Remote Access stopped working (not a firewall/NAT issue)

General Discussions
1

A little while ago one of my friends mentioned to me my server was unavailable remotely. At the time I didn’t really care and thought it was maybe a Plex update or an ISP thing but I would get back to it. Now I need to travel, so I care again. This is to say I don’t really know when this started but it was several updates ago. I can access my server remotely accessing https://X.X.X.X:32436 and the server answers, so I don’t believe this is a NAT or firewall issue. The server is running on a Late 2012 Mac Mini with OS X El Capitan (10.11.4 Beta) the version of Plex is 0.9.16.3. If I enable verbose logging and go to the remote access page and click retry while tailing the logs I get the following entries:

NOTE: I replaced my internal IP with Y.Y.Y.Y and my external IP with X.X.X.X (I did verify X.X.X.X to be correct). I also replaced my Plex user name with plex@mydomain.net. I believe the interesting log entries are highlighted below, it looks to me like it is sending the server the port but not the IP, it looks as if this is null, but I’m not a Plex expert. PM me for logs and I will send them to you directly. Please let me know if there is anything else that would be useful.

Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50475] OPTIONS /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=false (7 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x700000841000] VERBOSE - * PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey => false
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50475] OPTIONS /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=false (7 live) TLS GZIP 1ms 516 bytes 200 (pipelined: 3)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50466] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=false (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] VERBOSE - * PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey => false
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - MyPlex: Toggling server publish state.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Stopping.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Destroying public address manager
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - It took 0.0 sec to serialize a list with 3 elements.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - MyPlex: Sending Server Info to myPlex (user=plex@mydomain.net, ip=, port=0)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:21 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - HTTP requesting POST https://plex.tv/servers.xml?auth_token=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - MyPlex: Published Mapping State response was 422
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] WARN - MyPlex: Invalid response when mapping state (code=422):
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50466] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=false (6 live) TLS GZIP 801ms 231 bytes 200 (pipelined: 5)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000004ac000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 231 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50466] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50466] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 6)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50466] OPTIONS /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] VERBOSE - * PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey => true
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50466] OPTIONS /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (6 live) TLS GZIP 1ms 516 bytes 200 (pipelined: 7)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] VERBOSE - * PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey => true
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - MyPlex: Toggling server publish state.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Starting.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Obtaining public address and mapping port.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Obtaining public IP.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://plex.tv/pms/:/ip
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] PUT /:/prefs?PublishServerOnPlexOnlineKey=true (6 live) TLS GZIP 3ms 231 bytes 200
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700001177000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 231 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 622 bytes 200 (pipelined: 2)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 622 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - PublicAddressManager: Got public IP from http://plex.tv: X.X.X.X
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - It took 0.0 sec to serialize a list with 3 elements.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - MyPlex: Sending Server Info to myPlex (user=plex@mydomain.net, ip=, port=32436)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - HTTP requesting POST https://plex.tv/servers.xml?auth_token=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 3)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:22 [0x700001177000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 4)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 5)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:23 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 6)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x700001177000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 7)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:24 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 8)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x700001177000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 9)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:25 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 10)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x700001177000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 11)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:26 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x700000841000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 12)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x700001177000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x70000073b000] VERBOSE - We didnt receive any data from Y.Y.Y.Z:59571 in time, dropping connection.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET https://plex.tv/services/pubsub/servers
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 13)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:27 [0x7000011fa000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x70000073b000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 623 bytes 200 (pipelined: 14)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x700001177000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 623 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - MyPlex: Published Mapping State response was 422
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000004ac000] WARN - MyPlex: Invalid response when mapping state (code=422):
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - MyPlex: Updating device connections (from timer: 0)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000004ac000] DEBUG - HTTP requesting PUT https://plex.tv/devices/380560cf4eef08d52b7e95bbecd13acdd6b419dc?Connection[][uri]=http://Y.Y.Y.Y:32400&httpsEnabled=1&httpsRequired=0&X-Plex-Token=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Request: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: We found auth token (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx), enabling token-based authentication.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000003a6000] DEBUG - Auth: Came in with a super-token, authorization succeeded.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000006b8000] DEBUG - Completed: [Y.Y.Y.Y:50484] GET /myplex/account (6 live) TLS GZIP 2ms 685 bytes 200 (pipelined: 15)
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x7000011fa000] VERBOSE - Statistics: (Plex Web (Chrome)) Reporting 685 bytes for account 1 on LAN: 1
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - EventSource: Creating.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - EventSource: Creating.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - EventSource: Creating.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - EventSource: Creating.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - EventSource: Creating.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - EventSource: Creating.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:28 [0x700001071000] VERBOSE - EventSource: Creating.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:30 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - PubSubManager: Time to connect to 45.79.90.28 was 544 ms.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:30 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - PubSubManager: Time to connect to 45.79.211.86 was 551 ms.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:30 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - PubSubManager: Time to connect to 45.79.11.43 was 551 ms.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:30 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - PubSubManager: Time to connect to 45.33.77.214 was 562 ms.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:30 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - PubSubManager: Time to connect to 82.94.168.14 was 766 ms.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:30 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - PubSubManager: Time to connect to 139.162.216.99 was 796 ms.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:30 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - PubSubManager: Time to connect to 103.3.62.6 was 941 ms.
Apr 02, 2016 10:36:30 [0x700001071000] DEBUG - PubSubManager: Updating best ping time for 45.79.11.43 to 551 ms.

Thanks for the help,
Nick

2

I am having this exact same problem and no one is answering my multiple requests for help about it. Hopefully someone will answer you. My server is running on windows, however. I can get to it just fine via http://my-ip-address:32400/web/ from anywhere, but plex says it’s not available.

3

The same problem here. Had to reinstall my OS and the server stopped working. Everything worked before, also not a network issue on my side

4

I finally spent some more time on this. I have a rather complex firewall setup at my house, with 2 redundant pfSense firewalls protecting my house. Probably overkill but working in the industry it keeps me sharp. On these firewalls I have Snort IDS/IPS installed, I spent some time investigating this and it didn’t seem like this was the issue. The other piece I have on my firewalls is a package called pfBlockerNG which basically allows you to create firewall rules based on location. I had some rules in the firewall that specifically denied traffic from any country other than the US, largely because if someone if Russia/China is trying to get to my house, it’s most likely not for good purposes. The key here is I block EVERYTHING outside of the US. Turns out plex uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) for their servers. For whatever reason the plex server trying to connect back to my box is in Amazon’s EU-West region. As soon as I allowed traffic from the EU, I was able to connect. This should have been easy to identify looking at firewall rules, however due to some other misconfigurations on the firewall side those firewall blocks were not getting logged.