Remote access failure

Server Version#: 1.18.9.2571
Player Version#: 2.53.0

A few days ago I discovered that I was unable to connect to my Plex server from the Plex app on my phone, an LG V30+. The Plex app could still see my server but could not connect to it, when ever I try to connect it says “Unable to connect to SilentNinja-PC”. The Plex Server and my phone are both on the same LAN and the Plex app on my phone and my Plex server are both logged into the same Plex account, I only have one account.

So I rebooted my phone, and rebooted the Plex server but was still unable to access the Plex server from the Plex app on my phone. Now the Plex App on my phone can no longer see my Plex server but it can still see the media on my server, I am guessing it has been cached somewhere.

After that failed I logged into the Plex server and discovered that Plex was reporting it was “Not available outside your network”. Strange since it has worked for nearly two years without any issue at all… But oh well it has still stopped working so this evening I finally spent some time troubleshooting the issue.

I tried the following troubleshooting steps, without success, to get Plex accessible again from outside of my network:

  • Disabled Windows firewall and my anti virus (I disabled my AV program until my PC is restarted), and retried failed.

  • Enabled “Manually specify public port” and retried, failed.

  • Logged into my router, turned UPnP off, and setup an IP reservation for the Plex server.

  • Setup port forwarding to external and internal port: 32400, to the IP address reserved for the Plex server, Protocol: TCP. Retried connection, Plex server still reports that it’s “Not available outside your network”.

  • Manually specified port 48721 in the plex server.

  • Changed the external port in my routers port forwarding rule to 48721.

  • Rebooted router.

  • Clicked retry in the Plex server, failed. I still can’t see the Plex server from outside.

  • Opened a new tab and pointed my browser @ canyouseeme.org and asked it if it could see me on port 48721, it reported “Success: I can see your service on <I’m not telling you my public IP address> on port (48721)”. So I turned off port forwarding in my router and checked the port again and canyouseeme.org couldn’t see me, turned port forwarding on again and tried again, canyouseeme.org could see the server again so I know the port forwarding rule I setup in my router is working. I even tried re-enabling Windows firewall and the AV program, canyouseeme.org can still see the Plex server on port 48721.

  • Clicked “RETRY” in the Plex server GUI, it thinks for no more than 30 seconds before reporting that it is fully accessible from outside of my network before changing it’s mind a second later and reporting that nope it’s not accessible from outside of my network.

  • Reinstalling/re-configuring Plex Server and Plex Media Player was my last desperate attempt at resolving the issue.

Notes:

  • I’m not double NAT’d, I only have a single router (an Asus RT-AC68U that I have flashed with Asusrt-Merlin, running Firmware Version:384.15) and a switch (an 8 port Netgear Prosafe switch) on my LAN. It’s a small network for a single person. I have the HTPC connected to the switch and the switch is connected to my router. I have no modem because I’m in Australia and am connected to the NBN so I don’t need a modem or modem/router.

  • Pretty sure no IPs are blocked given that canyouseeme.org reports that it can see the Plex server on port 48721.

  • Jumbo frames are disabled in both my router and switch.

  • I had to Google wtf “Xfinity xFi” was so yeah I don’t have that, also certain that isn’t my issue.

  • I am running the latest version of Plex Media Player v2.53.0, and Plex Server v1.18.9.2571 on the HTPC which is an old home built Windows 7 machine. And have a Lifetime Plex Pass.

  • Everything that can be connected via Ethernet (i.e. everything (NAS, HTPC, Desktop rig, and Smart TV) except my phone and tablet) is connected via Ethernet cable.

  • I don’t use any VPN or VPN software on the Plex Server.

Prior to Plex remote access failing nothing had changed on my LAN or any PC/network equipment on my LAN, I haven’t made any changes to my setup. I live on my own so I would know if someone had made any changes to the network or any device or machine on my LAN.

Now that I have exhausted all the troubleshooting steps in the “Troubleshooting Remote Access” Plex documentation page my question is: WTF? I am at a loss to explain why remote access has all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, stopped working. And at even more of a loss as to how to resolve the issue.

I don’t know what else to do/try to get Plex working again. This is the first time I have ever had an issue with Plex (assuming that the issue is with Plex, it could also be an issue outside of Plex) that I have not been unable to resolve. I need the assistance of someone that is smarter than I am. Can anyone please help? I would be ever so grateful.

(Edited for spelling, and added that the Plex app on my phone can no longer see the Plex server.)

3 Likes

I see the remote access indicator turn red all the time even when I have remote users active… It seems to depend on the connection to Plex.TV and and how busy there API is…

The way I check is to use my phone and see if I can make a remote connection… (turn WiFi off)

I just don’t look at the remote indicator…

1 Like

Having the same issue, it’s suddenly stopped working. No changes to router, firewall or host settings. If I use my mobile phone’s web browser with wifi disabled to connect remotely to my router’s IP and Plex port I can access Plex.

Has Plex temporarily disabled this feature so that all connections must be indirect to limit bandwidth usage to 2mbps as part of a COVID-19 response to manage bandwidth usage?

2 Likes

Same if anybody figures it out please post…

I am having the same issue, I changed nothing on my computer and it just stopped working. If I change my allowed port it connects then disconnects.
Does Plex have Corona?

Lol! I hope not! Maybe remote access failing is one of the symptoms? Mybe Plex should be tested.

Plex are you OK?

If that were the case OI would assume there would have been some public announcement. I haven’t seen any such announcement.

However I did see that Plex did perform some Scheduled Maintenance - March 25, 8-9am UTC. Unfortunately the thread is locked so I can’t pose the question if it’s possible that maintenance may have had had unintended consequences on Plex’s remote access for some of us. I think this is more likely because this is roughly the same time that I noticed Plex remote access stopped working for me. However I can’t be certain since I have been working from home for the past two weeks given the current climate that I and everyone else finds ourselves in.

At the time I didn’t think much of it because I’m working from home it just meant I needed to use the Plex remote in Unified remote to choose another album to listen to. I didn’t realize it was going to turn into such a big problem I couldn’t fix on my own, or that other people are experiencing the same issue. I hope that the issue can be resolved before we all return to what we are accustomed to knowing as normal because I love to use Plex remote access to listen to my own music library when I’m in the office so I don’t have to put up with my colleagues poor taste in music.

Does anyone know how to reach out to the Plex devs? As excellent as Plex’s support and documentation is I feel like this is an issue that the documentation hasn’t been able to help with.

Mine was working again for an hour then dropped out again, I changed nothing

Seems to be an issue with loads of people in many different threads all reporting more or less the same thing remote access indicator turn red all the time even when I have remote users active meaning all users are indirect now it seems as mine all connect at 127.0.0.1 instead of there own IP address which was showing before mine started happening from 23/03/20

It’s not limited to the Windows version either, I’m running Plex in a Linux docker container.

Try this:


‘Un-Tick’ “Public” for items called “Plex”.
(I have 2 - you may only have 1)
(A ‘recent’ Windows Update may have changed this - change it back)

2 Likes

Thank you for the suggestion. That didn’t work. I have no instances of just “Plex” listed. Additionally the issue remains when I turn Windows firewall off which indicates that it is not a Windows firewall issue.

Same problem since update rolled it back to the last one still no dice , this is my number one bug bear with PLEX SORT THIS S*IT OUT we pay good money to have a server that performs, As the above post I to have had a functioning system have also check ticked and tested everything I can see any help from PLEX on whats going on would be helpful my last resort is to pay for a static IP form my ISP to see if that works but seeing it has not been a problem until now I can’t see that fixing this, SORT IT OUT .

I have a static IP that does not make any difference

2 Likes

I know it was a last ditch attempt to hopefully get it working , if by any accounts PLEX does what it normally does there will be no fix.

1 Like

It will most likely get fixed, but when I don’t know. Sooner rather than later would be nice. :crossed_fingers:

To say Plex does nothing to fix issues is a bit rough. I have had issues with Plex that have been fixed. One time I was unable to launch Plex Media Player, it kept throwing an error at startup. So I downgraded to the previous version and waited until the next release which fixed the issue.

I have just gone through pretty much the same process except that my plex server is on a QNAP NAS. I’m loathe to roll back the software to an earlier version. Hoping a fix comes out soon.

Been experiencing issues with remote access for several weeks with the indicator turning red/green at random, with remote users still connecting fine, but were often limited to 2mbps, even when their connections were marked as secure.

Today, remote access now always switches to red immediately when re-enabling/modifying settings. I can still access my server remotely, securely connected, but limited to 2mbps.

Ran through all the troubleshooting guides and suggestions across threads I read. Somethings up, that’s for sure.

I have the same issue. I have not found anything that fixes it.

Ditto. Although in another tread (Suddenly Remote access isn't working - Outside network appears and then fails - #8 by jiffi32) I did find this which may or may not help:

It has been reported (in the same thread linked above) that the iTunes plugin was the cause of their issue. Might be worth checking that you don’t have the iTunes plugin activated in PMS. It wasn’t the source of my problem, I don’t even use iTunes or have the iTunes plugin activated in PMS.

In regards to checking if your ISP has put you behind a Carrier-Grade NAT (CGN), also known as Large-Scale NAT (LSN) you can check by checking your Public IP address (whatismyip.com) then log into your router and check the routers WAN IP, if they match if you are not behind a CGN. If the IPs are different then you are behind a CGN. (Source: How to check if the ISP uses Carrier-grade NAT (CGN) | Remoterig.com).

If the above source is correct then I’m not behind a CGN.

Looking at my logs, it’s eveident that the Plex’s central servers are able to connect remotely to my plex server. Snippet below from when I’ve clicked on the retry button.

Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.619 [0x7fdd1dffb700] DEBUG - Request: [34.243.160.122:45992 (WAN)] GET /identity (13 live) TLS Signed-in Token (username)
Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.619 [0x7fdd1dffb700] VERBOSE -  * Accept => */*
Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.619 [0x7fdd1dffb700] VERBOSE -  * Host => XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX.YYYYYYYYY.plex.direct:32400
Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.619 [0x7fdd1dffb700] VERBOSE -  * User-Agent => Typhoeus - https://github.com/typhoeus/typhoeus
Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.619 [0x7fdd1dffb700] VERBOSE -  * X-Plex-Token => xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.619 [0x7fdd1dffb700] VERBOSE - It took 0.0 sec to serialize a list with 0 elements.
Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.619 [0x7fdd47517700] DEBUG - Completed: [34.243.160.122:45992] 200 GET /identity (13 live) TLS 1ms 398 bytes (pipelined: 1)
Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.630 [0x7fdd46d16700] VERBOSE - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Mar 29, 2020 19:28:39.630 [0x7fdd46d16700] VERBOSE - Auth: Came in with the master token, authorization succeeded.

I’ve also tried connecting using my mobile’s web browser on mobile data to connect the plex.direct name for my server in the format XXX-XXX-XXX-XXX.YYYYYYYYY.plex.direct:32400 which works.