Server unavailable or offline - no devices work - something basic wrong

Plex Media Server
1

Have plex media server newly installed on my linux box. Works fine when accessed through localhost:32400/web, but nothing else will connect - not windows (accessed through 192.168.0.1:32400/web), nor my LG smart TV, nor two Samsung Smart TVs. All say server is offline or unavailable. It is not off-line I can access the box though ssh and webmin. All of possible players show up as authorised in the media server, but with a red x
Turned off the firewall in the Linux box, no effect
Something basic is clearly wrong but I can’t see it. Maybe you experts can see straight away otherwise I will download logs and post them
Server Version#:
Player Version#:

2

Please restart PMS.
Wait 2 minutes
Now download the logs ZIP file
Attach it here.

3

Thanks for the prompt response
Attaching two zips
One timestamped 8.29 today just as you asked. Stopped plex server with systemctl not by reboot
The later one-time stamped 11.20 same process but tried to log on with Samsung Smart TV, Windows, and LG Smart TV, as soon as it started - all failed
Regards
Steve
Plex Media Server Logs_2022-10-04_08-29-27.zip (469.1 KB)
Plex Media Server Logs_2022-10-04_11-20-32.zip (355.8 KB)

4

@stephenhodge202

The throttle from Plex.tv is cleared.

I’m curious about your LAN.

what’s the IP of the modem/router ?

5

Hi ChuckPa
Restarted media server since your post and one of the apps, signed out the app and signed in again - still no result
I have two IP addresses and a ubiquiti load balancing router, so the outside ip addresses can vary. For some connections I have to make the connection sticky so the router doesn’t swap over ip addresses when load balancing
The ip addresses are dynamic. You can get to one of them on hoj.dyndns.org. The router’s internal address is 192.168.0.20
Am I to understand that the media server and/or the apps need to contact plex.tv to work. If so I can open any required ports. the firewall in the router is quite strict
Stephen Hodge

6

You need to stop right there.

Remote Access will not function if your WAN IP isn’t stable.

Plex.tv is the IP address broker (DNS) which allows apps to connect to your server from the outside. If that IP address isn’t stable, no inbound connection can be made from apps.

As for your LAN, I urge you to make the server’s IP static or DHCP MAC reservation.

7

ChuchPa
I have no interest in remote access. Just need access from my local LAN.

Are you saying that I have to dump plex because I cannot access the server from my local LAN if I have a dynamic IP address - which many people have?

I am not going to pay for a static IP address that I don’t need just for plex. But I am afraid I don’t know what ‘DHCP MAC reservation’ might be

If this is indeed the situation I have wasted a lot of time and am very disappointed

Stephen Hodge

8

Looked up DHCP MAC Reservation. Of course my plex server has a static IP internal IP address. But this is nothing to with the networks external address(es). To make them static costs money with my ISPs

9

Just checked with my ISPs, both of them, BT & Virgin. Neither of them offer static IPs for home users, at any price. If you do indeed need a static IP to use plex on your local LAN it is indeed a pathetic system.

10

I think you’re misunderstanding.

  1. Outside - (WAN side) – a single IP address. Most ISP’s issue DHCP and that’s ok.
  2. Inside - (LAN side) – make DHCP reservations or static assignments for your equipment.
11

ChuckPa
All the devices I have tried to connect with inside the LAN have static IPs
I can probably force my router to use only a single WAN interface for packets from the server all the time. The interface I would use doesn’t change its IP address very often but it could do
Would this work?
Incidentally neither WAN IP address has changed in the last month, so why doesn’t plex work inside the LAN now?
Stephen Hodge

12

@plex team. I’m unable to connect to my media server on Shield. I found advice asking for my certificate to be reset. Is this correct?

Thanks

13

Please show me?

Plex.tv shows you deleted the old server (uninstalled) then created a new one which has a shiny new certificate .

14

Thanks for getting back to me.
Yes, i resorted to starting again so all good now

15

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