I have a downloaded version of Plex running on 3 different computers: (1)an iMac; (2)a MacBookAir; (3)a Synology DS-418play.
But, on my Plex interface, only 2 of those 3 servers are available to select. The one representing the Synology NAS does not appear, even though Synology reports the status of the Plex Media Server as “running.”
What steps must I take to add the Synology NAS as a 3rd possible server to select from my Plex interface?
Sign your Synology into the same Plex account as your other two (Settings - Server - General) and make certain it has internet connectivity
When I launch the Plex package from Synology NAS (after having signed out from Plex altogether), I am prompted whether to sign in to my Plex account with the listed email address. When I do that, my 2 computer accounts are active; but there is no listed server representing the NAS independently of either computer.
On each of the 2 computers, I had downloaded the Plex software and then created libraries grabbing files from the Synology NAS. Each of these computers is represented as a server on my account on the Plex Media Server. Everything seems to function properly with all client devices with either of these 2 servers.
But even when I sign into Plex from the Synology’s Plex package, a new server is not created by Plex to represent the NAS independent from the 2 computer servers. (Of course I want to be able to access media directly from the NAS without the need to have another computer always running and online.)
So, I’m obviously missing something in the process of “signing my Synology into my Plex account.” I’m apparently just opening my Plex account when I launch the Plex package on Synology NAS; but, even though my attempted sign-in is initiated from the NAS, it’s apparently not the same thing as “signing my Synology into my Plex account.
Internet connectivity does not seem to be a problem.
I have followed the instructions, to wit:
a) shut down the other two servers
b) opened Plex from the NAS, and it goes into “looking for server” for a few seconds, and then stops looking and reports that one of the two servers which have been shut down is “unavailable.” (But it does not show that there is a server on the NAS.)
c) I stopped Plex from running on the NAS, and deleted the <Preferences.xml> file and the <Plexmediaserver.pid> file from the Plex folder within File Station.
d) tried to restart Plex (selecting “Run” under the “Action” button in the Plex Media Server part of Package Center). With those two files deleted (that being the only change made), the Plex Media Server would not run at all, with the message: “Failed to run the package service” No explanation was offered.
Each time we now try to “Run” the Plex Media Server from the NAS, the <Preferences.xml> file is added back into Plex>Library>Application Support>Plex Media Server. When I delete it again and try to “run” Plex Media Server again, it still will not run at all, and it re-creates the <Preferences.xml> file.
It would appear that I require additional directions to navigate beyond the current roadblock. Thx.
continuing…
I rebooted the Synology Disk Station, and thereafter the Plex Media Server would go into “Running” mode.
I took the other servers off-line, and removed Synology Disk Station as a shared item in my Finder.
Then entered http://Your-NAS-IP-Address:32400/web into my browser ---- was prompted to sign in with my email address. Once that was done, I was back at the same end-of-road place as before: my 2 off-line servers are reported as unavailable, and there is no Synology NAS hosted server even on the list.
So, I guess that’s better than not being able to “Run” the Plex on Synology at all, but since there’s no evidence in the Plex Media Server that my Synology NAS even exists as a “server” , the result is still that I can’t serve files directly from the NAS to a client.
I am in search of further directions…Thanks,
After several hours of delay, a server (calling itself RWHNAS, which happens to be my DDNS Hostname) suddenly appeared in my Plex Media Server, as if a long (several hours) time-delay were required after attempting to launch Plex from within my Synology NAS.
However, this newly added Plex NAS server points only to 2 movies, neither of which are on my Synology NAS; it’s as if it’s linking somewhere else. (And neither of the 2 movies will play. - - - Also, my IP scanner now detects a non-local device, as follows: 239.0.0.250 )
All of our local IP addresses are 192.168.0.x
In Synology’s Control Panel>Network>Network Interface (tab)>Lan1, we have manually set LAN1’s local IP address as 192.168.0.2, and the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 We did not (to my limited understanding ) adjust any settings in the router itself to effect what we think amounts to a DHCP reservation set in the device (Synology Disk Station) itself.
Our router (gateway) is at 192.168.0.1
A number of our devices have manually-set reserved local IP addresses between 192.168.0.3 and 192.168.0.100; most of the others are not static. The DHCP range is 192.168.0.50 to 192.168.0.100
We are using only one router (an Airport Extreme), with a cable modem set in bridge mode (i.e., not using the router built into the cable modem).
We do not have a static IP address from our ISP. We use
No-IP (https://www.noip.com) as our DDNS.
When the subject of “on the same subnet” and “subnet mask” comes up, I am languishing in kindergarten or first grade — and require an enhanced level of hand-holding (i.e., step by step detailed directions), since I have not become conversant with that level of network finagling.
For instance, I do not understand the RFC1918 specification at all, even after reading Q3 on the Synology FAQ page.
Furthermore, the whole thing about the SSH Tunnel is also beyond my pay-grade.
Suffice to say, my only goal here is to establish a functioning NAS server in my online Plex Media Server, so that I can serve media files to my devices without needing to have one of my computers always running ---- i.e., do it all from the Synology NAS.
Thank you so much for your patience with this novice user.
Thanks so much for willingness to help me with my ultimate goal of using Plex Media Server from my NAS only, no longer requiring me to keep my laptop up and running in order to serve media files to my iOS devices.
Looks like there are a number of open questions on the table here:
[1] ok, if I do have a “mis-configuration” on my NAS somewhere, can you offer up some troubleshooting steps for me to take in attempting to uncover and uproot those mis-configurations?
When I use the Plex Media Server on my laptop or desktop, the Plex Media Server gets the media files from my Synology NAS (there are no media files on my computers). The Synology NAS has to be mounted as a Shared Device on my computer in order for the media files to be accessible. In this scenario I have no problems serving media files from my Synology NAS to any client device.
[2] I have but one lonely Ethernet connection between my router and my Synology NAS
[3] I have not yet attempted to set up Cloud Sync and I do not even see Plex Cloud as an option to set up (I’m not yet sure what Plex Cloud is); the only packages installed on my Synology NAS at this point are File Station, Audio Station, Photo Station, PHP to allow Photo Station functionality, Video Station, Universal Search and Plex Media Server.
[4] local IP Address summary
a) DCHP range: 192.168.0.50 to 192.168.0.100
b) Gateway – router 192.168.0.1
c) Synology NAS 192.168.0.2
d) Manual settings in Synology NAS Network Interface:
(Control Panel > Network > Network Interface > LAN 1)
are as follows
__use DCHP: No
__IP Address: 192.168.0.2
__Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
__IPv6 address: fe80::211:32ff:fe7e:b55/64
––Network status: 1000 Mbps, Full duplex, MTU 1500
“Use Manual Configuration” is selected under the IPv4 tab:
__IP Address: 192.168.0.2
__Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
__Gateway: 192.168.0.1
__DNS server: 192.168.0.1
So, that’s where we’re at over here. I still have this “rogue” server named after my NAS server on my web-accessed Plex account —— named the same as my Synology NAS server name, which also happens to be the same as the Hostname with my DDNS (https://www.noip.com), but which is not really accessing any of the media on my actual NAS; rather, it sees two movies which are not on my NAS, but it won’t actually play either of them.
I am unaware of any procedure for deleting that “rogue” server listing from my Plex Media Server account and trying all over again to launch Plex from my NAS to see what happens.
Also, I am unaware of what troubleshooting steps to take in determining if we can get that “apparently rogue” server to connect with the actual media files on my NAS.
Maybe we could draft up a couple of step-by-step steps that I could experimentally take at this point ???
Thanks for all the help!
http://gofile.me/3XJ3D/YlYtzMKun
Herewith is the folder, [Plex Media Server Logs_2018-03-18_15-10-19], which was generated by selecting “Download Logs” from my Plex Media Server.
Since the process did not generate a zip file, but only a folder of files, and since I’ve never used a zip utility, I just moved the generated Log folder to my File Station — and the above URL is a link to that folder.
I hope that gives you everything you need. If not, I’ll learn how to use a zip utility and try again; let me know.
Thanks
Here’s the Logs.zip file
Thanks for the directions. R\
Progress report……
[1] At Control Panel > Security > Firewall: the Firewall was not turned on; so I turned “Firewall” on for the first time.
But when I follow the link in Q4 of the Synology FAQs page (the link named “ports used by Plex”), the user is instructed that “ports used by Plex” does NOT refer to ports in the router, but refers to “ports in the local firewall of the computer running the PMS,” which in this case I presume means the Synology NAS.
So, I am being directed to make sure that ports somewhere in the Synology NAS (i.e., the computer running the PMS) need to be opened??? I am unclear about how to check whether Synology’s “firewall is correctly configured for Plex.” Where would I go to check the ports in the Synology NAS? Is this suggesting that I must do something to change the Firewall Profile (or to set firewall rules), which is currently set to “default (active profile)” ??
[2] At Control Panel > Network > Network Interface >Edit LAN1, The Synology NAS IP address (192.168.0.2) and the Gateway Address (192.168.0.1) are correct.
[3] My understanding is that in Airport Extreme uPnP is enabled when there is a check mark next to “Enable NAT Port Mapping Protocol.” Please advise if there is anything in addition required to enable uPnP.
[4] With PMS turned off on other computers, after rebooting (a)the Synology NAS + (b)the modem + (c)the Airport Extreme router, and after making sure that PMS on the NAS is running, the result from going to http://My-NAS-address:32400/web is that “Safari can’t connect to the server.” Same result with Firefox.
The only step in your directions where I’m unclear is the part about assuring that the Synology firewall is correctly configured for Plex. Maybe you could offer up STEP-BY-STEP DIRECTIONS for that??
Should I be editing the “default (active profile)” Firewall Profile? If I do that and go into Ports > Select from a List of Built-in Applications, Plex is not listed as one of the built-in applications with ports specified.
I’m not anxious to set custom ports without understanding what ports I’m already using for the various other packages currently running (and I’m guessing that these would have to be manually entered as well to keep those packages functioning correctly??)
Anyway, I hope that I’ve been clear in reporting back exactly what has transpired over here. Should we turn the Synology Firewall back off for now (and deal with turning it back on after we’ve got Plex communicating with my network)? Is that a variable that we can set aside for the moment?
Thanks again for persisting with this. 
Progress note:
OK, I have re-enabled the Firewall
Then I did: Edit Rules > Create > Ports:All So, I’ve got that “rule” all set.
But, alas, when I select http://my-NAS-address:32400/web the Safari (and also Firefox) gauntlets are thrown up: “Safari can’t connect to server”
We’re still not over the finish line, but another step closer?
Thanks for hanging in with me on this, RWH
Continuing……
1] Actually, my Mac firewall is “off.” Firewall has been “off” all during our attempts with PMS on the NAS
[2] The only port forwarding on the Airport Extreme are the ones for Synology, as follows: (a) 5001; (b) 5005-5006 for WebDAV; © 21-22 for SFTP; (d) 443 for https photo station; (e) 80 for http photo station No others are set up other than these.
[3] Other computer: I’ve got an older MacBookAir to try, one with a recent Clean Install of High Sierra ---- it’s pretty clean of settings. Do you mean for me to access the NAS on that machine from a browser and from there to try opening Plex? — or do you mean to download the PMS to that other machine?
[4] Yes, in Package Center > Installed > Plex Media server ------ it indicates “running” at this point.
But (I’m not sure whether this is a “but”), my NAS is running Plex version 1.12.0 -------- since I never was able to find 1.11.0 on the Plex download page. The Package Center had provided version 1.10.0 and somebody said it was a good idea to have the current version. I would be delighted to uninstall PMS from the NAS again, delete the user and delete the shared folder again, and try to get 1.11.0 installed ----- but I was NOT able to find out how to grab a copy 1.11.0; all I was ever able to get was 1.12.0 Do you think the answer to my prayers may have something to do with the version I’ve got running on the NAS???
[5] I can successfully stream media from the PMS installed on my laptop or on my desktop. However, when the Plex server on the NAS is selected, it displays 2 movies that are not on any of my drives, and then will not play either of them. This is the result on all of my Plex clients (iPhone, iPad, AppleTV, Smart TV directly)
So, yes, I can access the “rogue” NAS server from my various Plex clients. But that server does not reflect any of my content; and when I do the “Scan library files” it does not return the media content on my NAS.
[6] Plex on the NAS as the only server running. Yes, when I went through the steps this morning, I had inactivated Plex on my computer(s), and only Plex on the NAS was turned on.
[7] Yesterday, when I went to http://my-NAS-address:32400/web in Safari, it opened up that “rogue” Plex server in my account, the one it named after my NAS server name. Today when I go to http://my-NAS-address:32400/web in Safari, I get: “Safari can’t connect to server.”
[8] Would it help to see an update of the Plex logs at this point ??
Thanks, RWH
Continuing……
[1] On a completely different computer, I accessed my Synology NAS (using Safari), and from there attempted to open Plex via typing http://My-NAS-IP-Address:32400/web Alas, the same result: “Safari can’t connect to server.”
[2] Where do these Movies appear in Plex on your devices? It’s not that any actual movies appear. Only the movie “poster” and movie title appear, as if there were a movie available to play. But there is no actual movie which will play. No additional movies appear after running “Scan Library Files”
These “movies” appear in a library called “NAS movies” which bears the movie film strip icon; so I guess that makes it a “Movie library”
This is the library automatically created when Plex was first successfully launched from within the NAS.
[3] I created a test library in the Plex on the NAS, and after executing “Scan Library Files” it returned “There are no items in this library” My test library was from selecting “Other Videos” and bears that movie projector icon.
The library that automatically created itself when initially launched from the NAS is the one with the 2 movie titles and movie posters, but no actual movies. This is the reason I keep calling it the “rogue” server; so, within the “rogue” server there is a “rogue” library.
[4] We appear to be “on the same subnet” if that means that the first 3 of 4 groupings in the IP Address must be the same and that the 4th group of numbers differs.
On my Mac System Preferences > Network, 192.168.0.68 is noted (which is my Mac)
At DSM Control Panel > Network > Network Interfaces > Edit LAN, the IP address , 192.168.0.2 is noted (which is the NAS)
So it appears that the local IP Addresses are OK, right?
In summary, the 2 persisting circumstances at present are:
(1) when I launch Plex from within my NAS I get “Safari can’t connect to server.”
(2) when I launch my account from https://www.plex.tv the Server representing my NAS is non-functional, but it does bear two movie posters along with movie titles; but neither of these actually plays as a movie. No content is accessed when selecting “Scan Library Files,” neither on the Library automatically created upon initial launch nor on any test library created afterwards.
And to repeat: Plex works great when I run the PMS on one of my computers and have my NAS mounted on that computer — to make the NAS content accessible to the computer’s Plex Media Server…
I’m still holding out for the end goal here: serving media files directly from the NAS hosted PMS, independent of another computer.
Thanks again.
[1] I deleted all the port forwarding rules from Airport Extreme, with the following result:
[1a] When I typed my NAS address into the browser (http://my-NAS-address:32400/web ) the same response as before: “Safari can’t connect to the server”
[1b] But when I went to my account at https://www.plex.tv and navigated to the NAS server and then activated “Scan Library Files,” the scan for the first time populated my Movie Library with the actual media from my NAS (Now this is some REAL progress!!!) And those media do play on my iOS clients in the expected manner !!!
The ONLY change prior to this breakthrough was to delete the opened ports from my Airport Extreme.
[2] Oh, I may very well have created that Movie Library in my NAS server in Plex — as part of the setup process and then ascribed it to having been automatically launched. Thanks for pointing that out.
[3] I have successfully added another Test Library on my NAS server targeting only one subfolder; the media appear to function properly, including serving them to my iOS clients satisfactorily !!!
[4] At some point I may need to open some or all of those ports back up in my Airport Extreme. It is unclear what effect that will have on the functionality of the NAS server on my Plex.
[5] So the only thing that still does not function is that I cannot launch Plex from the NAS — either by clicking the Plex icon or by typing in http://my-NAS-address:32400/web Either of these choices still results in “Safari can’t connect to server.”
But there is a NAS server in my PMS (at Plex.tv) established one prior time when the link from the NAS did work.
That particular non-functionality is not an immediate problem today; but it may come to pass in the future that I would require that link to actually work, which it still does not.
My IP Scanner reports out a “non-local” item on my current devices list; this mysterious device appeared some point last week when we were working on this Plex issue. Instead of 192.168.0.x it shows as 239.0.0.250 It reports as an “unidentified device” and I have no clue about what it is, other than the fact that it erupted into existence at some point in this Plex process…… Does that ring any bells, as a possible clue to why we keep getting “Safari can’t connect to server” ??
Since our major configuration issue seems to be resolved (Thank You !!) , you probably don’t need screenshots any longer; but I’m enclosing several just in case.
So if we could put a cherry on this cake by figuring out how to launch Plex from the NAS that would be excellent. If not, I’m still up and running from the NAS server for now. Thanks a million so far!!!
RWH\
[1] Regarding port 5000 ----- I never did have a port forward rule setup for port 5000. I had rules for 5001, 5005, 5006
[2] Yes I did try Firefox. Like with Safari, Firefox could not find the server
[3] your directions instruct typing in http://NAS-IP-Address:5000 but port 5000 returns “Safari can’t Connect to Server” I have always opened DSM by typing http://NAS-IP-Address:5001
I hope that it’s OK to proceed with following your instructions with “5001” rather than with “5000”
[4] When I navigate to Preferences.xml in Text Editor (with Plex stopped, not running on the NAS), there is no entry reading “secureConnections” and there is no entry reading “EnableIPv6”
Opening Preferences.xml in Text Editor begets only 2 lines, one very long line, and no sign of the two entries that you had specified.
Hence, there is no change to the “Safari can’t connect to Server” gauntlet.
Should the Preferences.xml file contain a lot more lines??? Is there something wrong with my Preferences.xml file?
[5] ……I just noticed your follow-up direction that I use http://192.168.0.2:32400/web when I’m on the network at home.
When I go to http://192.168.0.1:32400/web I wind up at the same place as when I sign into my account by going to https://www.plex.tv
When I go to https://rwhnas.noip.me:5001 (using my DDNS address), that’s how I’ve always accessed my DSM, either remotely or at home on the local network.
As you can SEE FROM THE SCREENSHOT, the Plex on my NAS is directing me to http://rwhnas.noip.me:32400/web and I see where that’s http and not https. ???
OK, that’s where we’re at this morning. Thanks.
Oops, I forgot to send the screenshot
OMG(!).
Everything works perfectly, for the first time!!!
KUDOS to you and the guys at Plex for hanging in there with me through this. Thank you so much!
Summary: it turns out that there were only 2 issues behind this entire “ordeal” —
(1) I had always logged into my NAS with my DDNS address, even when at home.
(2) I had some wrong port forwarding rules set in my router.
It turned out that all of my troubles reduced to just these 2 items.
Follow up question: when I update Plex to version 1.12.1 on my computer, do I have to update the Plex version on my NAS at the same time (going through that Manual Download process again)?
Anyway, thanks a million for all the help through all these days!!! You guys were great! RWH
