Remote access kind of working, but not

Plex Media Server Remote Access
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Server Version#: 1.18.8.2527
Player Version#: 4.28.3

Plex running on an Ubuntu Mint VM. I have 32400 forwarded correctly and CanYouSeeMe.org can successfully connect to MyIP:32400

However, I can not access from outside. I can sometimes get to “Indirect”, but not sure what this means.

Any advice?

Thank you

Edit: I was presented with an Unable to Securely Connect and given the option to Connect Unsecured This Once. This seems to have connected. So, it’s a “security” issue? 32400 is properly PAT’d (no double NAT), what else do I need to do?

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Hi @armegeden,
Try logging onto your router, disable UPnP, restart your router and log back into it, enable UPnP and let me hear if it solves the issue, this did the trick for me and a few others.

Best regards

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I dont think these recent issues are upnp related, my server is in a datacenter - I also cannot remotely access my server right now.

If i access it directly (IP:port) i can see plex reports “remote access” as green and connectable, but all clients still report the server insecure.

Something is going on

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This is a Cisco ASA and I do not utilize UPnP. All manual, here. :-/

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@armegeden

Is the VM configured as NAT or Bridge ?

“Indirect” on LAN , which is behind the ASA, is indicative of DNS Rebind blocking / subnet mismatch.

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Apologies, but somewhat confused by the VM as NAT or Bridge, but:

Port Address Translation is being used. I have a single WAN IP, which translates to the LAN IP/port. No named (DNS) translations should be happening at least from the firewall’s perspective. This is a VMware/vSphere environment.

Example WAN:
1.2.3.4:32400 --> 192.168.1.2:32400
1.2.3.4:443 --> 192.168.1.3:443

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My query on NAT or Bridge was because there are two types of VMs.
Most users have Stand-Among. Full-up ESXi guests are not the norm.
Type 1 vs Type 2 is where NAT adapter sharing can occur.

Per your example, you are using “NAT”.

Walking the path:

WAN IP:port -> Gateway device -> LAN:port -> Device on the subnet.

e.g.
1.2.3.4:56789 (edge device/router) -> device (129.168.1.0/mask) -> 192.168.0.5:32400 (PMS server)

All that needs to occur is:

  1. PMS host port 32400 TCP must be visible from the outside
  2. PMS must be set to use that IP as default host IP to initiate Remote

I have been informed a problem did exist on Plex.tv and remedied today.

PMS would indicate it’s Enabled but Plex.tv didn’t always work.
Is this what has been seen ?

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  1. According to CanYouSeeMe.org, this is working.
  2. This VM only has the single IP (eg, 192.168.1.2). Is there a setting to ensure this is the case in the configuration?
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Scratch this. All is working.

In my case, I setup this Linux machine remotely (VPN on the backend). Once setup and running, I went to Plex.tv, hit Launch, saw the server and chose to Manage. Since I was technically coming from the outside, I assume I was able to (kinda) get in via Plex.tv proxy? Either way, when I tried to make PMS configuration changes coming in from the outside, they didn’t take. Interesting to note, there was no User Interface feedback noting that settings did not take.

I ended up getting into vSphere and Consoling into the VM and going to localhost:32400 to manage machine locally. I enabled Remote Access from here and all works.

Thank you ChuckPa for your assistance!

Respectfully,
a

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That’s intentional. Setup can’t be done from the outside. LAN or ssh-tunnel or localhost is required. It’s a security measure to protect your machine when you have it in a remotely hosted facility.

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