [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2025, 8:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/5 "2025-05-16T08:24:17Z")
Can you get logs from the app so we can see what is going on.
---
### Author:  [@pmorch](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pmorch)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2025, 8:36am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/6 "2025-05-16T08:36:51Z")
> [@BigWheel](#):
>
> Can you get logs from the app so we can see what is goi
Sure, I’m happy to. I’ve found [How to Grab App Logs (Mobile) | Plex Support](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201636593-mobile-logs/) and I have a `Share Debug Logs.zip` from that. I’ve shared a link to that with you in a DM.
`log.txt` from that contains e.g.:
`05/16/2025 09:52:46:067 [Peter Valdemar Mørchl5noqimw2benyox9pj4xnqgr] DEBUG [Connections] Current best connection to NAS is https://192-168-1-2..plex.direct:32400`
And yes, that is what I expect. Plex is running on 192.168.1.2 and port 32400 is open. The IP address of the phone on the WIFI network is 192.168.1.109.
But the logs contain other results too. The last couple of times I was on the WIFI network:
```auto
egrep 'Current best|Testing connection' log.txt | perl -pe 's/^\S+\s(\S+).*(Current|Testing).*https/$1 $2 https/;'
09:31:35:379 Testing https://192-168-128-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:31:35:385 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:31:35:803 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:46:15:356 Testing https://192-168-128-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:46:15:361 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:46:15:667 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:51:02:863 Testing https://192-168-1-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:869 Testing https://192-168-192-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:873 Testing https://172-19-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:877 Testing https://172-27-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:882 Testing https://192-168-208-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:886 Testing https://192-168-48-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:891 Testing https://172-21-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:896 Testing https://172-18-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:900 Testing https://192-168-176-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:904 Testing https://172-29-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:909 Testing https://172-20-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:913 Testing https://172-24-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:918 Testing https://172-23-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:923 Testing https://172-25-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:931 Testing https://172-22-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:51:02:935 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:51:03:269 Current https://192-168-1-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:743 Testing https://192-168-1-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:748 Testing https://192-168-192-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:753 Testing https://172-19-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:757 Testing https://172-27-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:762 Testing https://192-168-208-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:767 Testing https://192-168-48-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:771 Testing https://172-21-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:776 Testing https://172-18-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:780 Testing https://192-168-176-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:785 Testing https://172-29-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:789 Testing https://172-20-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:794 Testing https://172-24-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:798 Testing https://172-23-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:802 Testing https://172-25-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:806 Testing https://172-22-0-1.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:52:45:811 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:52:46:067 Current https://192-168-1-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:53:19:078 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:53:19:083 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:53:19:337 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:53:34:814 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:53:34:820 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:53:34:855 Testing https://172-104-139-30.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:8443
09:53:50:859 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:53:50:867 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:53:51:113 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:54:11:698 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:54:11:719 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:54:11:977 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:54:52:320 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:54:52:335 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:54:52:561 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:55:19:147 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:55:19:339 Testing https://172-104-235-55.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:8443
09:55:42:953 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:55:52:987 Testing https://172-104-235-55.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:8443
09:55:53:176 Current https://172-104-235-55.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:8443 is relay
09:56:08:642 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:56:08:680 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:56:08:803 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:59:23:685 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
09:59:23:691 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
09:59:24:048 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
10:14:17:095 Testing https://172-26-0-2.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32400
10:14:17:100 Testing https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
10:14:17:372 Current https://83-78-228-237.3dfc21d983944b58b9f9cf8c5c61b840.plex.direct:32423
```
But now, after having written this, I decided to try to test it again. And now it works. Very weird. I am certain it didn’t work before. Now I can’t get it to fail. Good thing about errors like this is they _always_ come back. I’ll post again if I learn anything new.
---
### Author:  [@promosrus](https://forums.plex.tv/u/promosrus)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2025, 2:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/7 "2025-05-25T02:21:15Z")
I’m running I’m to a similar problem.
Android app cannot find the library but browser on the phone can access it.
What I found was if I turned remote access on them app can find the library but otherwise not.
So looks like app doesn’t think it’s on the same network.
Anyone have ideas on what to do to troubleshoot!
Thanks!
---
### Author:  [@pmorch](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pmorch)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/8 "2025-05-25T17:40:25Z")
> [@pmorch](#):
>
> I’ll post again if I learn anything new.
I just got a hint of what is going on. After my previous post it just worked every single time I tried. A couple of hours later, I noticed a git diff, enabling docker `network_mode: host`. But I don’t like `network_mode: host`, so I reverted that diff and went back to docker default networking mode (I don’t know what that is called). Now it starts failing again.
And it makes sense. When using `network_mode: host` the docker container sees the hosts’s IP address 192.168.1.2 and so it can see that the android app is in the same subnet. When I disable `network_mode: host`, the container gets another IP address, 172.26.0.2 in my case, and so the IP address of the app (still in the 192.168.1.0/24 subnet) is now in another subnet.
Can anybody confirm, that in the future, only `network_mode: host` is supported? Or is there some way to get non-`network_mode: host` to work with the new remote viewing limitations?
---
### Author:  [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)
#### Post date: [May 25, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/9 "2025-05-25T22:12:58Z")
Moving forward,
Plex Pass, or Remote Watch Pass, is required to view from a server which is not on the same subnet as your player.
Docker,
- Network mode = HOST puts the PMS on the same IP as the computer.
- Network mode = Bridge puts the PMS on a different (Remote) IP subnet.
The new PMS rules require either:
1. The player and client are on the same subnet (100% local to each other)
-or-
2. A PlexPass (for the server) or Remote Watch Pass (for the user) exists.
To answer your question.
Without subscribing, only “HOST” is supported.
(only players on your 192.168.x.x, or 10.x.x.x, subnet can watch for free)
---
### Author:  [@psfowler](https://forums.plex.tv/u/psfowler)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2025, 6:42am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/10 "2025-05-27T06:42:00Z")
Lots of people are having the issue of not connecting to a local Plex server from the Android app even when it is on exactly the same WiFi network and subnet. I don’t think Plex is taking this issue seriously - maybe they just want everyone to subscribe to Remote Plex Pass for the extra revenue. As other have found, sometimes it works for a bit and then fails every time!
---
### Author:  [@promosrus](https://forums.plex.tv/u/promosrus)
#### Post date: [May 27, 2025, 2:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/11 "2025-05-27T14:44:00Z")
Yeah I was in the same situation and really frustrated. Someone helped me find a solution.
For me things kind of started working when i enabled remote access, but it would say that I am not on the same network when i tried to play something on the phone app.
So what I did was disable the remote access (I wasn’t trying to do remote access anyways), then I opened app.plex.tv, went to settings and network (had show advanced settings turned on).
Then in the field for: Custom server access URLs I entered the url for my local server [http://internal-ip-of-local-plex-server:32400](http://internal-ip-of-local-plex-server:32400).
Make sure you add the http.
That fixed it!
---
### Author:  [@baerlachlan](https://forums.plex.tv/u/baerlachlan)
#### Post date: [June 22, 2025, 6:20am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/12 "2025-06-22T06:20:08Z")
Thank you so much promosrus! This fixed it for me.
---
### Author:  [@jyka2](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jyka2)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2025, 8:01pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/13 "2025-07-13T20:01:07Z")
Thanks, seems like this solved it for me too. In my case, the IP was set to something like [http://192.168.x.x:32400](http://192.168.x.x:32400) for some reason… after changing this to the actual IP address, without the XX, it started working 🙂
---
### Author:  [@ginkeltjes](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ginkeltjes)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2025, 2:15pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/14 "2025-07-28T14:15:52Z")
I have a PlexPass. How do I know if its on the server? I do have problems on Mobile Data connecting to the Plex server. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t. WiFi works fine (Also on a remote location).
Its buggy as hell that is for sure. Was working fine before all those restrictions and since Im paying for Plex Pass its very very annoying..
---
### Author:  [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)
#### Post date: [October 26, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/cant-access-plex-when-using-app-but-can-with-browser/917741/15 "2025-10-26T14:16:21Z")
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