# Transcoding problem with external access

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoding-problem-with-external-access/812229>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Tags:** ios-legacy\
**Created:** [September 24, 2022, 8:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoding-problem-with-external-access/812229 "2022-09-24T20:52:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jgauthier72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jgauthier72](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jgauthier72)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 8:52pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoding-problem-with-external-access/812229/1 "2022-09-24T20:52:53Z")

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Hi all,

I have a weird problem. I am trying to diagnose why a video is being transcoded when an external access user plays it on his iPad, whereas the file is direct playing when I test it locally. See below, we are watching the same file at the same time:

![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/b/8/4/b849864778b03670776165bac720bf4a787abdb5.png)

Same file, same device model.

Any idea?  
thanks

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**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoding-problem-with-external-access/812229/2 "2022-09-24T21:44:21Z")

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- Could be their video playback quality settings in Plex for iOS… there’s different options for remote and local streaming.
- Could be a restriction of your own server’s remote access configuration or your actual upload speed.

Maybe there’s more scenarios which might be causing this.

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**Author:** ![Divideby0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/74df32/32.png) [@Divideby0](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Divideby0)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 10:48pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoding-problem-with-external-access/812229/3 "2022-09-24T22:48:21Z")

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Most clients by default restrict “remote” connection bandwidth to ~2 or 3 Mbps. Go to the iPad clients settings and increase the limit.

In my Plex-for-Windows app, it’s called **“Internet Streaming”** video quality. Increase that to Maximum.

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**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\
**Post date:** [September 24, 2022, 10:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoding-problem-with-external-access/812229/4 "2022-09-24T22:58:43Z")

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In the iOS app, the client restriction is under `Settings` \> `Quality` \> `Remote Streaming`  
_See: [https://support.plex.tv/articles/205671068-settings-plex-for-ios/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/205671068-settings-plex-for-ios/)_

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The other option I mentioned is in your server settings: `Settings` \> `[Server Name]` \> `Remote Access` \> `Limit remote stream bitrate`.  
_See: [https://support.plex.tv/articles/200289506-remote-access/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200289506-remote-access/)_

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**Author:** ![jgauthier72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jgauthier72](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jgauthier72)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 2:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoding-problem-with-external-access/812229/5 "2022-09-25T14:24:50Z")

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Shame on me, i never thought about a client setting. I’ve tested it and it works now.  
Thank you all!

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2022, 1:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/transcoding-problem-with-external-access/812229/7 "2022-12-26T01:18:39Z")

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