Plex Player warning me I'm connecting via Relay, not locally (hard-wired to synology)

[bigwhoopdave]

Server Version#: 1.41.3.9292-bc7397402-x86_64_DSM7
Player Version#: 1.105.2.269-12a32491
MacOS (Sequoia 15.2)

When I run Plex player on Mac, I get a popup telling me I’m not connected directly to the server (on my synology, hard-wired on the network) but via Relay.

The “help” page it takes me to is not helpful in understanding how to ensure I get Plex using a local connection.

Can someone tell me what to look for or how to make sure Plex Player can connect to my server directly? My Mac is connected by ethernet, via a NetGear switch, to my Synology in the same room, so it shouldn’t be having any issues.

And there doesn’t seem to be a simple way, in settings, for me to tell Plex Player to “retry local connection” or troubleshoot this?

I believe when running Plex on my LG TV or on my PC (in another room) that those connections are going direct to my server, as expected. So I think it’s just the Plex Player on MacOS that’s having issues for some reason?

Would love to know how to make sure all direct local connections are working fine.

Thanks for any pointers!

[bigwhoopdave]

Anyone? Please? I’ve disabled Relay via the Plex Player and now my server cannot be accessed. It’s on the same network. It’s on the same subnet. I’m logged in via the web frontend to my Synology. I uninstalled the Plex Player app and re-downloaded it, and re-signed in, and it’s still not seeing my local server.

What do I need to click/check?!

[dbirch]

Can you post a copy of your server logs?

[bigwhoopdave]

Hi, thanks so much for the response… logs attached.

My TV, iPad, phone, PC in another room… can all connect to the server directly (I believe). But the Plex app on MacOS just… wasn’t connecting directly, and now can’t see it since I turned off Relay connections! It’s wired to it, and it’s in the same room!

(I’ve omitted any older modified files to keep ZIP under 8MB upload limit).

Plex Media Server Logs_2024-12-19_11-28-08b.zip (7.1 MB)

[bigwhoopdave]

Alright immediate followup. Just re-ran Plex app on MacOS. It bombed out immediately. Hit “Reload” and it opened up properly… and… connected to my server.

I just don’t know HOW it’s connecting. It says “Remote” under the server name in menu bar when I click the ‘reveal’ arrow next to it, and in Settings > Remote Access it’s showing me “Private IP, (green left arrow), Public IP, (green left arrow), Internet.”

Does that mean Plex App is CURRENTLY connecting “remotely”?

Hmm, apparently yes. Ugh, WHY, Plex?

[bigwhoopdave]

…aaaaaand now we’re back to “Server is currently unavailable” even though I’m signed in everywhere and my laptop is in the list of authorised devices…

And local network discovery (GDM) is obviously enabled.

[dbirch]

What happens when you visit http://192.168.1.21:32400/web ?

[bigwhoopdave]

1.21 … doesn’t load.
0.21 … does.

[dbirch]

my bad, copy paste fail. Can you verify your server settings on 0.21 ?

[bigwhoopdave]

You mean on server > settings > general page?

Ipv6 enabled, secure connections just “preferred”, preferred network interface eth0 (…0.21)…

What else should I check?

[jimbob100101]

I have noticed recently in MacOS you sometimes have to allow applications access to the local network - usually there is a prompt to allow/deny and you can view the apps in - MacOS System Settings - Privacy & Security - Local Network

This worked for me with plexamp but I don’t use the plex for mac application to check this

[bigwhoopdave]

That would make a lot of sense… checking…!

[bigwhoopdave]

Ding ding ding! That was indeed the culprit! I’ve no idea when that got switched, but turning this back on was the answer.

Thank you so much, to both of you, for helping! It feels so obvious now, but of course these things are only obvious when you know the answer. And now we do