No access to PMS on a Ubuntu Server 17.04

General Discussions
1

I have a macOS version of PMS Version 1.8.2.4209 working satisfactorily and also an introductory setup for Plex Cloud. So two servers with Plex Pass.

Long range for me is to replace this with a headless Ubuntu Linux Server hosting PMS. The installation under Ubuntu Server 17.04 seems simple enough, but getting PMS running there is driving me crazy. The server seems to be installed, but I cannot get it functioning after several attempts, removals and new installs.

Basically the Plex configuration gets started and I can access the configuration start page from the network with http://ipaddress:32400/web. Then at same point this new server is identified along side the two working servers. I “claim” it as another server and it appears as one of the devices. Although its Update Channel cannot be changed from Public to Plex Pass.

Next the Ubuntu Server PMS disappears from the Plex webpage. Only the two original Servers remain. I have done some fooling around with Linux settings and tried different ways to access the Linux PMS. Only succeeding in reaching a point where the Linux PMS is not available at all on the network or will not even start. I’ve tried deleting and reinstalling on the Ubuntu Server ending basically with the same results.

Is there a Plex conflict with multiple servers? A problem maybe since browser access is done from the same computer because the one server is headless?

I had focused on Linux as the problem, but it may not be. Here is the feedback (systemctl status plexmediaserver.service) from Linux:

    ● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server for Linux
       Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
      Drop-In: /etc/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service.d
               └─local.conf
       Active: active (running) since Thu 2017-08-31 14:14:08 EDT; 13min ago
      Process: 1349 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d "${PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR}" || /bin/mkdir -p "${PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR}" (code=exited, status
     Main PID: 1358 (sh)
        Tasks: 57 (limit: 4915)
       Memory: 316.2M
          CPU: 33.655s
       CGroup: /system.slice/plexmediaserver.service
               ├─1358 /bin/sh -c LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver "/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Media Server"
               ├─1359 /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Media Server
               ├─1629 /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex DLNA Server
               ├─1631 /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Tuner Service /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Resources/Tuner/Private /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Resources/Tuner/Shared 1.8.2.4209-b1d4aa012 32600 /w
               └─2533 Plex Plug-in [com.plexapp.system] /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Resources/Plug-ins-b1d4aa012/Framework.bundle/Contents/Resources/Versions/2/Python/bootstrap.py --server-versio
    
    Aug 31 14:14:08 SERGIO systemd[1]: Starting Plex Media Server for Linux...
    Aug 31 14:14:08 SERGIO systemd[1]: Started Plex Media Server for Linux.

I’d appreciate any guidance in dealing with this frustrating problem. I would like to get PMS working with the Linux server and off the Mac.

2

Is the Ubuntu install local or remote to you?
If remote you need to create an SSH tunnel to claim the server initially

REF: https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200288586-Installation

On a Different Network
If you’re on a different network than the server computer (or the entire “local network” is not in the private network IP ranges), you’ll first need to set up a SSH tunnel so that you can access things as if they were local.

3

To perform the initial setup, if the server does not have the same subnet address as you (is remote or on a different subnet), you must use SSH tunneling to forward your browser to 32400 of the server through the ssh tunnel

  1. ssh -L 8888:127.0.0.1:32400 ip.addr.of.server
  2. In a new browser tab, open http://127.0.0.1:8888/web

I have a secondary question about the use of local.conf being loaded by systemd. Did you customize your installation or is that left over from something else?

4

Hold it! My headless Ubuntu Linux Server hosting PMS is now working. No actions taken on my part except for letting the last fresh installation idle online. Repeating the exact steps that failed before now work!

The big question: Is there is some activity taken by Plex during the first stages of server setup? One that might experience delays?

Thanks guys. The Ubuntu Server is local on the same network with the same subnet address. @ChuckPA: About your secondary question, I assume local.conf may have been a result of some suggested server installation approach for PMS or something else. This stuff is mostly a mystery to this noob right now. For instance, I was unaware of the differences in working with Ubuntu Server 17.04 and following forum posts pertaining to earlier versions like 15.04 and 16.0.

5

Plex does Nothing to your machine remotely. It reads your media. It only deletes media IF you’ve given expressed permission to do so (typically DVR content)

If you would like, Please PM me the contents of local.conf and we’ll solve the mystery.

Please include the link to this thread in the PM (easier for me to correlate and reply back here)