Cant download from Plex app but browser works fine

Plex Players Mobile Devices
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Server Version#: 4.88.1
Player Version#: 9.7.0.34499

I have an odd issue where any show/movie that I have created an optimized version for will not download for offline viewing. I hit the download button and when I go to the downloads section of the app it just says “There was a problem downloading the file”. However if I use the browser on the same device (view as desktop) I can hit download and it will ask me which version and both will download without issue.

I can download shows/movies using the app if I havent created any optimized versions

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I’ve the same issue, did you by chance found a workaround?

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No I haven’t. After the breach I had to reclaim my Plex server and I couldn’t get it working at all on my local network which I believe was due to the DNS rebinding issue (I switched ISPs and the previous one worked flawlessly). I ended up putting in a router to do DHCP so I could set my DNS to quad9 on all machines and that got me able to stream and see my server again but the issue downloading optimized versions remains :(.

I’m actually a computer tech so I imagine if I can find the logs (or enable them) I can likely figure it out, I just haven’t had the time

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Downloads to mobile devices and “Plex for Windows/Mac/Linux” are effectively disabled by DNS rebinding protection. You will have to fix that, either by exchanging the router, or its firmware, or by adding a “DNS appliance” like Pi-hole or pfsense which do support exceptions from the protection.

The “Download” link in the web app is completely different. It only downloads the original file, and is only available to the server’s administrator.

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Yep! As mentioned I put in my own router but the issue remains.

Going to look into running pfsense or something similar for a bit more control

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Alternative router firmwares like OpenWRT/dd-wrt etc do provide the necessary configuration options. See if they are available for your hardware.

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Sadly not available for my model. My understanding was that if I set the DNS on all my machines to Quad9 that it would work but that doesnt seem to be the case. Does it require me to have an internal DNS server? I’m going to look up what DNS rebinding actually does as well to see if I can figure something out.

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Some basics as well as examples for the “exception” directives are in this article: How to Use Secure Server Connections | Plex Support

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Yeah just read that… in the DNS Rebinding section it mentions that you wont be able to connect your plex server at all on the local network is DNS rebinding isnt allowed and this was the case when my DNS was pointed at my ISPs modem. I put in my router to do DHCP and give out Quad9 for the DNS to all my devices and that got everything working locally as far as streaming but the downloading issue remains. So this tells me I have likely fixed the DNS rebinding issue already and something else is preventing me from downloading unless downloading uses a different rebinding

EDIT: Oh and as mentioned I can download a non-optimized version without issue. Its as soon as I make an optimized version that it stops working in the apps

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