Plex causing my Internet to Lag / Random High Ping

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Sorry if this was already.

 

So it's an odd situation.

I believe this error started to happen after the recent update.

 

I'm running Plex on Windows Home Server 2011.

 

It took me a while to figure out it was Plex causing the issue.

 

Basicly when Plex isn't running on my server my pings look like this:

 
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=21ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=31ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=34ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=55
 
Which is normal.
 
But when Plex is running on the server I'll get something like this:
 
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=25ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=2015ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=55
 
This really high ping will happen every minute to two minutes.
 
At the same time that I get this high ping, I also get the high ping on my firewall / modem.
 
If I ping my server while also pinging the internet and firewall / modem, my server responds ok no high pings at all.
 
Again I only get this high ping while Plex is running on my server.
If i shut down Plex I have no issues.
 
This really messes with my online gaming, when this happens I completely freeze in game, while others move about.

 

2

More on this...

I've turned off UPnP on my firewall / modem and the problem has gone away.

I turned it back on and bam... it happens again.

So I currently have it turned off.

Does Plex need UPnP to be on, on my firewall / modem?

3

Wired, I don't get this with Plex but I do when PlayOn is running, maybe there is some port forwarding or something that can be done to fix this stuff because I have the Plex port forwarding On so I can access my movie machine VIA the web like from Plex.tv etc

4

Does Plex need UPnP to be on, on my firewall / modem?

Not if you create the portforwarding rule yourself in the settings of your router. The manual route is more reliable anyway, just make sure the plex server machine always gets the same local IP address, or you must adapt the portforwarding every time the IP changes.

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200931138

You only need this if you access your plex server from outside your home network.

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200484543-Enabling-Remote-Access-for-a-Server

5

Not if you create the portforwarding rule yourself in the settings of your router. The manual route is more reliable anyway, just make sure the plex server machine always gets the same local IP address, or you must adapt the portforwarding every time the IP changes.

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200931138

You only need this if you access your plex server from outside your home network.

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200484543-Enabling-Remote-Access-for-a-Server

Hello OttoKerner,

I also read these pages, and they didn't help me out.
Thanks for the input.

I was reading into UPnP and it looks like I need it to play some online games...

So turning off this service will not be an option for me.

Do you think there could be a problem with the way Plex is trying to configure my modem, that would be causing this issue?

I turned off Remote Access in Plex and enabled UPnP on the modem and it still has the issue...

Again so far I've narrowed it down to when Plex is running and UPnP is enabled on my modem, that I see this issue.

6

Is there a way for me to go back to a previous version of Plex?

7

Do you think there could be a problem with the way Plex is trying to configure my modem, that would be causing this issue?

I think it is connected to how Plex checks or establishes the portforwarding by means of UPnP.

You don't need to globally switch off UPnP on the router. You just need to configure Plex not to use it anymore.

Establish the portforwarding rule by hand (provided your router lets you do it while it has UPnP still enabled).

forward some portnumber >=32400 external to on portnumber 32400.

The first (external) portnumber can vary, the second (internal) one must be always 32400.

Now go to Settings - Server - Remote Access (Show Advanced)

Tick the box 'Manually specify port' (this switches off UPnP in Plex)

put in the external portnumber (the first mentioned above) into the input field and click 'Connect'

If it doesn't connect at once, wait 20 seconds and 'Retry'.

8

Attached are two screenshots, First is my modem with the port forward.

The second is the Plex settings.

This is how I've had it setup for a long time.

9

Above is all correct.

If you have it already this way, then Plex is not using UPnP.

Try deactivating the DLNA server of Plex instead, see if that changes anything.

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200350536-DLNA

10

I attempted to disable DLNA and i received: Your changes could not be saved.

I closed Plex and waited for all the Plex exe files to close out. 

Loaded up Plex and checked and DLNA is now disabled.

The pings are look good, but...

I would rather not use this workaround, I would like to use DLNA.

I understand that this should fix my issue, but I'm not a fan of workarounds.

Do you or does anyone else have any ideas that could fix this issue?

11

DLNA devices use network broadcasts (in intervals) to discover each other. It is probably these broadcasts that put a massive load on your router.

Normally it should have no influence on your router, but there are many crappy devices in the market. Maybe use a router with a better firmware. Check whether there is alternative firmware for your router available.

DD-WRT etc.

12

i got the same problem, with same setting (DLNA off)

and super high ping (nearly up to 300)

13

i got the same problem, with same setting (DLNA off)

and super high ping (nearly up to 300)

Just to verify, You have the same issue with high pings, only when Plex is running and you UPnP turned on, on your firewall?

14

I'm having the same problem with Plex. Turning of DNLA seems to solve the problem for me. This is of course not the ultimate solution but it works for me. My port is already forwarded as well, doesn't solve the problem. Hopefully this will be fixed in the future!

Thanks for you help!

15

I want to revisit this issue. Is started up again even with DLAN disabled.

16

I am also having this issue, with both DLNA disabled and uPnP disabled on my router. I have “Smokeping” installed to track my ping to a remove server over time, which is plotted in the attached image. As you can see, the line goes basically flat once I turn OFF Plex.

yr74m9uflzpa.png697×315 22.5 KB

17

I have the same problem. Plex is on a dedicated computer. No stress on the system or network. Nothing running, Plex is not playing a movie. DLNA is disable as is everything else I could find to uncheck. Remote access is disabled. Fresh install. If I play a game on another computer I get huge lag spikes every 3-5 seconds consistently. Turning off UPnP does nothing.

Playing movies works perfectly. You only notice a problem when playing a game where that type of lag spike ruins the gaming experience.

18

I too have this problem, DLNA disabled, UPnp off, remote access disabled does nothing. Only started to notice it in the last 3-4 months. turning off the server restores ping to normal levels otherwise its 500 to 2000 ping every 10 seconds or so