Strange Remote Access Behaviour

Plex Media Server Remote Access
1

Server Version#:
Player Version#:

I have remote access configured and it shows green in the server and will stay like for hours no problem. However when I play something on my Appletv which is outside the network, the remote access fails and it turns red and says no external access available. The Appletv then plays over relay and not direct connection.

Any ideas what causes this?

2

An indirect connection implies there’s something wrong with the remote access setup. Though that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem in your own configuration as the remote access setup involves more players.

If the remote access status changes like this after hours it could mean your server might have been assigned a new local IP address (automatic DHCP); if that’s the case, try assigning a static local IP address to the server machine in your router (IP reservation).

The following guide has some more steps to investigate and pin down what might be causing those issues:

3

thanks for the reply, sorry I wasn’t a bit more clear. Plex is on a NAS with a fixed IP. The router is doing the port forwarding and the port is open on the optical network modem. I have a dynamic IP from service provider but this has not changed in months. Its just weird that as soon as I play something outside the network the remote connection drops.

4

Could be as simple as the remote access status indicator being off to begin with.

5

I have access through VPN to the server in the same room at the Apple TV that is outside the network, so I can see it is green and all looks good. Soon as I play something on the Apple TV…booom….the green goes to red and it starts transcoding.

I had a separate question in a another thread maybe you can shed some light on. I have VPN access to the Plex server and when I watch something using safari I can direct stream no problem. As soon as I use the Plex app on the same iPad using VPN it starts to transcode. Any idea why the app is not direct streaming like the browser?

Thanks

6

Sorry… when it comes to VPNs there’s a load of dependencies and considerations.

7

So does the way a browser communicates with Plex differ from the Plex app? As both things on the same iPad under VPN condition produce different results (ie one transcodes and the other doesn’t)?

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