Can't connect securely from Mac, iOS can't play videos

General Discussions
1

SERVER version: 1.9.6.4385 beta (previously tested with current public release)
PMP in MacOS: 3.21.2 as reported from server devices list (1.3.10.720-dfcd90a6 file version)
iOS player: 4.19 as reported from server devices list

Router has both UPnP and NAT-PMP enabled - and I can see Plex Server listed in its forwarding list.
Jumbo Frames DISABLED on router (MTU 1500)

I’d been running Plex successfully for about a year, including the ability to stream to a mobile device while away from the LAN. Multiple devices and computers all streamed any content quite effortlessly.

This past week I signed up for Plex Pass and - apparently coincidentally - everything went to crap.

MacOS PMP AND Plex Web (Chrome) will connect to the server indirectly instead of directly or it will say “remote.”

If I disable remote access on the server, then PMP won’t connect at all saying it can’t connect securely. I have to make an exception for it and connect insecurely in Mac OS native app. For Plex Web, “allow once” will still fail and only allowing permanent insecure connections allows it to connect.

Navigating/browsing is much slower than it used to be in either case.

On iOS I can connect to the server and browse securely albeit everything seems to browse slowly as well.

Video won’t finish buffering and won’t play on iOS. My iPhone (for example) will time out and lock the screen before a video ever starts playing (a minute or two).

2

I’m not a mac man but what is you “Settings-Server-Network-Secure connections” set at try “Disabled” first on your local network and see if it makes a difference. And try “Prefered” and see. If it is set at “Required” it could be the problem.
Just a thought.

3

It’s set to preferred. Setting Disabled will allow a connection from my Mac PMP the same way I can connect if I disable it only for that connection.

Disabling security seems to have gotten the iOS device to display at least one video frame, but nothing more. This used to play back instantly, even remotely from 3000+km away.

I’ve updated the OP. Plex Web (plex.tv/desktop) fails the same way as PMP and requires permanent insecure connection to connect to the server when remote access is turned off.

4

I’m also finding it incredible that paying customers (monthly or lifetime) don’t have access to any kind of customer support. Wow.

5

Secure connection from Mac problem solved. DNS Rebinding protection on the router. This must be something that wasn’t there or was set differently months ago when I was last using Plex.

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/206225077#dnsrebinding

Solution was to create an exception for plex.direct using DNSmasq as mentioned in above Plex article.

iOS device still unable to play any video even after updating to current player app as of this week.

6

Playback seems to be working well on iPad 3 with previous Plex app. But not on iPhone with current. Going to try updating iPad to see if results follow app vers#

7

Got it working on the iPhone.

Restarted phone and upon re-starting Plex app, it needed me to log in again. After logging in, playback seems to work.

I had previously tried manual logout/in (without the restart) to no effect. Now running latest app version on both iPhone and iPad with success.