Server Version#: 1.21.3.4015
Player Version#: various
Hi all,
I have an issue at the moment, and not sure how to deal with it… When attempting to play a video, I’m getting SD quality, and when I check why, it’s because my LAN bandwidth isn’t high enough?
Everything is wired, and I mainly use Shield TV (but also Fire TV and Android devices).
Remote access comes and goes, but I never leave the house so not a major issue!
I’ve also noticed below my server in settings it was saying “indirect”, however after a reboot of my router, this doesn’t now appear.
Any ideas?
If it now says “local”, where it said “indirect” before, consider the issue solved.
It now says “Nearby” but still I’m getting crap quality when viewing.. Screenshot attached.
Please open the web app on a second device and look at the
Activity - Dashboard - Now Playing
Enable the Details view
The message on your screen shot says that the bandwidth is still limited to 2 mbps, which is the maxmimum for “relay” /“indirect” connections.
Maybe the app on your TV hasn’t noticed that your server is now “directly” accessible?
Did you also restart the TV after you’ve rebooted the router?
Where is your server hosted?
What kind of TV is it?
Hi, thanks for the replies… I’ve attached the screen from the dashboard - it shows as indirect.
To answer your questions:
Did you also restart the TV after you’ve rebooted the router? - I rebooted the Shield TV
Where is your server hosted? - home network
What kind of TV is it? - it’s a shield tv, plugged into my tv
Not sure if related, but my remote access keeps showing as not available… I click retry and it shows available, but then is back to unavailable next time I check
Sorry, I meant what kind of device is used.
If it’s a Windows computer, is this computer connected per Ethernet wire to your router?
If it’s a laptop, do you regularly move it around the house?
Have you checked whether the network connection is classified in Windows as ‘private’ or ‘public’? (it must be ‘private’)
Do you have access to your router’s configuration?
If so, can you find any settings pertaining to “DNS rebinding”? https://support.plex.tv/articles/206225077-how-to-use-secure-server-connections#toc-4
Hi,
It’s a windows 10 machine, static (not moved) and the network is set to private rather than public. Ethernet only. client is ethernet too
I have access to the router but not sure how to check for DNS debinding? Can’t see anything obvious… It’s BT - full fibre (home hub 2)
Yikes. I was afraid of that BT hub.
They often don’t allow the user to configure any settings.
Can you visit canyouseeme.org and compare the IP address shown there with the IP address which appears in Plex as your public IP? Are they the same?
Hi, yes they are the same
Can you put in the “external” port number from plex into the input field on canyouseeme and perform the test, please?
Yes, doing that gives the message “I could NOT see your service on 86.xxx.xxx.xx, port (xxxxx)”
You are sure you’ve used the “public” port number?
Did you put a checkmark into “Manually specify public port” under
Settings - Server - Remote Access
?
And if so, did you create an accompanying port forwarding in your router?
Hi yes, I’ve used public, (i.e. 86.xxx vs 192.168 etc.) ticked the box and used my own port, and that port is forwarded within the BT router firewall settings
So you do have access to the router settings?
Do you have another “router”-type device inbetween the BT hub and the server computer?
Yes I have router settings access… I do have a wifi mesh network, but my server and my client aren’t using wifi, they’re using ethernet. I also have a switch if that’s what you meant?
No, the switch doesn’t matter (as long as it’s an “un”-managed one).
So, if you have created the port forwarding and told Plex that you did so
(did you use 32400 for the external port number?)
But canyouseeme doesn’t reach the server, then the portforwarding either doesn’t work
or you don’t have a publicly accessible IPv4 address from your ISP.
If you have verified that you did use 32400 for both the internal and the external port number, when you defined the port forwarding,
and it still doesn’t work, I think it is the “no publicly accessible IPv4 address” issue.
That’s what’s causing the remote access to fail.
You can ask your ISP for a public IPv4 address, but they may either
- decline the request
- ask you for more money
- ask you to buy a “static” IP address (which isn’t really necessary for Plex. The public IP can change, as long as it’s not too frequently.)
So that can only be solved by you contacting BT.
Now, the perpetual “indirect” connection in your home network is likely caused by “DNS rebinding protection” in your BT hub.
Since BT doesn’t allow you to switch it off (at least that is what I’ve gathered from reports of other BT customers here in the forums), all you can do is to try and operate without “secure connections”.
In Plex Web
Settings - Server - Network - “Secure Connections” must NOT be set to “required”.
In the settings of the Shield Plex client, set “Unsecure connections” to “in the same network” or to “always”.
Restart both the server and the Shield after making these changes.
Thanks so much for the detailed reply… Re the remote access, I’ll speak to BT and see if there’s anything they can do.
Re the indirect, both settings I think are already as you suggest, i.e.:
On server, set to “preferred” but not “required” for secure connections. On the Shield, “Allow Unsecure Connections” is set to “on same network”.
Is that correct?
Yes, this should work – in theory.
If you cannot get remote access to work anyway, you can also try
Disabled and Always, respectively.
