Server Version#: 1.21.0.3616
Player Version#: Multiple
Not using a VPN, and have not made any changes, suddenly I’m hearing from all my Plex users that it keeps going offline for them. I also see the same thing happening on the console.
Would appreciate some help so I can get things back to normal.
Thanks
What are the symptoms when this occurs?
What are you seeing in the console? (I assume you mean the Remote Access settings page, correct?)
Do you take any action to resolve it?
Disabling and reenabling makes it show as accessible again, or sometimes it’ll just fix itself.
I’ve seen people say that it’s a known thing to see the Plex status temporarily show as offline, and I had seen this in the past, but now I’m getting reports from users that the server is offline for them.
Have you configured port forwarding manually on your router, or is it working automatically? (via UPnP/NAT-PMP)
When you disable and re-enable, does any of the information on the Remote Access screen change?
When it’s not working, it would be nice to look at the Remote Access screen, and then test if https://canyouseeme.org can reach your public address : port.
Gather and share logs when it shows as not accessible, if you like.
uPnP has always been enabled and had no issues. I’ve since tried manual port forwarding, changing firewall settings etc but the same thing is happening.
I’m a fan of UPnP in most cases - I’m not judging that, just trying to gather the information about your system.
What firewall settings? In Windows? I would assume those are set OK if Remote Access is working most of the time.
No I left windows firewall settings alone. I just tinkered with the router settings. Various levels of security to see if it would make a difference, but it all feels like a lost cause.
I am using split tunnelling VPN with PIA. PMS is not in the exception list however, thus it just goes via the public IP. Again this is something I’ve done for a long time with no issues.
To me, those add up to “I am using a VPN”. 
If Plex isn’t in the exception list, then outbound traffic from Plex will be sent over the VPN. That will interfere with Plex’s Remote Access discovery, connectivity test, and myPlex registration.
Typically you will want to EXCLUDE Plex traffic from any VPN. (Unless you are specifically trying to force Plex to use the VPN, but that’s a different scenario.)
I believe PIA provides an app-level whitelisting feature.
Are you using the PIA VPN app, and can you exclude Plex?
The reason Plex isn’t in the exception list is because I have the split tunnelling set to ‘Allow all other apps’. Nothing Plex related is in the exception list.
So while yes, I am using a VPN, the configuration is for all applications to not be routed through the tunnel, unless they are added to the exclusion list, Plex included.
I did also try adding Plex as ‘Bypass VPN’, even though it would have already been covered under ‘All Other Apps’.
Again…this is a setup I’ve had for some time, and has not caused users to be booted mid-movie, and not able to see the server, only for it to reappear again seconds or minutes later.
Edit: Yes, using PIA VPN App.
Gotcha. OK, let’s redefine a few things:
I’m suspicious of those inclusion & exclusion rules. They point to .lnk files instead of the applications or their directories. That may not work. I would expect to see .exe application files or their directories. (But PIA might be clever and “resolve” the .lnk.)
I agree that the “All Other Apps : Bypass VPN” setting looks like it should apply to Plex.
But I’m not confident that PIA bypass for Plex is fully functional.
See this thread. It has some positive experiences. It also has a comment from PIA that it doesn’t work. There are other linked threads too.
“Plex does not work with split tunnel.”
It mentions that the status on the Remote Access screen will become inaccurate.
It also recommends configuring a manual port forward on your router, because the PIA VPN impacts UPnP.
If Plex can’t be consistently excluded from the VPN tunnel, I would expect it to fail to register consistently with myPlex. The PIA suggestion to access your WAN address directly doesn’t mean that other Plex apps will work.
I think @SE56 has had good luck with split tunneling … but on Mac. That’s SO different I’m not sure it’s relevant.
But maybe this will summon him and he’ll have advice. 
The PIA suggestion to access your WAN address directly doesn’t mean that other Plex apps will work.
You got it, friend.
This was an afterthought as part of my tshooting. Plex would have previouslybeen included by definition under “All Other Apps”.
Just to clarify, I am less worried about the accuracy of the GUI (something I have also noticed for years tends to be a little unreliable, even without VPN, Split Tunnelling or otherwise), and more about none of my users being able to use Plex currently.
Well to chime in here, your exemption should be pointed at exe file as @Volts has pointed out.
Now UPnP this can be a touchy subject, I have found on some consumer grade routers it can be troublesome. I would do a manual port forward, that my honest opinion.
From a friend that has this working on Windows, he does not use Wireguard and Cloudfare DNS. So Open VPN Protcol and PIA DNS is confirmed. Too add I have found PIA MACE problematic so I have it disabled.
Also just want to add that there are a number of active and recent threads that are detailing experiences uncanny to my own, including the short time that users are online with good endpoint devices, getting forced to transcode when their Shield and bandwidth are perfectly fine, and again, had no issues prior to a couple weeks ago - these are all within the last day:
Thanks for chiming in.
I had tried manual port forwarding prior to posting here, as well as disabling PIA MACE.
Agreed on the .lnk exception, but considering I have the VPN set to allow everything to be public IP unless stated otherwise this shouldn’t make a difference.
I read almost nothing into those threads. There’s always a stream of “can’t get remote access working” chatter. I don’t see any strong common element to them.
There other functions with PMS than calling the mothership
Is it really chatter when loads of people are saying their setup was also fine before now?
I’m sorry can you provide some context to this? I’m not sure what you mean.
You have agents, plugins and more. Point it to the exe and be done with it
