I have a Plex server that I wish to share with one other user. Since both of us have static IP addresses it should be easy to add a firewall rule to grant access to just them, but Plex does not wish to play like that. If the Plex backend in Amazon AWS is unable to connect to my shared server, Plex does not even show my server as an option in the list on my friend’s client (even though he can connect to it) - and since the Plex backend servers within AWS are not using fixed addresses, I must give all of AWS connectivity to my server, which is tantamount to opening it to the entire internet.
This seems daft. I have a server, they have a client, we both have fixed IP addresses, why is it not possible to allow access through my firewall for only this user? Is there some way around this that I’m just not seeing? Is it possible to force my Plex server to show up in my friend’s client without needing anything in AWS to have connectivity to my server? Can I bypass the server check and point him directly to my server with a special link or something?
@fooniepoo said:
I have a Plex server that I wish to share with one other user. Since both of us have static IP addresses it should be easy to add a firewall rule to grant access to just them, but Plex does not wish to play like that. If the Plex backend in Amazon AWS is unable to connect to my shared server, Plex does not even show my server as an option in the list on my friend’s client (even though he can connect to it) - and since the Plex backend servers within AWS are not using fixed addresses, I must give all of AWS connectivity to my server, which is tantamount to opening it to the entire internet.
This seems daft. I have a server, they have a client, we both have fixed IP addresses, why is it not possible to allow access through my firewall for only this user? Is there some way around this that I’m just not seeing? Is it possible to force my Plex server to show up in my friend’s client without needing anything in AWS to have connectivity to my server? Can I bypass the server check and point him directly to my server with a special link or something?
The only way to do it without the backend is to open a VPN tunnel between his network and yours, making his client and your server appear to be on the same LAN. But in regards to your other complaint, no you are not “opening your server to the entire internet”. You are opening one public port, just like you would be with any other service. Nobody can get in through that port without authentication - which they can’t do unless they’ve hacked Plex - in which case we all have issues.
You can’t “lock down” a service like that because it is designed to give users remote access from anywhere. So what will you do if this guy wants to access a movie from a tablet/phone/laptop on public wifi or cellular? That won’t have the same IP as his regular network, therefore will be locked out. On cellular your IP can change several times in an hour. You’re making a huge to do about absolutely nothing.
