macOS Plex Player shows server as remote while on the same network

[craigmdennis]

Server Version#: 1.24.5.5173 (unraid)
Player Version#: 1.35.1.2632-c6783c78

Plex runs in docker with a custom network.
I have the local network/subnet as well as the docker network/subnet in the LAN settings in Plex.

When I access Plex using the IP address of the host machine in the browser, the Plex server shows as ‘nearby’ (but not secure, which is expected).

When I access Plex using the macOS player, the same server shows as Remote (and so I need to manually adjust settings to avoid transcoding, or set the Internet Streaming video quality to Maximum; something that I shouldn’t have to change).

I would expect the media player to detect that the server is on the same network and work as a local source.

[Volts]

If Docker is using a custom network, how is traffic routed between the subnets?

What is entered in LAN Networks, exactly? Can you share a screenshot? That field is strangely sensitive - any extra characters, even spaces, won’t parse correctly.

[craigmdennis]

I’m using a custom network so that Docker containers (like Radarr, NZBGet, Overseerr) can connect to each other by container name (e.g. http://radarr:7878) instead of host IP address (I’m moving a bunch and wanted a more robust intra-server setup so I don’t have to change the IP everywhere).

This all works fine when accessing via the host IP: 192.168.0.201:32400

Here is the LAN Networks field (no spaces).

But when using the macOS Plex Player (same machine, same network setup), the connection shows as remote.

Remote access works fine (port forwarding required).

My assumption is that the macOS app is using the relay. When I visit https://plex.tv/ the server also shows as remote.

I don’t recall if—when using the relay—the server is supposed to show as local. If so, then there is a wider issue with my setup than with the macOS Player.

[craigmdennis]

Interestingly the Dashboard shows the content direct playing locally when I play something via the macOS Plex Player app. This means the network setup is correct.

If I set it to “Maximum” then it direct plays.

If I set internet streaming video quality to anything else, then it transcodes (but still shows as local in the dashboard).

This seems to indicate that the issue is with how the “internet streaming” section determines what’s local and what’s not.

[craigmdennis]

Possibly related: When I “Play from the start” I get local bandwidth. When I “resume” or scrub to a point in the future the bandwidth seems to be limited by the same amount as the Plex relay (2Mbps).

It seems related to the “remote” vs “local” detection.
Can anyone help?

[craigmdennis]

SOLVED.

Related reading that provided the solution: Plex remote access "not available outside your network" - githubmemory

Adding my server’s IP address (with the port) to the Custom server access URLs enables the macOS Player AND plex.tv to show my server as nearby when I’m on the same network.