Setting up remote access

[Conzaaa]

That was fixed. Still got UPnP off with manual port forwarding. And it is enabled:

@Volts

My next request will be for you to share server logs.

[log]

@nx6

Using a direct IP for remote access requires you to have a static IP pretty much. Otherwise every time your IP lease rolls over with your internet provider the IP might change and then the settings don’t work.

Yeah, how much of a hassle to make a static IP for it? Should be done? Bigger security risk? Simply choosing / making address reservation?

[nx6]

@Conzaaa

Yeah, how much of a hassle to make a static IP for it? Should be done? Bigger security risk? Simply choosing / making address reservation?

That’s the LAN side you’re looking at. I’m talking about static IP internet service. You generally have to pay a small additional monthly charge with your ISP for it.

But as long as you have that page open, you may want to set up a static LAN IP reservation for your Plex server. You have a port forward manually configured for .114 right now, so if there is an interruption to your router or server operating your Plex jail might reconnect and be given a different IP. Also this way you will always know what local IP your Plex server is at if you were accessing it by LAN IP (like for administrative tasks).

[Conzaaa]

@nx6

But as long as you have that page open, you may want to set up a static LAN IP reservation for your Plex server. You have a port forward manually configured for .114 right now, so if there is an interruption to your router or server operating your Plex jail might reconnect and be given a different IP. Also this way you will always know what local IP your Plex server is at if you were accessing it by LAN IP (like for administrative tasks).

Done. Thanks.

I noticed the IP for truenas overall changed with the reboot? Now is: 192.168.1.110 , that shouldn’t be causing any issues?

EDIT: randomly tried mobile plex app again; nothing changed since it was ‘not working’… but now it is working again. I suspect indirect though, but no warning this time.

@nx6

That’s the LAN side you’re looking at. I’m talking about static IP internet service . You generally have to pay a small additional monthly charge with your ISP for it.

Ok. Gotcha. Why would anyone want that exactly? AH - so I can remote access it all the time easily, no need to double check IP for DNS has changed? Or it means that my local IP is always the same when searching the web? Is that not a security risk?

[Volts]

That all looks good.

Plex looks like it’s doing the right thing. It sees that UPnP is disabled. It’s registering 121.200.x.x:32400 but connectivity tests for that are failing. So something isn’t mapping through correctly.

(Obviously update the Virtual Server to the address the Plex jail is receiving.)

Do you have a DMZ configured on the router? I’m trying to think of other reasons the port forwarding might not be working.

[nx6]

@Conzaaa

I noticed the IP for truenas overall changed with the reboot? Now is: 192.168.1.110 , that shouldn’t be causing any issues?

As long as nothing else comes on trying to use that IP, no. That’s one reason we set up the DHCP reservation for the Plex server – so nothing else gets its IP. Personally I run TrueNAS and all the jails set up statically for an IP range outside my DHCP server pool.

Edit: You may want to set up another reservation for the TrueNAS system itself so it doesn’t move around like that.

[Volts]

@Conzaaa

EDIT: randomly tried mobile plex app again; nothing changed since it was ‘not working’… but now it is working again. I suspect indirect though, but no warning this time.

Haha, fixed it!

What IP address appears in the Plex Status/Dashboard?
And/or share logs again.

[Conzaaa]

@Volts

What IP address appears in the Plex Status/Dashboard?
And/or share logs again.

[log]

It’s now showing access out side network again lol, SAME ip address as before. Whack.

@Volts

Do you have a DMZ configured on the router? I’m trying to think of other reasons the port forwarding might not be working.

No DMZ. Not sure what that is, and if I should make one.

@nx6

Edit: You may want to set up another reservation for the TrueNAS system itself so it doesn’t move around like that.

Thanks. Yes, I now have reserved IP for truenas, plex, and VM.

EDIT: it’s now showing as not working again “X”. But I can access still on mobile. Now I imagine soon, it will eventually stop that like last time…

[Volts]

@nx6

Personally I run TrueNAS and all the jails set up statically for an IP range outside my DHCP server pool.

Manual configuration is for suckers.

I use DHCP reservations to assign IP addresses for jails and all other server-ish stuff, and DHCP ranges for all of the random muck.

[nx6]

@Volts

Manual configuration is for suckers.

I use DHCP reservations to assign IP addresses for jails and all other server-ish stuff

So if you need to reset a router you get to redo all those?

[Conzaaa]

@Volts

Plex looks like it’s doing the right thing. It sees that UPnP is disabled. It’s registering 121.200.x.x:32400 but connectivity tests for that are failing. So something isn’t mapping through correctly.

(Obviously update the Virtual Server to the address the Plex jail is receiving.)

That Ip for plex jail/plugin hasn’t changed, same as before reboot - .1.114 - and now reserved. Virtual server/port forward - same as.

Are the logs showing anything? They’ve seemingly captured two of these ‘it works’ ‘it doesn’t work’ cycles

[Volts]

The moment of “green” can be confusing. Plex shows it as green, then tests, and then updates to not-green if it fails.

Did you see @nx6’s question - on your modem/router, does it show the same 121.200.x.x address for the ISP/WAN interface? If you answered already I apologize.

[Volts]

No, you don’t want a DMZ. That would send ALL incoming ports to a different host - I was just brainstorming reasons that your incoming port still wasn’t forwarding correctly.

[Volts]

Are you an Aussie Broadband customer? The question about your ISP/WAN interface IP address may answer everything for us.

I see that they use CGNAT for most customers, which is gonna be a killer.

They may allow you to opt out of CGNAT, but only if you’re deemed “worthy”.

https://www.aussiebroadband.com.au/help-centre/internet/tech-support/cg-nat/

[nx6]

I went looking online and it was implied 121 is a /8 used in Asian countries. I know some small SE Asian countries/islands have limited address space and use carrier grade NAT.

I didn’t even see an external IP in those logs. Most of it was something at .109.
Also there was Sonos in the beginning. Is an iPhone the testing device here? I saw it in the logs.

[Volts]

@nx6

@Volts

Manual configuration is for suckers.

I use DHCP reservations to assign IP addresses for jails and all other server-ish stuff

So if you need to reset a router you get to redo all those?

Absolutely.

Resetting DHCP servers is absurdly rare around here. And even then, the configs are easy to export/backup/restore/import.

But if I had to, it’s just a few handfuls of reserved addresses. I can type them in 5 minutes.

I’d rather sit on my ass and type a few addresses than wander around and touch godforsaken printers and thermostats and cameras and physical servers.

I change DNS servers more often than DHCP servers. It’s really nice to just make the change and bounce the network or the device.

Gah, logging into devices to make changes? Gross. Touching them with my FINGERS? I don’t have any interns for that sort of demeaning work.

[nx6]

@Volts

Are you an Aussie Broadband customer?

Oh, I see what you did here. You were looking at the timestamps on the logs and how many hours off they were.

[Conzaaa]

@Volts

Did you see @nx6’s question - on your modem/router, does it show the same 121.200.x.x address for the ISP/WAN interface? If you answered already I apologize.

Ah sorry, I was going to share (wondering the security risk for a lot of this info being shared) - but no it does not. It’s 100.68.XXX.XXX when I login to router on main screen “internet”. Connection type: dynamic IP.

@Volts

Are you an Aussie Broadband customer? The question about your ISP/WAN interface IP address may answer everything for us.

I see that they use CGNAT for most customers, which is gonna be a killer.

Yes I am!

@nx6

I didn’t even see an external IP in those logs. Most of it was something at .109.
Also there was Sonos in the beginning. Is an iPhone the testing device here? I saw it in the logs.

Sonos request might have been earlier in the day; do have plex linked to sonos and can (when all connected locally - access and play music on there). Ideally this remote access allows music to be played via plex app, and then I guess sonos too, but another thing for another day.

Iphone was wife’s testing. Pixel 3 for other remote test.

[Volts]

@skwor01

DO NOT USE UPNP

If UPnP was in use, it could have shortened this process. Plex is sometimes capable of identifying/reporting/logging double-NAT configs when UPnP is available.

[nx6]

Plus you don’t have to worry about mistyping “168”.

j/k

[Volts]

@Conzaaa

100.68.XXX.XXX

Yeah you’re f*cked. That’s CGNAT for sure.

There’s a great big NAT router at your ISP. All of the port-forwarding you’ve worked to configure is for nothing when behind CGNAT.

Contact them, see what they can do. They might be cool.

You can delete the logs from the previous posts, if you’re paranoid. Given that you’re behind CGNAT none of the IP addresses are sensitive at all, but there are usernames and show names in there.

@nx6

Oh, I see what you did here. You were looking at the timestamps on the logs and how many hours off they were.

Nothing that clever, but I appreciate that you thought I was being clever! The complete 121.200.x.x IP address is in the logs, I just looked that up.