PMS not showing in web app even when web app is served from the very same PMS

Plex Media Server
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1

PMS Version#: 1.25.4.5487-648a8f9f9
Web Version#: 4.69.1

I installed PMS in my home network on a MiniPC and was able to access it via http://<PMS>:32400/web from my Windows laptop. I was also able to see the PMS listed in the web app under Settings > <PMS> and my media was accessible via the web app.

Now I packed my MiniPC and Windows laptop and traveled to a different location where I plugged in and started up both machines again. Note that in both locations the same subnets are used and the router and MiniPC have the exact same static IP4 address, the Windows laptop got his IP address assigned via DHCP.

At the new location I’m still able to access the PMS via http://<PMS>:32400/web from my Windows laptop. However it is not listed in the web app under Settings > <PMS> anymore and I cannot access my media anymore via the web app, or any other app for that matter. Instead on the we apps home page I’m presented with menu item + Your Media which suggests to GET PLEX MEDIA SERVER.

Well, I do have PMS already running; why would the web app served from my PMS instance doesn’t know about the existence of the very same PMS instance?

Any clues?

2

The FQDN of your server is no longer valid, due to the different router and public IP address.
I think you’ll have to perform this procedure: Why am I locked out of Server Settings and how do I get in? | Plex Support

1 Like
3

In the meantime I actually did two things in order:

  1. Reset password
  2. Edit Preference.xml

With regards to (2), I could not find key PlexOnlineHome, but I removed the other three entries.

I also setup a SSH tunnel to be able to connect to may PMS instance via IP address 127.0.0.1.

Using http://127.0.0.1:32400/web I was able to connect to my PMS instance; I would see my media right away, but then under PMS > Settings > General the warning This server is unclaimed and not secure shows up and when I click on CLAIM SERVER I’m getting error

There was a problem signing in to Plex.

If I cannot claim my own PMS then I’m stuck with just a different problem.

4

Why would that matter? Potentially I could switch on and off VPN which in turn should change the public IP address; I believe my local PMS instance should continue to work just fine.

5

It seems that I cannot claim the server at the new location. Maybe it was necessary to un-claim first on the old location?

If that’s the case, why can’t I do that from my account? Why aren’t my claimed PMS’s listed under my account?

That’s the problem I have with Plex: Apparently they are doing some fancy stuff when registering a PMS with an account and they are not transparent about it. This translates 1…1 to the frustration of users.

6

You may open the bundled (from your server) or hosted (https://app.plex.tv)

Settings - Authorized Devices - Server (dropdown)

You will see all the servers listed under your account.

REMOVE the one you have removed/reset so you can reclaim it again

7

Nope, such an option does not exist. I logged into https://app.plex.tv and under Settings > Authorized Devices I only can select All|Other|Web from the drop-down.

The only devices listed there seem to be client apps: Plex Auth App and Plex Web.

8

There was something irregular about your server record. I removed it from your user account.
Please try again. This time disable all VPN software and web browser extensions, clear out the hosts file. Use a regular web browser, not one which has been fitted to shoot web apps in the knees.

9

Hmm, I’m sorry if I’m using your app wrongly.

Here is what I did now:

  1. Disabled VPN.
  2. Removed all entries in my local hosts file at the Windows machine.
  3. Removed files prefs.js and user.js from the Firefox profile directory.
  4. I don’t have any Firefox extensions installed, so there was nothing todo for me in this regard.
  5. Restarted PMS on the Linux machine.

Still, when browsing to https://app.plex.tv there is no Server option available under Authorized Devices.

Also connecting to http://127.0.0.1:32400/web/ via the SSH tunnel and hitting CLAIM SERVER again didn’t do a thing, although no error was reported this time.

10

And I just tried again to claim the server, now I’m also getting error

There was a problem signing in to Plex.

again.

11

I’m almost out of ideas.
Stop plex on the Linux machine, then delete the file cert-v2.p12
from the Plex data folder/Cache/
Then use this little app to claim the server: Home · ukdtom/ClaimIt Wiki · GitHub
It can show additional diagnostic messages, which may provide hints about what is the matter here.

2 Likes
12

Thanks @OttoKerner, that put me on the right track.

First I noticed that file Cache/cert-v2.p12 wasn’t there.

Then I wanted to download the tool you suggested using

wget https://github.com/ukdtom/ClaimIt/releases/download/V1.1.0.0/claimpms.sh

but got a DNS error on github.com. Now I knew I had some soul searching to do.

Essentially, the DNS on my Linux machine was configured to point to the router which apparently worked in my home location but not in this new location.

After “resolving” the DNS problem, using claimpms.sh worked like a charm.

I also see my PMS listed under the Server option.

Strangely though, I also see some empty device listed under the Other option, only on https://app.plex.tv.

13

That could be the ClaimIt script itself.

14

Indeed

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