Poor video quality on my iPad

Plex Media Server Remote Access
1

I often watch orchestral videos of high (1080p) quality on my iPad when located in my Atlanta home where the Plex media server is located. It is using LAN wifi, so the playback quality is always superb.

Now I am in Denver and the video quality is poor. When I go into settings in Plex playback app on the iPad, then go to playback settings it tells me I do not have direct connect with the server, thus it is converting the video to 360p. It does not allow me to change the setting to a higher resolution.

Why is this happening? My AT&T fiber service went down recently, so perhaps so Plex settings on the media server have been changed.

What do I need to look at and change to get back to the high quality resolution?

Please advise.

2

The configuration settings on your server would not change due to an Internet outage. However, something might need to be reset or restarted.

Any other remote users? Are they having access issues as well? Alternately, try accessing via your phone & the mobile network or from another wifi network. This is just to check and make sure your sister’s network is not the issue (your other post mentions you are at your sister’s place).

Can you see your server via Plex Web, https://app.plex.tv/desktop?

If so, what is shown for Settings -> Remote Access? Fully Accessible or Not Accessible?

Note your public IP address & remote access port number. Verify connectivity using an online port check tool such as https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/, using the public IP address & port of your Plex server.

Monitor playback using Plex Dashboard -> Now Playing? Does the connection show as remote or indirect?

If indirect, it means you are connecting via Plex Relay, which is bandwidth limited, not via Remote Access.

Possible corrective actions:

Because it is easiest and you are there, reboot the Internet modem/router/etc at your sister’s place. Once it is back online, reboot the devices you’re using to access Plex (TV, iPad, etc).

If possible, configure the devices to use a public DNS server such as Google, 8.8.8.8, or Cloudflare, 1.1.1.1.

Is anybody available in Atlanta to restart your equipment? If so, start with the AT&T modem/router/gateway and work out to your Plex server, including any additional access points, switches, etc along the path. Then recheck status via Remote Access settings and the port scanner.

3

Can you see your server via Plex Web, https://app.plex.tv/desktop?

I think Zi can

4

[quote=“FordGuy61, post:2, topic:640499”]
Can you see your server via Plex Web, https://app.plex.tv/desktop?

I think I can

If so, what is shown for Settings -> Remote Access? Fully Accessible or Not Accessible?

The Remote Access is preceded by an “x”.

All signs are that I am on “indirect”. I have no idea why it is on indirect, or how I go about changing that remotely using my iPad.

If I delete remote access will I be able to relaunch it remotely?

5

If I click on “Remove Server” will it reload automatically?

6

Not sure where you see “Remove Server,” but I would advise against it.

If under Authorized Devices doing so would cut you off completely.

7

My iPad shows the Remote Server now being down. Is there a way for me to restart the Remote Server remotely?

8

When on the Remote Access settings, try disabling / re-enabling remote access.

It will not cut off your administrative access to your server.

I was wrong. I just tried it on my server.

10

What do you see on Settings -> Remote Access?

If you see this, then go ahead and try to enable remote access:
Screenshot (259)

If you see this, DO NOT click on “Disable Remote Access.” It will cut you off (at least it did when I tried it).

Screenshot (260)
Screenshot (260)711×217 158 KB

If working correctly, you should see this (along with the “Fully accessible…” message):

Screenshot (261)
Screenshot (261)691×247 162 KB

11

I cannot seem to find these screens on my iPad.

My Plex is now telling me: “JAM - PLEX Media Server is currently unavailable”

I have no idea what I might have done to shut down or disable the Media Server.

Is it possible for me to access the Media Server remotely through my iPad to relaunch the Media Server? Orcan I only do this locally when I return to Atlanta?

12

You would need to be using the web interface via Safari (app.plex.tv/desktop). If you cannot see the server, then remote access is not working. See pic below.

The AT&T outage may have messed things up. It isn’t necessarily anything you did.

At this point I think you need somebody in Atlanta that can restart the Plex server, or at least stop/restart the Plex Media Server application.

Even with remote access working, Plex Media Server does not have a mechanism to restart the Plex server remotely.

You would need a way to access your system outside of Plex, using a remote access application such as VNC, GoToMyPC, etc. This would give you access to the entire system. You could stop/start Plex and other applications as if you were sitting in front of it.

Screenshot (263)
Screenshot (263)803×623 172 KB

13

I had my wife in Atlanta close Plex, restart the media PC, then relaunch Plex.

No cigar. Neither of the remote installations—my iPad and my sister’s Roku TV—can mke a connection with the media server. Something is really fouled up, and it must be related to the AT&T fiber network crashing on Saturday.

I may need assistance Monday evening when I return to Atlanta. Thank you for now.

14

Dang. Was hoping a restart would bring it back.

Two other easy things to try are a) power off/power on the AT&T router; and after it restarts b) have your wife check the Remote Access page and disable/re-enable if needed.

That’s the easy/quick things I can think to check. If it doesn’t work after that, then more troubleshooting will be required.

16

What version of Plex Media Server are you running and on what platform (Win10, Linux, etc)?

Do you have a VPN installed on your server/network? If so, disable it.

Configure your Plex Server for debug, not verbose, logging. This is in Server settings (not Plex Web settings) -> General. Click Show Advanced. Select the box for Enable Plex Media Server debug logging and save changes. See Reporting Issues with Plex Media Server for details.

Review the Troubleshooting Remote Access support doc.

Are you using Automatic (uPNP) or Manual Port Forwarding?

I suggest using the latter, as it seems more reliable than Automatic.

If you are already using Manual, then check the port forwarding statement in your router. If AT&T had to reset the router to restore service, any existing port forwards, or other customized settings may have been deleted in the process.

Make sure the rule exists, has the correct port number (ex TCP/32400), and points to the IP address of your Plex Server (ex: 192.168.x.y).

Make sure the port forwarding rule aligns with the Plex Server Settings -> Remote Access page - IP address & port number.

Can you post a screenshot of the port forwarding rule?

After checking/setting the port forwarding rule and PMS configuration, try enabling remote access again.

Check remote access status. From a web browser on your server, or from a system on the same network as your server, go to canyouseeme.org. Substitute your remote access port for the default (80) and check connectivity.

If that does not work, then pull the Plex Server log files (Settings -> Troubleshooting). Attach the entire zip file to the thread (drag it into the compose window, it will insert at the cursor location).

17

Responses in BOLD . . .

What version of Plex Media Server are you running

VERSION 1.20.2.3402

4.34.4 (this is what it says for PLEX WEB)

. . . and on what platform (Win10, Linux, etc)?

WIN10

Do you have a VPN installed on your server/network? If so, disable it.

YES, I HAVE NordVPN INSTALLED ON TWO PCs IN MY SYSTEM. ONE OF THESE TWO PCs IS MY MEDIA SERVER. IT IS NOT TURNED ON. BOTH PCs ARE CONNECTED DIRECTLY BY CAT7 TO THE AT&T ROUTER.

QUESTION . . . CAN I HAVE THE VPN TURNED OFF ON THE MEDIA SERVER PC AND TURNED ON AT THE SAME TIME ON THE OTHER PC?

Configure your Plex Server for debug, not verbose, logging. This is in Server settings (not Plex Web settings) -> General. Click Show Advanced. Select the box for Enable Plex Media Server debug logging and save changes. See Reporting Issues with Plex Media Server for details.

BOTH “ENABLE PLEX MEDIA SERVER DEBUG LOGGING” AND “ENABLE PLEX MEDIA SERVER VERBOSE LOGGING” WERE SELECTED. I DESELECTED VERBOSE LOGGING, THEN SAVED CHANGES.

Review the Troubleshooting Remote Access support doc.

Are you using Automatic (uPNP) or Manual Port Forwarding?

I GENERALLY USE MANUAL., AND SET THE PORT AS 32400

I suggest using the latter, as it seems more reliable than Automatic.

I RESET IT TO MANUAL AND HIT “RETRY” BUT IT TURNED GREEN FOR ONLY A MOMENT, THEN REVERTED TO “NOT AVAILABLE OUTSIDEE YOUR NETWORK.”

If you are already using Manual, then check the port forwarding statement in your router. If AT&T had to reset the router to restore service, any existing port forwards, or other customized settings may have been deleted in the process.

I HAVE GONE INTO THE ROUTER AND THE PORT WAS NOT SET ON 32400. IT WAS ON 51600 INSTEAD. I HAVE TRIED TO RESET IT TO 32400, NOW, AS A RESULT OF THIS CHANGE, AND THEN RESETTING THE PUBLIC PORT TO 32400, MY SYSTEM REPORTS THAT “DIRECT CONNECTION IS NOT AVAILABLE.”

BUT MY AT&T MODEM/ROUTER SHOWS THAT “DIRECT ACCESS IS ENABLED”. HOWEVER, I CANNOT ACCESS THE SERVER REMOTELY, AND I TESTED IT WITH ANOTHER REMOTE USER AND THEY CANNOT CONNECT TO THE MEDIA SERVER. WHAT IS GOING ON? THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING. WHY IS PLEX SO HARD TO USE?

Make sure the rule exists, has the correct port number (ex TCP/32400), and points to the IP address of your Plex Server (ex: 192.168.x.y).

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT STATEMENT. SORRY, I AM A NEOPHYTE

Make sure the port forwarding rule aligns with the Plex Server Settings -> Remote Access page - IP address & port number.

AGAIN, I AM NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT.

Can you post a screenshot of the port forwarding rule?

WHAT IS THE PORT FORWARDING RULE?

After checking/setting the port forwarding rule and PMS configuration, try enabling remote access again.

Check remote access status. From a web browser on your server, or from a system on the same network as your server, go to canyouseeme.org . Substitute your remote access port for the default (80) and check connectivity.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TELLING ME TO DO.

If that does not work, then pull the Plex Server log files (Settings -> Troubleshooting). Attach the entire zip file to the thread (drag it into the compose window, it will insert at the cursor location).

18

By the way, while remote connection to the Media Server is not working, I am able to watch PLEX programs locally within my LAN . . . and at full resolution.

19

Thanks for the information.

Regarding VPN software:

Leave the VPN software off/disabled on your Plex Media Server. Plex and VPNs do not always play nice together, so best to leave it disabled while troubleshooting.

The VPN software on the other computer will not affect your Plex Media Server.

Regarding Port Forwarding:

You need to set up what is called a “Port forwarding rule” in your router. This tells the router to send Plex traffic from systems on the Internet (phones, TVs, PCs, etc) to your Plex server.

I use an Asus router. This is my port forwarding rule:

Screenshot (277)
Screenshot (277)751×114 7.29 KB

How the rule appears varies from router to router, but the information is the same.
Leave both the internal and external ports at 32400, the Plex default. This will make troubleshooting easier. You should also use port 32400 in your Plex Media Server remote access settings (see my earlier post for a screenshot).
The Internal IP Address is the address of the Plex Media Server.
Source IP is blank. Depending on the router it may say “All” or something similar. On some routers there may not be an entry for Source IP.

This thread has an example of somebody using AT&T service. The information appears slightly differently than in the Asus router, but is essentially the same (it uses “Device” instead of “Internal IP Address”). Note that the person in the referenced thread forwarded both TCP and UPD traffic. Only TCP port 32400 is required.

Regarding canyouseeme.org:

This is an alternate way to test if remote access is working.

The status shown in Settings -> Remote Access is sometimes unreliable.

Once you have things configured, using a device (pc, phone, etc) on your home network (not the mobile network, not at Starbucks, etc), using a browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc), go to https://canyouseeme.org/. Where it says “Port to check,” replace 80 with 32400 and click on “Check Port.” The website will try to contact your Plex Server. It will either say Success or Fail.

20

So, FordGuy61, here is what I did today.

I went into my AT&T modem/router (Arris BGW210) and went to Device/Remote Access, where in red it tells me that “Remote Access is Currently Enabled”.

So then I go into the Firewall tab in the router setup, and select “NAT/Gaming”. I remember from similar problems a year ago that I needed to have a “Hosted App”, but there was no hosted apps on this system. So, I went into Custom Services and added a new hosted app, it automatically populated the fields with the “Plex Media Server” hosted app. I set it up with TCP/UDP: 32400, then click add, or maybe it was “save.” In any case I now have this Plex Media server in the correct box (I think, see image).

image
image841×594 138 KB

So then I go into my Plex Media Server app, and it appears that under Settings/Remote Access that I now have remote access as indicated by the green text.

Next, I contact my daughter who has access to my Plex media but lives in Nashville (I am in Atlanta), so she is a remote user. When she calls up a video with should be viewable at 1080P she tells me it is not sharp, but fuzzy. On my Dashboard in my Plex Media Server app she does show up as connected, but not directly connected. (See image.)

Capture KAM on dashboard.PNG
Capture KAM on dashboard.PNG860×581 133 KB

To my great frustration, the Direct Access seems to have been “on”, but as soon as I sign off with my daughter I notice that Remote Settings on my Plex Media Server app is no longer showing that direct access is enabled.

I am so frustrated. Sorry, I know you are doing your best to help me, and I appreciate your support very much, but I am amazed at how difficult it is to get a standard PC to work with Plex and remote users. What should I try now? Please advise.

21

I am not sure whether I can really “see” my server or not. It appears to be “greyout out,” thus I am wondering whether I can see it or not.

22

I am in need of wise counsel. I cannot seem to get my Plex to work. Remote users can get the audio and video signals, but the video quality is greatly diminished.

What should I do to get back to remote users having direct access to my Plex Media Server?