Plex media server no longer accessible on local network

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#:1.19.4
Player Version#:1.12.1
I’ve updated my plexmedia server running on ClearOS 7, and the Plex clients can no longer see the server on the network. I used the command line as I’ve done lots of times before, but the server is now showing ‘connection refused’ when I try to connect via either my web browser at 192.168.0.31:32400 or the plex app on Mac.

What can I do to make it visible again? It’s not been working for some weeks, and I simply can’t see how to get it working again, on a server it’s been happily running on for many months before recent updates.

I’ve also tried uninstalling and reinstalling from the ClearOS console with a restart in between. Nothing changed. Still either invisible (to plex media client app on Mac) or saying ‘connection refused’ in a browser.

HELP please?

My previous post on this topic got no views. I hope someone will at least look at this one and if possible advise me what I can do to get it working again.

2

Connection refused means the service is down.
What’s the output of netstat -an | grep 32400 and systemctl status plexmediaserver ?

not sure about the service name, just adapt to what it is.

3

Please open a terminal session,
navigate to /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server

Create a tar.gz or ZIP of the Logs directory and attach it.

4

Tried again after another read of the --help.

tar -acf logs.tar Logs.

That’s got me a 7.3MB file logs.tar.

Now to get it off the server…
logs.tar (7.3 MB)

Or at a second attempt, a zip file.
logs.zip (7.3 MB)

5

netstat -an | grep 32400
tcp6 0 0 :::32400 :::* LISTEN

systemctl status plexmediaserver
● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
Active: active (running) since Sat 2020-06-13 00:26:58 BST; 28min ago
Process: 1152 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=0/SUCCESS)
Main PID: 1199 (Plex Media Serv)
CGroup: /system.slice/plexmediaserver.service
├─1199 /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Media Server
├─1844 Plex Plug-in [com.plexapp.system] /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Resources/Plug-ins-79e214ead/Framework.bundl…
├─1879 /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Tuner Service /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Resources/Tuner/Private /usr/lib/p…
└─1922 Plex Plug-in [com.plexapp.agents.imdb] /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Resources/Plug-ins-79e214ead/Framework…

6

It seems the server is only listening on IPv6. If you dont used v6, disable it on the interface and restart the service.
In the mean time I’ll take a look in the logs too

7

PMS is running. The logs show this.

This segment shows the server isn’t authorized to access the account. (HTTP 401 error)

Jun 13, 2020 00:27:19.816 [0x7fbc567fc700] DEBUG - Activity: registered new activity f778a9c5-2531-4fe1-89d5-fb40ecad4e1f - Processing subscriptions
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:19.816 [0x7fbc76ffd700] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET https://plex.tv/media/providers?X-Plex-Token=
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:19.976 [0x7fbc76ffd700] DEBUG - HTTP 401 response from GET https://plex.tv/media/providers?X-Plex-Token=
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:24.272 [0x7fbc577fe700] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.1:1990/WFADevice.xml
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:24.273 [0x7fbc577fe700] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.1:1990/WFADevice.xml
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:24.275 [0x7fbc577fe700] DEBUG - HTTP 200 response from GET http://192.168.0.1:1990/WFADevice.xml
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:24.275 [0x7fbc577fe700] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: found 1 SSDP devices via http://192.168.0.1:1990/WFADevice.xml
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:24.275 [0x7fbc577fe700] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: SSDP arrived: 192.168.0.1 (WFADevice)
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:24.275 [0x7fbc577fe700] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.16:5000/ssdp/desc-DSM-eth0.xml
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:24.276 [0x7fbc577fe700] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.16:5000/ssdp/desc-DSM-eth0.xml
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:24.277 [0x7fbc577fe700] DEBUG - HTTP 200 response from GET http://192.168.0.16:5000/ssdp/desc-DSM-eth0.xml

Did you change your password at plex.tv?
If so, and you didn’t check the box to sign out all devices, you’ll find yourself in the situation where the server hangs on to the old password/ (X-Plex-Token).

8

@CostaHT

Per this log

Jun 13, 2020 00:27:14.271 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG - Detected primary interface: 192.168.0.31
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:14.271 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG - Network interfaces:
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:14.271 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG -  * 1 lo (127.0.0.1) (loopback: 1)
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:14.271 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG -  * 2 ens192 (192.168.0.31) (loopback: 0)
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:14.271 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG -  * 1 lo (::1) (loopback: 1)
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:14.271 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG -  * 2 ens192 (fe80::20c:29ff:fe26:cb24%ens192) (loopback: 0)
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:14.271 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG - Creating NetworkServices singleton.
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:14.271 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG - NetworkServices: Initializing...

It’s got both adapters.

PMS sets the socket to listen on both IPv6 and IPV4 on the same Address/Socket pair.
Most netstat output will show the tcp6 first (which is false as it should show both)

9

Right… I got this too. It seems he changed the port and that’s could be reason for the reset coming from the OS

Jun 13, 2020 00:27:06.253 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG - HttpServer: Listening on IPv6 as well as IPv4.
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:06.253 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG - HttpServer: Listening on port 32400.
Jun 13, 2020 00:27:06.254 [0x7fbc8ea83780] DEBUG - HttpServer: Listening on port 32401.
10

I’m sorry, I don’t know how to do that. It used ipv4 previously, and I haven’t knowingly changed that, nor do I know where or how I could have.

Again, not knowingly. I don’t know how to. But perhaps if i try port 32401 in my browser it might connect?

11

As @ChuckPa said, you’re fine. Try https://yourip:32401

12

Just tried that. No dice. Same response, whether I try https or just http. If I try https it reverts to http.

I get, again

This site can’t be reached

192.168.0.31 refused to connect.

13

Can you just run netstat -an | grep LISTEN then?

14

I get

netstat -an | grep LISTEN
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:22              0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:32600         0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:25            0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:3260          0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:445             0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:389           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:10025         0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:10026         0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:139             0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:587           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:39409         0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:32401         0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:465           0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 127.0.0.1:3250          0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:1875            0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:53              0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::22                   :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::445                  :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::990                  :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::2121                 :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::139                  :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::32400                :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::81                   :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::82                   :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::83                   :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::21                   :::*                    LISTEN     
tcp6       0      0 :::53                   :::*                    LISTEN     
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     13074    /run/systemd/private
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     19897    /var/lib/csplugin-events/eventsctl.socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     SEQPACKET  LISTENING     13090    /run/udev/control
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     22565    /run/samba/nmbd/unexpected
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     16681    /var/run/nscd/socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     304      /run/systemd/journal/stdout
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     16696    /run/saslauthd/mux
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     17211    /run/proftpd/proftpd.sock
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     13116    /run/lvm/lvmpolld.socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     13144    /run/lvm/lvmetad.socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20072    public/cleanup
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20077    private/tlsmgr
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20080    private/rewrite
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20083    private/bounce
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     15973    /var/run/acpid.socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20086    private/defer
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20092    private/verify
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     23247    /var/lib/samba/winbindd_privileged/pipe
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20098    private/proxymap
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     17559    /var/run/vmware/guestServicePipe
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     19365    /run/proftpd/proftpd.sock
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     23730    /var/run/nslcd/socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20089    private/trace
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20132    private/lmtp
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     23245    /run/samba/winbindd/pipe
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20110    public/showq
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20135    private/anvil
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20138    private/scache
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20141    private/mailprefilter
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20144    private/smtp-amavis
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20155    private/mailpostfilter
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20101    private/proxywrite
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20104    private/smtp
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     15343    /run/dbus/system_bus_socket
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20107    private/relay
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20117    private/error
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20120    private/retry
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20123    private/discard
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20095    public/flush
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20126    private/local
unix  2      [ ACC ]     STREAM     LISTENING     20129    private/virtual
15

It’s close to 1:30am here in UK. Sorry, but I’ll have to get to bed now. Will follow up tomorrow.

Thank you for your help so far. Hope we can get it sorted in the next day or two. I miss having the server!

16

keep things simple stupid. some times the web client messes up and you have to manually tell it to use http: or https:

so clear your browser cache or go into incognito type in https : //server ip:32400/web will get you to your server every time so you can make changes the cloud settings might be messed up but this is a mute point you dont need cloud servers to accesss your server

it is your web browser issue it is trying to access your server useing http you need to be useing https it is stupid i know but it should fix issue

17

I wish it were that simple. I’ve tried that in both incognito mode and after clearing the (Chrome) browser cache.

It still gets me the same message “The site can’t be reached - connection refused”.

And I am able to check by ssh that the plexmediaserver is running, and listening on the default ports.

Using Safari instead of Chrome, I get a slightly different error message: ‘Safari can’t establish a secure connection to the server “192.168.0.31:32400”.’

Is there a clue in that?

18

What if you connect to your server using ssh and then run telnet localhost 32400, what’s the output?
Plus this firewall-cmd --list-all

19 
telnet localhost 32400
Trying ::1...
Connected to localhost.
Escape character is '^]'.

firewall-cmd --list-all
FirewallD is not running
20

Well, it seems I have blundered about and by accident found a solution.

Although neither my main iMac computer, nor my MacBook laptop could connect to the Plex media server, both continually getting the message “Connection refused” I discovered that the Plex app on my phone could apparently see the server from a previous connection, though it wouldn’t work in a browser on the phone.

The Plex app said it could see my plexserver at a plex.xxxxx.dyndns.org web address. And while the Home page opened to a list of recent films, the media sources listed on the left only showed Music, Photos, and Music from my server.

I could play music from it, but couldn’t see Films.

So I thought I’d try what my iPad could ‘see’ of the plexserver on the local network. Again, browsing to the ip address and either port 32400 or 32401 didn’t work. But when I started the Plex app, I got for the first and only time a popup inviting me to Claim Server. I did that.

It also showed me a choice of TWO plexservers, each at the same URL of the form plex.xxxxx.dyndns.org. So I picked the one shown as default. Then they both disappeared, and all I saw in the dropdown instead was Sources.

The Home page on the iPad this time showed only online sources including Plex Movies and TV, web, News, podcasts, etc. But I was able (again more or less by accident - I can’t find it again) options to add a folder each for my different media types for Film, TV shows, Music, and Photos - (already preselected as /var/flexshare/shares/plexmedia then subfolders …/video/movies, …video/TVshows, …/music, and …/photos).

I was then able to edit my Home screen and pin them, as well as unpinning some of the other online sources I don’t use or need.

Went back to laptop, and tried again using Chrome, after clearing the browser cache. Still didn’t work. But Safari did, eventually, after warning that my connection although https was not secure, as the Certificate is untrusted, and if I REALLY wanted to connect I needed to give my computer password.

And then it started to work again.

After confirming those folders and pinning them, all seems well again in Safari.

Then I repeated this sequence on my main iMac in Safari, and did it again in Chrome, after clearing the cache.

Now all seems well. I still have absolutely NO idea what set off this whole series of problems, other than (perhaps) a weeks-old series of updates from media server v1.17x to 1.18x, then 1.19.

It hadn’t worked since the first upgrade to 1.18.

But now it is working, on 1.19, installed manually a week or 10 days ago. HUGE relief.