Server Version#: 1.18.6.2368
Player Version#:7.27.1.15203
The Android Plex App has Advanced / Manual Connections set to the IP address of my Plex server at home. I also have quality set to Remote streaming = 320 kbps, which is far less than the bandwidth I have available to me remotely.
When I try to stream any of my albums, the player just shows a rotating circle that never stops, or, the bottom player panel just sits there and no sound comes out.
I can stream from my laptop to the exact same album over the same remote wireless connection. What’s the issue?
Streaming works fine when I am local within my network (of course) as well as when I disconnect the phone from my home wireless and stream from my Google FI (which is T-mobile in my area) connection.
What is the issue?
Also, how do I set direct streaming instead of relay? I assume I am using direct streaming from the Android App when I use the Advanced / Manual connection.
If you have set the local IP of your server, then it is not accessible when you are outside your home network.
You must either use the public IP (which can change at any time on the whim of your ISP – so, bad idea)
or you are using the mechanism which was made for this and sign in both server and client into your Plex account.
Then set up remote access https://support.plex.tv/articles/200289506-remote-access/
I have a fixed IP that also does the required port-forwarding. I have tested outside of my network and my laptop always connects and is able to stream. My Pixel 3a has connected a couple times and streamed, but, if it tries to connect and fails, it continues to fail no matter what I do, even after closing the Plex App and even after restarting the Pixel 3a. The only time I have been able to connect is with manual connections configured with the fixed IP and Port 32400. But, it is not consistent and once it fails, I’m done. Something is not right with the Android App but I don’t see any configurations that would be causing this failure.
I get the following error ONLY when I try to stream an album from my Pixel 3a outside of my home network:
Caught exception trying to stream file: C:\Users\ronso\AppData\Local\Plex Media Server\Cache\PhotoTranscoder\1f\1f0c5488c660e7e3c3d555520bffaf8f0feb996b.jpg: write: protocol is shutdown
If I connect my phone back onto the home network, that same album streams without problems. Also, once it streams by connecting from within the home network, if I disconnect from the home network and try to re-stream that same album, it now works!
I have a fixed external IP address WITH correct port forwarding. None of these problems happen with my laptop - it streams fine when not connected to my home network.
Have you tried to add the full URL (including protocol and port number!) with your fixed IP to
Settings - Server - Network - ‘Show Advanced’ - “Custom server access URLs”
in the form http://111.222.333.444:32400
you need to replace 111.222.333.444 with your actual, public IP
and 32400 with the external/public portnumber you used in your port forwarding
If you have a domain name pointing to that IP (inluding a fitting, publicly trusted [i.e. *not* self-signed] certificate), you should even be able to use secure connections.
Notice: this custom URL will not be tested by Plex’s remote connection test. So even if you have a working custom URL, Plex will still show ‘not available’ under Settings - Remote Access.
Thank you, Otto. I’ll be testing it this coming week. I did have the Custom server access URLs setup, but, without the port so maybe that was the problem. In any case, I’ll let you know how it goes.
