Server Version#:1.20.4.3517-ab5e1197c for Linux and 1.20.4.3517-ab5e1197c for Windows.
I have two Plex Media servers on my Local Area Network. My primary server which is running on a Windows 7 box and a secondary server on Ubuntu 18.04 desktop which I use for recording live TV and for TV programmes shared remotely with my elderly mother. The reason for sharing on the second server is both one of disc space and also cluttering my own library with stuff I will never watch LOL.
Previously both servers were presumably accessible from outside the network according to the remote access status of each server. I have been testing a Fire Stick as a client for my mother but connected to my Guest Wifi network on the same LAN but signed in one her account. The library loaded and was playable but now when I log in I get an error that I cannot connect to the server. The main server is still accessible from outside the network but the Linux server shows as inaccessible in remote access settings.
My question is:-
Should you be able to access any server on a lan via a single configured remote access or does each server have to be configured separately for remote access e.g. give server a fixed IP and open a specific port in the router. Currently UPNP is being used for remote access to the main server.
I am sure it worked previously and I was able to choose which server and which libraries she was able to access when I sent the invitation.
Many thanks
Fozzie
For local access inside your home network / LAN this shouldn’t make a difference.
When it comes to remote access, each server will need to be distinguishable from outside your home network. To achieve that your best and most reliable shot is to establish 2 independent port forwards on your router – one for each Plex Media Server.
First of all, are you sure you’ve shared both servers with the accounts/users?
Suppose there are two servers on the same LAN with the following IPv4 addresses:
Server A 192.168.1.10
Server B192.168.1.15
And the router has 80.50.68.57 (public) and 192.168.1.1 (LAN)
What happens is this:
each Plex server listens on port 32400 on its own IPv4 addresses
when UPnP-IGD or NAT-PMP is enabled on your router (and there’s no manual port specified in PMS), each server asks the router to map a random external port to itself, for example Server A asks to map 80.50.68.57:35678 (public) to 192.168.1.10:32400 (local) and Server B asks 80.50.68.57:23567 (public) to 192.168.1.15:32400 (local)
when the router doesn’t do UPnP-IGD or NAT-PMP, you need to do that step manually in the router interface.
each server then tells plex.tv (in the cloud) what its address is, so Plex records: Server A (80.50.68.57:35678), Server B (80.50.68.57:23567)
to make secure connections possible, each Plex server also generates a domain name for itself with that IPv4 adress: 80-50-68-57.[server-id].plex.direct , one for Server A, one for Server B, since those have different unique server-id’s. Each Plex server has a wildcard certificate for *.[server-id].plex.direct , this means secure https connections can be set up between client and server.
each client logs on with their account to plex.tv, and receives this list of servers and their domain names & addresses.
clients then initiate connections to those servers: remote access!
for clients inside the local LAN subnet, it’s a lot easier: each server broadcasts its address (Server A, 192.168.1.15:32400 and 192-168-1-15.[server-id].plex.direct:32400) to all devices there (“GDM local network discovery”), clients pick those broadcasts up and know what servers are available locally.
Thanks Certuna,
I discovered I had manually port forwarded my router for my main server and UPNP was disabled which is probably why the second server was not accessible outside the network. I have now managed to port forward the second server using a different external port and everything is working as expected again.
Thank you for the very comprehensive description as to how plex works this should really be some sort of sticky or included in the wiki or How To’s
Fozzie
Many thanks tom80H,
I did reply to your post thanking you but had to delete it as it was accidentally posted with my mothers Plex ID which was her email address!!!
As outlined below all sorted now thanks
Fozzie
