Is a Plex Pass required to have multiple Plex servers accessible remotely?

[MikeLeone]

I’m running PMS on a Win 10 PC, and have remote access working correctly (I manually specify port 32400, and have a port forwarding rule on my router, pointing to this PC). All works well; I am sharing this PMS with a couple friends, who are able to play my media.

Now I have a Synology NAS DS916+, and want to (eventually) use this to replace my current PMS. So I installed the latest PMS on it (1.13.2.5154), added some media, and I can access it all perfectly. PMS looks to be working correctly locally. So I went into the settings, and set the remote access port to 32500 (so it’s different from my existing PMS), and added a 2nd rule to my router, to port forward 32500 to the IP of the NAS.

And it keeps saying that the original PMS is remotely accessible, but the new one is not.

So my first question, which I couldn’t seem to find in a search: do I need a Plex Pass to have 2 PMS servers accessible remotely? I don’t want to spend the time to set up all my libraries, and invite friends, to the new server, until I am sure that I can access both servers during the transition.

If a Plex Pass is not required, I will post over in the NAS sub-group, with debug logs. But first I need to know that the issue is that I haven’t signed up for a Plex Pass.

Thanks. Sorry for the long, rambling post.

[Elijah_Baley]

Short answer, no.

[MikeLeone]

Yeah, I thought not. Oh, well. Time for a post in a sub-forum.

Thanks

[ChuckPa]

You’re already here in Synology.

How can I help? It seems you have name duplication?
You have logs for me to see ?

[MikeLeone]

I didn’t realize when I tagged the post, that it would also show up in the Synology forum.
Yes, I am having problems with remote access on my DS916+. I had originally installed using the Plex from Synology, but then upgraded using a download direct from Plex. I even tried uninstalling, then re-installing; no change.

I have my PMS on the Synology set to port 32500, and a rule on my router to match. But I am still seeing that this server is not accessible remotely. I have uploaded the logs.

It must be something simple I’ve done wrong, since I have remote access working correctly to my Win 10 PMS.

Plex Media Server Logs_2018-07-08_13-18-12.zip (1.7 MB)

Thanks!

[ChuckPa]

How you’re using your Syno ports is the problem. PMS currently binds to everything, including the docker ports.

Jul 08, 2018 13:16:11.604 [0x7f3058259800] DEBUG -  * 3 eth0 (169.254.216.241) (loopback: 0)
Jul 08, 2018 13:16:11.604 [0x7f3058259800] DEBUG -  * 4 eth1 (10.0.0.80) (loopback: 0)
Jul 08, 2018 13:16:11.604 [0x7f3058259800] DEBUG -  * 5 docker0 (172.17.0.1) (loopback: 0)

That has finally been fixed and is working its way through QA now.

For now, if you can swap eth0 and eth1, you’ll be far better off. The reason being; PMS is trying to go to eth0. DSM handles everything so the LAN works via eth1 but PMS isn’t smart enough to know this. It’s about to get that “whole lot smarter” it needs

[aaronwolen]

@ChuckPa, it sounds like this fix you’re referring to could be relevant to my question about PMS binding to docker networks. Is that right?

[ChuckPa]

@aaronwolen

it sounds like this fix you’re referring to could be relevant to my question about PMS binding to docker networks. Is that right?

Yes. 100% correct.

IF I understand it correctly, which I’ll test at first opportunity on my Synology, is we will be able to control which adapter PMS uses. I am not clear about how everything will work but it seems logical to include some, if not all, of:

• Specify which adapter PMS binds to on your server
• Report only that adapter to Plex.tv (this cures both docker interfaces and Remote Access)

[MikeLeone]

I see. Is there a timeline for when this fix will be included in the next version? If it’s not too far off, I can wait a few weeks.

Thanks for finding that!

[aaronwolen]

Sounds great! Thanks for helping to address this rather confusing issue!

[MikeLeone]

I still can’t reach my NAS remotely. I have switched my LAN ports, so that LAN 1 has the address I am port-forwarding to. I added a rule to my firewall to port-forward 32500 to that address (there is an existing rule to port-forward 32400 to a different PMS server, and has worked for a couple years).

I will attach the logs. Anyone?
(LAN 1 has the address x.x.x.80; LAN 2 has an active address, as well x.x.x.82, but that address is NOT referenced in any firewall rule. Dunno if that matters or not …)

Plex Media Server Logs_2018-07-27_17-41-55.zip (1.9 MB)

[MikeLeone]

@trumpy81

You cannot have two or more IP addresses on the NAS. Plex will use either of those addresses, sending on one, but receiving on another, which obviously causes Plex to fail.

Well, that’s … aggravating … well, I don’t need LAN 2 connected.

@trumpy81

That said, version 1.13.5.-5271 introduced a new setting

Where is that version? I have the latest version - 1.13.4.5271 - available on both plex.tv and from the Synology Package center. I don’t see that option on my version.

[MikeLeone]

@trumpy81

My apologies, 1.13.5-5291 is Plex Pass only at the present time, my bad.

I’m afraid you will need to stick to a single IP address/adapter on the NAS until that version is released to the public.

OK … I’ve done that, only 1 IP address, on LAN 1. I’ve restarted the NAS, Plex still shows offline. I clicked “Retry”, and it’s still says “Not available outside your network”… And I can’t connect to the NAS from my phone

What to try now?

Plex Media (1.5 MB)

[MikeLeone]

@trumpy81

You need to add a Port Forward rule in your router settings. It needs to use TCP, on port 32400 and set to your NAS IP Address.

Then in Plex settings > server > remote access > show advanced, make sure remote access is enabled and then enable ‘Manually specify public port’ and leave it set to 32400. Click on Apply and then click on Save Changes.

Check my original post. This PMS on the NAS is set to use port 32500, as the (already working) PMS running on Win 10 uses 32400. I have port-forward rules for both. The rule works to the non-NAS PMS; does not work for the NAS PMS.

The only difference between the 2 rules is that for one, TCP 32400 goes to x.x.x.90 (rule working, been working for 2 years), and the other is TCP 32500 to x.x.x.80 (doesn’t work). Yes, “Remote Acess” is enabled on the NAS, and the port is set to manually specified 32500.

[MikeLeone]

@trumpy81

Sorry, I missed that, yes use 32500 instead, that is fine.

No problem. Ok, great!

@trumpy81

If you have the firewall enabled on the NAS, you must open the ports used by Plex. See Q4 on the Synology FAQ’s page, link in my profile.

OK, did that. To be safe, I opened 32400 and 32500.

@trumpy81

If your router has both internal and external port numbering, then make sure both internal and external are the same, 32500

It does not. My router is a Arris Touchstone TG862G, and the port forward rules are just start and end port.

Still not accessing … I’m wondering if my firewall is letting 32500 through, but the Plex is expecting 32400. That is, the incoming packets are not redirected to the Plex port. (it sure seems like that’s what’s happening …) The client (in this case, testing from my Android phone) just knows the PMS name.

[MikeLeone]

@MikeLeone

Still not accessing … I’m wondering if my firewall is letting 32500 through, but the Plex is expecting 32400. That is, the incoming packets are not redirected to the Plex port. (it sure seems like that’s what’s happening …) The client (in this case, testing from my Android phone) just knows the PMS name.

Testing from http://canyouseeme.org/
Error: I could not see your service on 68.84.110.80 on port (32500)
Reason: Connection refused

So I guess my issue is with my router? That site can see port 32400 fine. Is it the PMS refusing on port 32500? Or my router not letting that through at all? Either way would result in a “refuse”.

[ChuckPa]

Mike,
Maybe I can help with this?

Think of it this way?

Internet -> Modem/router (port 32500) -- port forwarded --->  Synology IP (at port 32400)

The forwarding rule in the modem/router should be something like:

AnyIP:32500 ->  IP.addr.of.syno:32400

On the Synology, you only need concern yourself with making certain the Synology firewall is set to ALLOW, port 32400, TCP protocol.

That’s it

Does that help?

[MikeLeone]

Oh, I understand that, yes. My problem seems to be the router port forwarding rule. I can’t specify AnyIP:32500->NAS:32400. Apparently all I can do is AnyIP:32500->NAS:32500 (i.e., I can’t specify the internal port to route the incoming traffic, just the external port to open)

The Synology firewall is set for 2 rules, TCP 32400 and TCP 32500 ALLOW.

Even tried turning off the Synology firewall completely. Still no joy

PMS is set to 32500, but no joy. That port can’t be seen from the outside.

[ChuckPa]

what’s the model? I’ll go look in the docs and see if there’s both Firewall (which doesn’t translate port number) and NAT Forwarding (which does change the port number as needed) if that feature exists.

[MikeLeone]

My router is Arris Touchstone TG862G

Attached screenshots of Router port-forwarding, Synology firewall, and Plex NAS.