Mac Mini had update now can't access Remotely

Plex Media Server Remote Access
1

Server Version#: 1..43.3.10828
Player Version#: any

Hello! first time posting, i have spent the last 3 weeks constantly banging my head against the wall - i have been hosting my plex server for years working without issues. Remote access for my friends and family worked flawlessly until a few weeks ago. Nothing in my settings or router or ISP changed at all, but i remember the Mac Mini had a Tahoe update.

the next day, i have the red ‘Not available outside your network’. normally when i see this i port forward retry or a reboot of router might be all it takes to fix

this time, i actually showed 2 or 3 people watching REMOTELY even though the red Not available outside your network…NEVER have i seen that! i confirmed some of my users it works, some it doesnt. some it works on phone, some only on TV, its been driving me CRAZY!!

i am using port forwarding with 32400 and getting a public IP from my ISP. I tried to downgrade my iOS down to sonoma, wiping the mac mini and same result!

i was sure it was a mac issue but all the network settings look fine and i changed nothing.

i installed the server on a dell windows laptop, and mysteriously it works PERFECTLY. below is pasted from my remote access page. ALL GREEN

192.168.0.36 : 32400 Public 72.xxx.xxx : 32400 on the Dell Windows

the mac mini shows the same but with its 192.168.0.48 IP and a red x at the end showing no outside connection

is there ANYONE that can help!?!? can i post logs ? i have worked tirelessly with ‘experts’ in forums and fb groups but have not gotten any further with the mac mini.

obviously the easy fix is to move the server over to a nice windows tower, however i have 8 external HDs all formatted for AFPS for mac, which i will need to copy over to exFat drives, then to NTFS. its going to be a PITA!

i would think if this was truly broken by a mac update there would be hundreds of other people posting about it and an invenitible patch or fix but..thats not happening.

i was really surprised it still had same issue after downgrading and wiping the mac mini.

i did read its possible a plex employee can reset my certificate on the back end to help with some issues with adding users. wondering if theres something in my account that needs reset.

i could try creating a new account? i have tried removing and reclaiming server , that worked a few months ago but not now

BOTH my mac mini and the dell laptop plex servers work PERFECT locally. i can watch 4k , etc, all of it works, just not remotely…

PLEASE HELP! id be happy to post logs i havent before but will check the post. please reach out at tony.stillions at gmail.com if thats easier - id pay for a solution at this point! its driving me crazy! i really dont want to go through the process of moving to windows so hoping to figure this out

thanks all!

Tony

2

If you still have the Dell server running, you can’t have it using port 32400 and your mac using port 32400 as the external port. They need to use different external ports.
I would quit your server on the Dell so the port doesn’t cause a conflict.

Did you manually create the forwarding rule for the mac server and select the “Manually specify public port” box in plex? If so, does it still show open? https://canyouseeme.org/

There’s been a cert issue recently with mac servers. You can quit your server on the mac, delete the certificate file, *.p12 , in the path below, and then startup your server. Give it a few minutes to grab a new cert. If you can’t see the Library folder in your user directory, press Command + Shift + "." to make them visible.

Screenshot 2026-07-12 at 4.10.58 PM

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so that i just did for testing. its whats working now. if i turn off the dell, disable the rule, edit the rule for mac mini to do port 32400, i get the failure…

i swear i read , if i am running 2 plex servers on the same network i could make one of them 32400 and the other, say, 32401…that didnt work. so this was just to test. the dell works great with the normal 32400, the mac does not ill try to add screenshot. but yeah before i tried the dell or even replaced the router all was working fine using public IP and port forwarding rule and 32400

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yes sorry to the 2nd part - its been like that for years. mac mini gets reservation, and port forwarding rule to its IP and port 32400. always worked and just stopped suddenly no changes

i wondered about the certificate issue - thanks i will give this a shot. i am so desperate at this point i feel like ive tried everything that would be the common issue

5

Sorry, I don’t fully understand your response. Disable the dell. If the mac is the only server running currently, and it’s on port 32400, your forwarding rule is correct, I can see your server via the direct ip and port you noted above. I would delete your public ip from the post.

Try the certificate steps.

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thanks but i went into my library cache folder and there is no plex folder

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mind you, this is after i wiped the mac mini and downgraded to sonoma…not sure if the plex folder was ever there. only thing inside the cache folder is colorsynch, some com.apple folders but no plex…is that my issue?

sorry to clarify i only temporarily used the 32400 on the windows laptop to test. i have since removed that rule and the dell entirely. i reset router, mac mini and put it back to 32400 and still gets not available outside…but works locally!

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What path did you go to? The Library in the main HD or the Library in your user directory as shown in the screenshot?

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nevermind i mustve been in wrong subfolder, i found it, and deleted. will report back!

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oh wow…its green…and fully accessible for the first time in weeks!! could it have been this easy?? I OWE YOU A DRINK SIR! ill test and report back! THANK YOU

11

Glad it’s working! :folded_hands:t4:

If it doesn’t stick, best bet would be to pull server logs and post them.

12

still GREEN, so far so good!!!

SO - if i ‘wiped’ the mac mini and downgraded, would that cert file still stick in my user folder somehow? i would think with the wiping and reinstall of OS and plex it woudlve created new one?

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

13

If you really did a full wipe/format of the drive, not sure why it didn’t work when it grabbed the first certificate. There’s an issue with a specific type of cert that’s being used, but I thought I read they aren’t pushing those out for now, once the issue was discovered. But, I could be wrong. Maybe plex just sends the old one on a new install and doesn’t refresh it until a manual delete? Lots of guessing…might not even be that cert issue.

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thanks for the thoughts and help again man, really appreciate but it was 100% the cert. i literally tried EVERYTHING else and once i deleted and restarted server i was BACK

thanks again i owe ya truly

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help again if possible!! things are working great after the cert delete i even upgraded mac to tahoe …but something is up, when i used to watch locally, it would show locally, but now when i watch locally it says ‘remote’ on the dashboard…i may have reset some setting, i have looked all over it told me to put my server IP in the trusted URL but that didnt work…any ideas??

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also i am watching my new amazon firecube however it shows Android tv..shouldnt it show firestick or firecube??

Plex for Android (TV) — AFTGAZL

Playing—52:40 / 2:13:28

Remote (72.1xx.xx.xxx)—119 Mbps

normally it would show local for me

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Most Fire devices run AndroidOS and the new app used for Android devices is the same across all, no specialized app for Fire, so assuming that’s why you see that. Are you on the new app or the old app?

Since you upgraded the OS, check if your Mac firewall is on and if so, blocking all incoming connections. If it is, you’ll want to disable that, and then allow the Plex Server app through the Firewall. Also check the local network access setting on the Mac and give Plex server permission.

Edit: just checked my dashboard, the new experience app shows it as Amazon FireTV. I think the old app said Android, but can’t remember to be sure.

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