So I need some help trying to get the most out of my PLEX when remote (over LAN). Local it’s great! No buffering on any of my devices on the LAN. Problem is myself and my family always complain of buffering and having to lower quality way down to 2Mbps or some times below one to keep it from buffering. I have read a few things on the forum and run out of options. I read the logs but don’t understand them to be honest. I did look for transcoding speeds (I run a i7-6700 rack mounted server with 16Gb of ram) and logs show over 5 and see throttled alot. I’m thinking my problem is not transcoding, but I’m open to ideas or a 2nd look at it.
Now bandwith would be obvious thing here and I pay for 100/10 threw spectrum cable. I have ran speed test and get more then that but I know that could be a fake so I have also ran iPerf3 from my work network (which is 200/15 cable internet) to home to test. I’ll post those pics below. I have a new cable modem at home an expensive docsis 3.1 SB8200 (but had these problems before) I also run ubiquiti unifi network at home in the same rack. USG router, USW 24 port POE switch. Should all be good to go unless I’m missing something in some settings somewhere.
So My problem is no matter if I’m on my cell with LTE of 50mbps or at work or at a friends house (wifi or wired), I can only stream maybe up to 4mbps on a good day. usually less then 1 though. With the new auto features in the andriod app or a web browser it will self lower to below 1mbps (0.7Mbps as we speak). I have tested fire tv’s apple phone, andriod phone and my web browser on a desktop at work. I’m figuring even on a bad day I should get a solid 7Mbps no problem streaming only 1 user at a time. Especially between my home computer and work computer which the limitation should be my 10Mbps upload speed at home. But As I type this at work playing a movie from the browser the auto feature is bouncing it between .7 and 3Mbps trying to keep it from buffering.
Thanks,
Did you set any bandwidth limitation in the server settings?
Also the full logs will help as well.
No I have played with the limitation in the past, normally setting to 10Mmbps since that should be my limit, but during testing like as we speak I have it set to off or full. Is it safe to post full logs? I have never done that on the forum and not sure if it contains any info that should not be made public?
Seems to be ok after a search. Here is the logs. Running windows Version 1.11.0.4633 of server, but not a new issue.
Let me know if this is ok of if the logs need to be scrubbed.
You aren’t alone. I get buffering on remote roku’s and iphones with LTE (or even on wifi) intermittently. Zero problem at home. Even more evident when using plex live tv - because I think it uses even less of a buffer there, even if you pause it at the beginning for 30 seconds. I think there is a problem with the plex app not preloading enough buffer in the iPhone and Roku apps as it could. Other apps can do it. My Roku running Netflix can survive the router being restarted and not pause or buffer, with a minute or so boot cycle on the router. With plex it doesn’t buffer enough, only lasts a few seconds. So if you are remote and you don’t literally have line speed to the device it appears fairly finicky to brief bandwidth dips that occur in real life when not on a 100meg local lan. I think they need to tweak the buffering mechanism a bit. I also have the same internet as you, upload is around 12meg for me. I leave devices at 2 or 3 megabit. Plex sends at that speed to the client, instead of playing a video bitrate of 3megabit and buffering all it needs it literally sends 3megabit video but also only sends it at 3megabit too if you watch your network usage while watching non-live video. I think that is the main problem. Netflix will use easily 40megabit for a couple seconds and then nothing for a bit and then it sips here and there at high speeds. That’s a true buffer filling.
Thanks for your reply. I’m hoping this is not the case. With my speed testing I see no need to buffer so much either. I also have the option to pay more a month for faster download and upload speeds at home (300 down 20 up) which will double my upload at home. But it currently appears that my problem has nothing to do with my upload speed as far as I can see. I also don’t want to pay extra for something that will not help me. Honestly 5-7 Mbps consistent remote streaming would be ok for me but seems impossible.
Hoping not everyone has the same problem and that maybe I’ll get to the bottom of my issue. It’s a long shot but hopefully its some setting or error I have created in my setup or network that I can easily adjust.
