# Plex Server Affected by Location? **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-windows\ **Created:** [September 23, 2024, 9:23am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264 "2024-09-23T09:23:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MCPLEX\_67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MCPLEX\_67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MCPLEX_67)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:23am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/1 "2024-09-23T09:23:11Z")
Server Version#:v.1.41.0.8992-8463ad060 I live in Portugal. I have been running Plex server for several years without issue (serving over 20k movies and show episodes, it’s a hobby, Lifetime Plex Pass). Recently (this last month or so), intermittently I have been getting the dreaded “Not Authorized” error. I would reboot and sometimes it would work, and sometimes not. On Thursday (19th), it went full wobbly and I could not access my media. I have spent the last 4 days trying to figure this out (installing new servers on different machines, trying all of the suggested fixes from the Plex support pages, deleting registry entries etc.). Nothing worked. The last 4 days I have spent messing with this because my family can’t access their shows etc. (probably a mistake to be so reliant on Plex). This morning I was again trying to reimage a new machine and when going to the plex.tv website to download the newest package, I got an error: “Something went wrong. The Plex Media Server list of apps, is not available at this time. Please try reloading the page, or try again later. If the problem persists, please contact support.” So now I can’t even download the package??? Then, a lightbulb Came on: what is this is because I’m in Portugal (for some strange reason), so I connected my trusty VPN to the USA and low and behold I could download the package without issue. So naturally the next progression was to install the VPN on my Plex server and guess what, you got it, problem solved! (except for remote access why now wants to use the USA IP address for inbound. VPN doesn’t like that). So, could someone please explain why this is happening? Is it fixable to be back as it was? Is Plex a USA thing all of a sudden? Last 4 days completely wasted and an unhappy family ☹ ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/2 "2024-09-23T09:24:16Z")
See [Plex wont start normally after a clean reinstall and is stuck on getting ready - #16 by OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-wont-start-normally-after-a-clean-reinstall-and-is-stuck-on-getting-ready/884030/16) You should give your ISP a stern talking to. There seem to be a lot of Portuguese users affected lately by this, which makes it very likely that the ISP is doing something on their side. ---
**Author:** ![MCPLEX\_67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MCPLEX\_67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MCPLEX_67)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:30am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/3 "2024-09-23T09:30:41Z")
Seems strange that the main Plex.tv website is somehow not liking my Portuguese IP address? Seems to me like there is something on the Plex website that is causing an issue? ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:32am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/4 "2024-09-23T09:32:56Z")
You cannot know that the website is “not liking your IP address.” There could be a dozen reasons. I know only this: there is nothing on the plex.tv side which intentionally blocks portuguese IP adresses. Try the custom DNS server. If it suddenly works, then you know that the issue is definitely at your ISP. ---
**Author:** ![MCPLEX\_67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MCPLEX\_67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MCPLEX_67)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:34am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/5 "2024-09-23T09:34:35Z")
Interesting. Could it be the ISP issued IP address is being blocked because of some spam filter? I run a couple of websites myself and I’ve had WordPress plugins do this (unknowingly to me) before. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:35am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/6 "2024-09-23T09:35:06Z")
Try the custom DNS server. If it suddenly works, then you know that the issue is definitely at your ISP. ---
**Author:** ![MCPLEX\_67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MCPLEX\_67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MCPLEX_67)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:36am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/7 "2024-09-23T09:36:31Z")
Ok, thanks. I’m just trying to figure out how I’m going to do that as I can’t change the DNS in my router as I have my whole home automation system on this network (mesh) so I don’t want that going whacko. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:38am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/8 "2024-09-23T09:38:51Z")
Then put it into the network adapter settings of your server machine. Then test locally from there. (Unless you have a custom domain name set up on your home network, changing the upstream DNS server won’t make any difference.) ---
**Author:** ![MCPLEX\_67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MCPLEX\_67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MCPLEX_67)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/9 "2024-09-23T09:49:04Z")
Yep, and that does appear to be working now, thank you! I wish I could have found this info before. I did a lot of searching on here but missed this somehow. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:50am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/10 "2024-09-23T09:50:29Z")
If you find the time, ask your ISP what could be the reason. They should resolve the domain names for plex.tv and its subdomains properly. ---
**Author:** ![MCPLEX\_67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MCPLEX\_67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MCPLEX_67)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:51am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/11 "2024-09-23T09:51:36Z")
Trying to speak to big companies (this is MEO) here in Portugal has it’s challenges, but if I can get through to someone I will for sure. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![pshanew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/pshanew/32/160555_2.png) [@pshanew](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pshanew)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 10:37am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/12 "2024-09-23T10:37:00Z")
[It’s always DNS](https://www.cyberciti.biz/humour/a-haiku-about-dns/). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MCPLEX\_67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MCPLEX\_67](https://forums.plex.tv/u/MCPLEX_67)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 10:42am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/13 "2024-09-23T10:42:21Z")
Hahaha, it would appear so 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![SE56](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/se56/32/222425_2.png) [@SE56](https://forums.plex.tv/u/SE56)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 10:43am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/14 "2024-09-23T10:43:59Z")
I would recommend to run this app and find the best DNS for your location [https://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm](https://www.grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2024, 10:44am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-affected-by-location/889264/15 "2024-12-22T10:44:44Z")
Closed on December 22, 2024, 10:44am UTC This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.