Plex Constantly Loses Remote Access

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
252

It’s all good, I fixed it.

253

@Beefsnack

For the forum and the future, what did you do to fix it?

1 Like
254

Apparently the Win10 update decided to change my Workgroup Network Ethernet Con. and I didn’t even notice it until I looked at my Wireshark Data and noticed that I had a new connection in there. So All I had to do was go back to my Main Workgroup Connection and back in business, and screwing up my audio drivers as usual …

255

Since @sa2000 wasn’t responding, I tried stuff myself again => when blocking the specific PubSubServer I got another one in the same range (XS4ALL hosted in AMS). Had that running for a day, and noticed again the server going offline again. My ‘workaround’ stopped working as well, so had to direct connect and retry publishing via the web ui to get it working again.

Following up I blocked all known XS4ALL PubSub servers I could get via https://plex.tv/services/pubsub/servers which seems to generate new IPs everytime you load it, guessing some kind of round robin service. Just to check if maybe my ISP wasn’t playing nice with XS4ALL. Restarted PMS and got a PubSubServer based on a Linode server in the UK. Had that running for a day or so and just noticed it was showing as offline again.

I guess I can conclude the issue isn’t with one specific PubSubServer, but still either with something local or an issue which the current version of Plex has with all PubSubServers.

Added logs, no idea if these will be useful, but still.

Plex Media Server Logs_2019-01-16_11-10-57.zip (4.0 MB)

256

Sorry did not have time to get to your earlier logs

Are you sure you disabled Tautulli actions relating to remote access ?
Logs show some regular enabling of remote access every 5 miutes - looks like scripted action. It does not appear to be doing any harm - not like the repeated connectivity tests - but nevertheless would like to understand how it is happening and if it is Tautulli doing it. It is not having any benefit either - so not sure why it is being done

Extract

Jan 15, 2019 21:47:22.064 [0x7fd7823fd700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:60246 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (13 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 21:52:22.232 [0x7fd7833ff700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:60390 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (12 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 21:57:22.490 [0x7fd7823fd700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:60514 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (12 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:02:22.721 [0x7fd791bfb700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:60652 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (11 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:07:22.973 [0x7fd7abffe700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:60792 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (11 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:12:23.219 [0x7fd7abffe700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:60836 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (10 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:17:23.483 [0x7fd7957fe700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:32818 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (11 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:22:23.731 [0x7fd7957fe700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:32918 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (9 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:27:23.977 [0x7fd78affc700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:33156 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (11 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:32:24.223 [0x7fd7957fe700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:33186 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (9 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:37:24.477 [0x7fd78affc700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:33410 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (9 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:42:24.722 [0x7fd790bf9700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:33554 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (12 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:47:24.974 [0x7fd7a77ff700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:33708 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (11 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:52:25.223 [0x7fd7a77ff700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:33924 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (12 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 22:57:25.481 [0x7fd7823fd700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:34072 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (11 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 23:02:25.727 [0x7fd7823fd700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:34214 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (11 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
Jan 15, 2019 23:07:25.987 [0x7fd79dffd700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:34348 (Loopback)] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (11 live) GZIP Signed-in Token (pushnoi)
etc...- every 5 minutes on the dot !

It is running directly on the server

with regards to blocking pubsub server IP addresses, whilst this helps you establish if the issue is confirned to specific pubsub server, it actually complicates my investigation. To investigate now, i would need you to provide me evidence of exact times when specific ip addresses were blocked and which ip addresses. I also need server logs covering those times and for the hour period after each

The fact that you have the capability of blocking pubsub ip addresses makes me have to ask if blocks were in place before at any time -for periods i investigated already where i saw evidence of no events received from specific pubsub servers.

The logs provided in this post covered Jan 15, 2019 21:43:19 to Jan 16, 2019 11:10:55. I can see an anomaly after 06:18 on 16th january and i would like to know what IP addresses were blocked between then and 11:10 am

what i am trying to do is identify when pubsub servers fail to send events to the Plex Media Server and which pubsub server. I cannot do that whilst there are IP blocks in place. I also need to see what pubsub server is in use and when that connection was last established - so would probably need to increase the number of log files - there is a hidden preference LogNumFiles which you could set to large number eg 40 or 50 log files - this together with restart of the server every few days should ensure the logs cover whole period from start to time of failure - but please no IP blocks to be in place at all and no Tautulli interference . And no verbose logging please for this - just debug logging enabled on the server

See https://support.plex.tv/articles/201105343-advanced-hidden-server-settings/

257

had a look at the logs now from the 12th - pubsub server you identified as being in use 82.94.168.50

The log shows no events being received from the pubsub server

I will flag that to the operations team - are we absolutely sure you had no block on IP ranges in your router or any other security software ? Do you have any IP blocks? I am asking because i am not seeing loss of events at this moment from other users and I know from your later post that you do make use of this

258

You are absolutely right… I had some manual tryout script running even though I thought I’d disabled it. Apparently I only stopped the service, and did not disabled it - so it started again after a reboot. Stupid. Consider my other tests as void then, I’ll test again and report back.

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Is Tautulli running on the server machine ? I am concerned that something may be interfering with the events PMS is waiting for from the pubsub server

Of course the other risk is you have some filtering of IP ranges that you are not aware being in place

260

Thank you for the pcap file
Where is the corresponding server logs zip?

I removed the pcap zip from your post as there may be passwords. I did say send it by private message

  • zip the pcap file
  • send me by private message
    and upload corresponding logs zip here
261

No, to make sure nothing was interfering with Plex I moved it to a seperate machine.

262

Looked at the wireshark capture - it was for 40 second period. Plex Media Server was attempting to communicate with the router through IP address 192.168.1.254 and an attempt to request the wan ip address was rejected and router sending a reset (RST) after every SYN.

Is the router on 192.168.1.254?
Was it rebooted just before the test?
Is NAT enabled in the router?
uPnP enabled in the router?
What make / model?

You can check these and restart the router and start wireshark and then repeat the test - leaving wireshark to run for 10 minutes and then capture logs zip and pcap file

1445	16:04:33.413932	192.168.1.70	63147	NAT-PMP	192.168.1.254	5351	44	External Address Request
1451	16:04:33.417388	192.168.1.254	63147	ICMP	192.168.1.70	5351	72	Destination unreachable (Port unreachable)

May be NAT-PMP is blocked off in the router

263

Thanks for the logs from the 9th and 13th january

You are only giving me one log file and not the whole set of 6 log files - so period of time covered is shorter

The 13th january log whilst does not go back to time of launch and so cannot see the network interface detection, shows working uPnP automatic mapping to public port 23885 and the connectivity test was successful

Jan 13, 2019 20:49:33.590 [5440] DEBUG - HTTP requesting PUT https://plex.tv/api/servers/fe85bbf44688d7690cfe8680942873adbf2621e8/connectivity?X-Plex-Token=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&asyncIdentifier=6f347a12-aecf-4120-987f-d6a4e36d355b
Jan 13, 2019 20:49:33.805 [5440] DEBUG - HTTP 200 response from PUT https://plex.tv/api/servers/fe85bbf44688d7690cfe8680942873adbf2621e8/connectivity?X-Plex-Token=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&asyncIdentifier=6f347a12-aecf-4120-987f-d6a4e36d355b
Jan 13, 2019 20:49:34.032 [5736] DEBUG - Request: [34.245.172.51:38852 (WAN)] GET /identity (14 live) TLS Signed-in Token (Pjbracer1)
Jan 13, 2019 20:49:34.036 [1276] DEBUG - Completed: [34.245.172.51:38852] 200 GET /identity (14 live) TLS 3ms 386 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Jan 13, 2019 20:49:34.123 [1740] DEBUG - EventSource: Got event [data] '<Message address="82.19.xxx.xx4" port="23885" asyncIdentifier="6f347a12-aecf-4120-987f-d6a4e36d355b" connectivity="1" command="notifyConnectivity"/>'
Jan 13, 2019 20:49:34.123 [1740] DEBUG - PubSub: Got notified of reachability: 1 for 82.19.xxx.xx4:23885

On the 9th there was a different wan ip address and different wan port used
Whilst the log shows successful uPnP mapping, attempt to connect to your server through that wan ip and wan port failed. In this log we have the network detection and it shows Ethernet 2 not used because of no gateway and instead virtual switch used on 192.168.1.225
vEthernet (Broadcom BCM5716C NetXtreme II GigE (NDIS VBD Client) #35 - Virtual Switch

Plex Media Server ignore all network adapters with names starting with v because they tend to be not actual adapters to use

Try renaming it - may be that was what you did for the 13th Jan

265

Just wanted to add the way your issue showed up in the logs

Jan 13, 2019 22:03:33.604 [15052] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Obtaining public address and mapping port.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:33.604 [14192] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, attempting port mapping.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.645 [14192] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, didn't find usable IGD.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.645 [14192] DEBUG - NAT: PMP, attempting mapping.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.645 [14192] WARN - NAT: PMP, got an error: NATPMP_ERR_RECVFROM.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.645 [14192] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, attempting port mapping.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.645 [14192] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, not an IGD: <http://192.168.1.152:1990/WFADevice.xml>.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.645 [14192] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, didn't find usable IGD.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.645 [14192] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Mapping failed.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.989 [9476] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, found device <http://192.168.1.152:1990/WFADevice.xml> with private address <192.168.1.74>
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.989 [9476] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, not an IGD: <http://192.168.1.152:1990/WFADevice.xml>.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.989 [9476] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, getPublicIP didn't find usable IGD.
Jan 13, 2019 22:03:42.989 [9476] WARN - NAT: PMP, got an error: NATPMP_ERR_RECVFROM.

Not sure what 192.168.1.152 was
Plex Media Server does an SSDP multicast search and router would normally response with details of the interface for the IGD (Internet Gateway Device) - may be 192.168.1.152 was responding

266

Hi sa2000

Not sure What the IP address 192.168.1.152 ( I dont see that on my network and most devices are fixed IP’s
My server Lan IP is 192.168.1.225
IP 192.168.1.58 Back Room TV
IP 192.168.1.59 Front Room TV
IP 192.168.1.19 SKY TV set top box

Thanks for you reply, I have always had Hyper V running on my servers for VM’s for a long time and its not been an issue up until this started happening. So I have removed hyper V and the virtual switch so we are now back to basics, I thought this might have solve the intermittence of this issue but to know avail, I was using plex via my TV last night and all seemed to browseable (this was on the local network) I thien tried to open one of the films and (this films has been tested so i know its readable directly from the library, Plex then decided to give me an error code of 2 on the TV (generally this happens if the file is in a strange format or the file has only partially copied) So I picked another which worked with no isses at all whilst all the time I was able to connect to my server over the cell network and stream a video from my phone which worked fine too) But have now just checked the server 20/01 and I;m getting the same issue not available outside my networkk even though Im signed into plex pass.

On another note it would appear that in the process of me trying to watch the initial film the file has now become corrupted? (so some how the only software that requested that file to be played is Plex which should only be read only too! Ive attached the logs which should go back to the date I re-installed everything after the re-build of the server and in that time I have removed Hyper V and the virtual switch as you suggested and but still getting the issue, (Firewall was off at the point of testing, Windows firewall allows all plex traffic (however with this on of off I do not think its a Windows Firewall issue)
Any help is appreciated and I know its technically a free product but when we pay for plex passes it then stops being free so issues like this can often put people off the product which is a shame as it has been great for so the last 5 years and more
Cheers in advancePlex Media Server Logs_2019-01-20_10-58-03.zip (6.2 MB)

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I believe those are my logs @Pjbracer1

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@ beefsnack ? they are mine downloaded fresh that day

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I posted two replies. One to you here Plex Constantly Loses Remote Access - #263 by sa2000 and one to @Beefsnack here Plex Constantly Loses Remote Access - #265 by sa2000

The one to @beefsnack referred to 192.168.1.152

270

Thanks for the new logs. So you had the vEthernet interface up to 17:53 on 19th january

Jan 19, 2019 17:52:00.187 [4716] DEBUG -  * 17 vEthernet (Broadcom BCM5716C NetXtreme II GigE (NDIS VBD Client) #36 - Virtual Switch) {94E8EDF4-09DA-4127-9A8E-10A2A95D0664} (192.168.1.225) (loopback: 0)

At 17:53:04 network went down momentarily and after that switched to the other adapter

Jan 19, 2019 17:53:04.796 [4716] DEBUG - Detected primary interface:
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:04.796 [4716] DEBUG - Network interfaces:

etc
and discovered new interface

Jan 19, 2019 17:53:04.907 [4716] DEBUG - Detected primary interface: 192.168.1.225
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:04.907 [4716] DEBUG - Network interfaces:
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:04.908 [4716] DEBUG -  * 13 Ethernet 2 {E2E00604-0647-423C-A4C7-12CA11675064} (192.168.1.225) (loopback: 0)

and after this we atempt to map a port - but strangely got similar issue to what is in log from @Beefsnack - could you tell me what device is on 192.168.1.2 ?
It seems to have responded to our SSDP search. May be need to get wireshark to cover this sequence of attempting to auto map port. (together with server logs)

Jan 19, 2019 17:53:13.804 [4844] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, found device <http://192.168.1.2:1990/WFADevice.xml> with private address <192.168.1.225>
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:13.804 [4844] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, not an IGD: <http://192.168.1.2:1990/WFADevice.xml>.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:13.804 [4844] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, didn't find usable IGD.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:13.804 [4844] DEBUG - NAT: PMP, attempting mapping.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:14.003 [4640] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, found device <http://192.168.1.2:1990/WFADevice.xml> with private address <192.168.1.225>
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:14.004 [4640] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, not an IGD: <http://192.168.1.2:1990/WFADevice.xml>.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:14.004 [4640] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, getPublicIP didn't find usable IGD.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:14.055 [4844] WARN - NAT: PMP, got an error: NATPMP_ERR_RECVFROM.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:14.055 [4844] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, attempting port mapping.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:14.055 [4844] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, not an IGD: <http://192.168.1.2:1990/WFADevice.xml>.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:14.055 [4844] DEBUG - NAT: UPnP, didn't find usable IGD.
Jan 19, 2019 17:53:14.056 [4844] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Mapping failed.

How often do you reboot the router? We have had cases in the past where the router does not respond to the SSDP search we do and that means we end up without an IGD (Internet Gateway Device) to go through for the port mapping

271

Just bought new hard drives and “moved” my Plex library to those. Since then, no remote access. Never had any problems with this before. Haven’t done any changes on my router or IP address (that I know of, anyway).

I see that a lot of people are attaching their log files, so I do the same and hope that someone can help me solve my problem.

One more thing; When I got home from work yesterday I tried connecting, and it worked! This morning I did a reboot of my Mac mini, and the connection was lost again.

Plex Media Server Logs_2019-01-22_04-49-36.zip (3.4 MB)

272

Hi sa2000

192.168.1.2 is my office router Asus RT66 which is in repeater/extender mode so only acts as a hotspot and not DHCP the main router servers DHCP and most of the main items in my house have fixed IP’s mode back to the main router Asus RT 87u this has always been my set up and has been working with no problems for many years, both routers have the latest FW and are rebooted at least every 2 weeks.
Also there is a weird situation in that the file in the library seem to keep getting corrupted but only when Plex tries to access them which is not right and it mainly seems to involve when the files are tried to be accessed remotley, plex shows the file in the library and then attempts to play it and then throws and error! (might be a side issued but the 2 things happen as the same time (Ive lost quite a few videos and footage because of this (luckily they have been back up) What I dont get is why it was working with no issue and then suddenly it just stops! 192.168.1.19 is my Sky TV box is there any way get plex to ignore that IP? If we think it might be an issue?

IF the internet gateway IGD is the issue is their a way of maunally setting this in a config file?