Network Settings Somehow Affecting Transcoding

[ucas98]

Server Version#: 1.21.3.4015
Player Version#: 4.51.1 (Plex Web, Chrome 88.0.4324.150)

TLDR; All Plex players work perfectly when the VPN is turned on for the machine running Plex Media Server. When VPN is turned off, the players will only accept DirectPlay, and refuse to transcode (which means the Web Player won’t play most videos, as it doesn’t support directly playing them).

I’ve tried a load of things to get to this point (wiping the whole machine, and reinstalling MacOS, changing DNS servers on the router, wiping and rebuilding my Plex library). I have manual port forwarding set up on the router (32500 external > 32400 internal).

Related, but http://127.0.0.1:32400/web/index.html will only load when vpn is running.

I feel like I’m close to getting this sorted, but am out of ideas…

[ucas98]

Any ideas?

To reiterate; there is something in my network setup that stops Plex from being able to transcode. I know this, as when the Plex Media Server machine is connected to a VPN, everything (in all players; iOS, Roku, Web) works as expected.

My Plex Pass just renewed, and if I can’t get this fixed it seems like a waste of money.

[SE56]

You need to have kill switch - Off.

VPN Watcher - UGD Software