Stuttering via Plex, but I can play the remote file directly with no issue

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
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Server Version#: 1.18.0.1944
Player Version#: 1.3.1.916-1cb2c34d

I’ve been searching posts but so far no joy. Basically here’s the details:

I am running Plex server on a Mac Mini connected to the network via an ethernet cable.

I watch on my Windows 10 machine with the Windows Client connected via WiFi. All files have a small stutter every few seconds.

However, if I play that file directly from the Mac Mini over the network (browse to the file and double click it to play it in VLC on my Desktop PC) it play flawlessly (and I’ve tried many files from many different sources). I’m not sure when this started but it didn’t used to be this way. Any clues where to begin? I’ll keep searching and reading posts as well.

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We saw a newer Mac mini user issue the other day where it refused to disable the WiFi so Plex was getting confused with the two existing network connections, constantly trying both and having to reset itself when the WiFi wasn’t acting well. It turns out when you go up to the task bar and tell the WiFi to turn itself off, it fakes it, and does the same thing that iPhones now do, it leaves the WiFi enabled and sort of working in case someone wants to AirDrop or whatever. You actually have to go into System Preferences - Network and disable the WiFi in there if you want it off.

I can’t be sure if the user was able to make PMS accept the Preferred Network Interface setting or whether a PMS update stopped trying use the semi-active NICs, or whether he just disabled it in his gears.

But you can see if WiFi is enabled, and you can also enable debug mode logging but not verbose mode on the PMS, then reboot the Mac, give PMS 6min to initialize, and download some logs files for us.

Logging
Logging809×290 203 KB

Logs

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Thanks so much. I did check that wifi is indeed completely turned off (and has been) so that’s not the problem.Plex Media Server Logs_2019-10-24_00-54-17.zip (2.5 MB) My logs are attached. Baffling. At the moment I’m just playing the files directly over the network as that works, but I miss the Plex interface and features!

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Roger that on the WiFi is disabled. Thanks.

The only things I spotted in your logs were that you have IPv6 enabled, DLNA enabled, and some network error probably related to the first thing.

Oct 24, 2019 00:30:21.987 [0x700000bb6000] DEBUG - NetworkService: Network change for browser (polled=0), closing 0 browse sockets.
Oct 24, 2019 00:30:21.988 [0x700000bb6000] DEBUG - NetworkService: Setting up multicast listener on 0.0.0.0:1901
Oct 24, 2019 00:30:21.988 [0x700000bb6000] DEBUG - NetworkService: Browsing on interface 192.168.1.7 on broadcast address 239.255.255.250 (index: 0)
Oct 24, 2019 00:30:21.988 [0x700000bb6000] ERROR - Network Service: Error in browser handle read: 89 (Operation canceled) socket=-1
Oct 24, 2019 00:30:22.089 [0x700000bb6000] INFO - Network Service: Abandoning browse socket, it was closed.

Let’s have you go into Settings - Show Advanced - Network and disable IPv6 and Save.
Then into Settings - DLNA and disable DLNA and Save.

Then restart the Mac, login to your desktop, give PMS another 6min to initialize, then download some fresh logs.

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Done and done. Stuttering still present. It’s very subtle, not massive but enough that I notice it and prefer to just play not going through Plex. :frowning: I wish I knew when exactly it started as well as it didn’t used to do this. Plex Media Server Logs_2019-10-25_14-41-29.zip (2.2 MB)

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Your logs look very good except for when you get the stutter. I can see

Oct 25, 2019 14:36:30.351 [0x700000e29000] DEBUG - Failed to stream media, client probably disconnected after 11681792 bytes: 32 - Broken pipe
Oct 25, 2019 14:39:31.934 [0x700000e29000] DEBUG - Failed to stream media, client probably disconnected after 194936832 bytes: 32 - Broken pipe

which I believe indicates the player disconnected for some reason. It’s odd that it works for VLC but not Plex, seeing as there wasn’t any other activity in the logs. We might as well have you post the player log also that covers the stuttering.

A lot of people are getting better behavior with the bug fixes in the new 1.18.1 beta. The stable will be out reasonably soon. You could try previous stable versions from the 1.16 series.

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For the Player, you could try the preview release:

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