Server Version#:1.28.1.6018
I’m entertaining the idea of moving my PMS from a native install to a docker container.
I currently have my container setup but I’m unable to create a new server. When I go to the local ip, it takes me to a login screen. Once I log in, it just says my native install can’t be found (service is shut down to deconflict ports). While I know it is possible to run multiple servers, I can’t figure out how in the world to set it up. Send help!
You are trying to run two servers on the same physical computer, one on host system and one in a docker?
One on host server and one in dock.
You cannot run two instances on the same computer.
It is in a container, as far as Plex thinks, it is a second computer. Additionally, when I start the container I shut the native instance down.
If I may add here?
You don’t need to create a new server.
By carefully overlaying the directory structure, you can have the container use everything the existing server already has.
The container will completely assume the identity of the native server instance.
Would this be desirable ?
At this moment I don’t want to duplicate the entire server, just a few movies for testing.
It is crazy to me that, I can’t just create a new server. Every time I log in it just says “ServerName” is unreachable - of course it is, i shut the service down. What if that server died and I wanted to start from scratch?! How do I do that?
You have server A and B on the same computer.
Server A works
Server B always shows offline
is that summary correct?
Do the two servers have different friendly names?
internally the server always has a port of 32400. if two servers are on same computer it won’t work because two apps cannot use the same port at the same time
for docker remote access properly work, afaik you need to set it to bridge mode so it uses the host network, which you cannot do if you already have another server installed as above. else it i belive it’s own network. I think docker uses a 172.x.x.x type of IP. I don’t know docker well enough if you can change it so it gets IP from your routers DHCP so it appears as another computer on your local network rather than a separate network
Ok.
Plex Server A - Native Install
Plex Server B - Docker Install
Ports are deconflicted as when Server B is online, the service for Server A is stopped.
When server B is online, it simply says it cannot locate server A - I want it to act like it is a new server for me to setup and have no knowledge of server A.
What are the local IPs of A and B
I’m not clear if B was ever claimed. try going to IPofB:32400/web in an incognito window. if it does not share the same network ( not on same DHCP) as your the browsers system is then you may have to ssh tunnel into it.
Server A: 192.168.1.33
Server B: 172.18.0.17 (shows as 192.168.1.33:32400 to outside devices).
Incognito mode did not change anything.
How do I SSH into it?
i don’t know if you need to or even can enable SSH for Docker. You would need to check Docker’s own instructions for that. but these instructions for “open web app on a machine other than server itself” in this article for SSH tunnel Opening Plex Web App | Plex Support
All I want to do is setup a new server instead of this one looking for the alternate server. I have tried removing it, however, it still just wants to connect to other users available servers and gives no options to set up a new one.
because it expects a new one to be a different IP. Since you have it so they are the exact same IP. When you sign in it look at your account and all the servers it has access to it sees Server A should be at that IP but it is not so it shows it as unavailable
you can try using and incognito window but do not sign in so it does not look for servers on your account.
Changed server ip address to .34 and it still looks for old server vice trying to setup a new one. Even when I use incognito mode it still asks me to sign in and still looks for the old server, even with new ip.
not http(s) if the server i not claimed and you are on same physical device then it should just go it it without signing in. (in incognito) if not then there is something funky about docker networking I don’t understand
If I may offer some help?
In your container config (you may need to recreate the container definition),
-e PLEX_CLAIM="CLAIM_TOKEN_HERE"
Recommend you set a hostname in the container definition which is different than the Linux host so you have a default server friendly name which is different than the host.
Now, within 5 minutes (the token expires after 5 minutes)
– Start the container
– Open an incognito window to the LAN IP of the server (with you on the same subnet)
– Sign in and confirm the claim
Ref: I base my container definition on this template:
docker run \
-d \
--name dockerplex \
--network=host \
-e TZ="<timezone>" \
-e PLEX_CLAIM="<claimToken>" \
-v <path/to/plex/database>:/config \
-v <path/to/transcode/temp>:/transcode \
-v <path/to/media>:/data \
plexinc/pms-docker
