Server Version#: 1.13.8.5395
Player Version#: Android 7.6.1.7056
About a month ago I started having problems accessing my PMS on my local network via mobile phones (3 different Android models from different carriers), Chromecast and an Amazon Firestick (Win10 Plex Media Player works just fine though). Nothing major changed that I can remember other than PMS updates and some Linux security updates. The problem was very random at first, playback on my Chromcast would stop mid-movie or PMS reported as offline for a bit even though the server was powered on, PLEX service running and several remote streams active. Now I can’t access my server at all when connected on the same network/subnet as the server. If I turn off Wi-Fi and access via cellular, everything is fine.
I’ve tried a lot of things to troubleshoot, including:
- Cleared all settings under the ‘Network’ section on the server and also populated them again with my network details.
- All my devices are on the same subnet
- Tried all three settings under ‘Advanced/Allow insecure connections’ on the mobile apps
- Turned off and on QoS on my router
- Confirmed there are no Firmware updates for my router and none have been installed for some time
- Tried uninstalling and re-installing the Plex client apps
- Tried to access the Web Client from Chrome and Firefox on my Android devices and get the same ‘Not available’ error message
- Installed a installed a packet capture tool on my mobile phone to see where Plex was trying to communicate and it seems to not even try to access my servers local, internal IP address
I’ve attached my Plex logs in case that helps. Plex Media Server Logs_2018-10-01_14-42-17.zip (3.4 MB)
Again, everything work just fine outside my home network, I only have problems when connected to the same network at home which really drives the kids nuts. Does anyone have any suggestions or a fix? Please help.
Thank you!
I’ve also confirmed that I get the same behavior with the Windows 10 app so I’m unable to sync any content while at home for offline viewing.
Brent,
Please confirm: Native Linux installation? Are you using a VM or other abstraction?
Hi ChickPA,
I’m using a native Ubuntu 16.04.5 LTS installation with no other major services running except PMS.
Please let me know if there is anything I can provide to help with this.
Thanks,
With 1.13.8 in hand, let’s try this.
- Uninstall 1.13.8
- Install this file which I’d like you to download (1.13.2) from my G-drive.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1alhE3MwHir8xPWwhYSFVEaDaCyywQLEz
Thank you! I have rolled back to that version and all looks good so far. I’ll keep monitoring throughout the day & night and let you know if it remains stable.
Thanks again for your help!
In the future, and as I recommend to all, Keep one version on hand which you know is stable for you.
It might not have the best feature set but will get you through in a pinch until you can devote the time to addressing the problem
Happy to report that my PMS has been stable for the past 24 hours with no problem playing from my internal network. Hopefully the Plex elves can fix this in an upcoming release.
Thank you ChuckPA for your assistance. I had rolled back a few versions but not 8 to the one you suggested. How did you know this one would work?
Thanks again!
I have a few tricks in my bag. 30+ years in software development is one of them. 
For others who are having this problem (like me) and are weary of downloading a file from a google drive. I have compared this version with a version I have downloaded myself when it was the current release.
81ff7f8d80ac46ca663a54e09667ad47a2ccb1cd plexmediaserver_1.13.2.5154-fd05be322_amd64 (1).deb
81ff7f8d80ac46ca663a54e09667ad47a2ccb1cd plexmediaserver_1.13.2.5154-fd05be322_amd64.deb
1 Like
Working for Plex as I do, I do keep the originals handy for tough situations just as this one.
I archive the same files you get. I have 90 TB of usable storage (112TB raw) on hand.
1 Like
Sad news. My server started pausing during a movie last night and now this morning I can not access it via any of my apps except Media Player app and even then it still starts a stream as if outside my network. It’s like the server isn’t broadcasting internally or something.
I’ve disabled all firewalls on the server with no luck. Any other tips?
Thanks in advance.
Did you manage to capture the log files (Settings - Server - Help - Download Logs) when it started misbehaving?
If you did, please post them here and I will see why it was being a brat.
If not, Please do remember to do it next time OR go create a .tar.gz of the Logs directory underPlex Media Server` and attach that.
I was finally able to download the logs, had to do it remotely, from outside my network. Hope this helps and again, thank you for your help.
Plex Media Server Logs_2018-10-05_22-36-37.zip (4.7 MB)
Brent,
I am seeing streaming traffic on your LAN so am uncertain where the problem really is.
Can you help me by refining what specific unavailability exists?
Here is streaming, with transcoding, to one of your LAN devices.
Oct 05, 2018 22:26:23.822 [0x7f08a9fff700] DEBUG - Completed: [172.16.25.55:39266] 200 GET /status/sessions (35 live) 2ms 20990 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Oct 05, 2018 22:26:23.983 [0x7f0877fff700] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:48078 (Loopback)] POST /video/:/transcode/session/787137CA-08D4-48D0-B831-E473E9DB6F15/61bab6e0-c879-4bf6-b8f6-3ead3de11979/seglist (36 live) Signed-in
Oct 05, 2018 22:26:23.983 [0x7f0877fff700] DEBUG - Transcoder segment range: 0 - 69
Oct 05, 2018 22:26:23.983 [0x7f08a97fe700] DEBUG - Completed: [127.0.0.1:48078] 200 POST /video/:/transcode/session/787137CA-08D4-48D0-B831-E473E9DB6F15/61bab6e0-c879-4bf6-b8f6-3ead3de11979/seglist (35 live) 0ms 166 bytes
Hello,
At that time I was trying to stream a movie to my Chromecast via my Android S7 Edge but the movie kept pausing like it was buffering.
Today I was able to do some more testing and found the below behaviors.
I have my phone to stream at Maximum when on the same network and steam 720p when via the Internet. Whenever I would start streaming to my Chromecast the movie would always be transcoding to 720p instead of playing at 1080p. Like my phone wasn’t detecting my server as being on the same subnet.
The movie would play for about 10-15 mins and then it would pause again as if buffering. If I let it sit there sometimes the movie would start again after 3-5 mins but if I opened the Plex app on my phone the movie would stop as soon as I did that. I would also not be able to play the movie or any other content, instead it would say the media is not available and switch me to locally sync’ed content, which I have none of on my phone. I could work around this by changing the ‘Allow Insecure Connection’ setting to something else, it didn’t matter which one. As soon as I changed that setting, I could stream content to my Chromecast again.
Not sure if any of this help. Please let me know if there is anything you would like me to do or test again.
Thank you!
Clearly sounds like transcoding and running low of CPU,
as well as a network issue (whether it be subnet addressing or other wifi / wired AP point issue.
Start by running internet speed tests to devices simultaneously. Attempt to max out your wifi
I’ve always suspected it’s Wi-Fi or server performance related but the more I investigate the more I think it’s not.
I am able to stream from my friends’ Plex servers to my Chromecast with no problems at full 1080p. My Windows 10 Plex app also has the same problems as my mobile devices and it’s a wired connection. I just ran a speed test on all my mobile devices and laptop at the same time and got similar results of around 40Mbps up down, each so that seems to be OK. What other subnet addressing can I try?
I also have Glances running on my Linux box almost all the time and it rarely shows any CPU alerts. In fact, while writing this reply I have 6 different people, all outside my network, streaming content and my CPU is sitting between 30% - 40% usage.
Any other suggestions? I hate to have to try a new router or completely rebuild my Plex server as a last resort.
Thanks again!
I am not asking for a connectivity test as much as I am asking for a performance test.
Does the network hold up to loading.
Spefically, install Speedtest.net app on a tablet device and run it.
See if the speeds match your internet speed.
If your internet speed is not yet maxed out, use more wireless if you can.
While you’re doing this, look at the gauges it shows. Look for any drops (shouldn’t happen but can).
I am trying to avoid any thought of hardware until such time it’s known the root issue.
Just wanted to add something to this for those of you that might be having the same problem. I still don’t have a fix. I changed my Wi-Fi setting with no luck and I moved my Plex install to a new box not running the latest version of Linux and still having the same problems. Right now, my server is sitting on a friends network so I can watch stuff but it’s remote and I can’t run at full 1080p like I want due to bandwidth limitations.
If anyone has any other tips, I’d greatly appreciate them.
Thanks,
