Server Version#:1.21.2.3943 on Drobo 5N2
Player Version#:Various
Out of nowhere, around September 27 my Apple TV (the current 4K with max RAM) could no longer connect to Plex server on my Drobo 5N2. This has been working for years without any problems and I can’t think of any changes I’ve made to my systems that would cause this. Browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox), and iPhone/iPad clients seemed OK, just not the Apple TV. Then they all couldn’t connect.
I restarted all of the network; AT&T Uverse fiber modem/router, Netgear Nighthawk Wifi router and the 3 switches in various rooms. Still no good. Then it occurred to me to to try firing up an old MacBook Pro tat’s on the same switch as the Drobo. It’s also running an old OS (Mojave) and old Plex Client (Plex Media Player 3.104.2)… and it connected to the same switch as the Drobo.
Meanwhile I’d been reading various posts on the Plex forums which led me to think that may its an issue with Secure Connections so I went into the server settings and changed secure connections from Required to Preferred. After that my web browser clients were able to connect after clicking thru a warning to allow insecure connections. However iPhone/iPad connections still wouldn’t work. Ironically, a friend of mine who lives clear across the US and has shares into my server was able to connect via his Windows laptop while I couldn’t connect from the Apple TV on my local network, which is the main purpose of this whole setup. It was as though my local network was blocking secure connections to my Plex server on my Drobo.
For no good reason my iphone and ipad clients started connecting again a few days ago, but still no joy with the AppleTV.
Uninstalled/reinstalled Plex app on AppleTV and signed in. Now it doesn’t even show broken links to Drobo Plex like it did, just sources from outside my network.
So then I thought…maybe it’s my Plex server which hasn’t been updated since January of 2021. Drobo hasn’t issued updates to anything; Drobo Dashboard, Firmware or any of the apps for months now. Some rumors are that the company is pretty much done. Anyhow, I saw an article here on several ways to update the server app. The first method placing the new plex.tgz in the DroboApps root and restarting, failed every time. The other method involving Terminal shell commands (which I’m not all that good with) failed. Until today when I took the time to really look at the process and figure out the various syntax issues. I eventually typed in all the right things into Terminal and got al the right responses…and then nothing .
There have been several steps since, Update button in Drobo Dashboard which led to nice green lights int he dashboard but an empty DroboApps/Plex/Apps folder, and several restarts. Which seemed to still allow no connections but after 1/2 hour or so all the apps started connecting again…to the old version 1.21.2.3943 server, except the for the AppleTV which still just sees outside stream sources.
So my questions are:
Is something blocking secure connections from within my network to the Plex server on Drobo?
Why can’t I get any newer version of the Plex Server to install on my Drobo? (is Drobo still even developing?)
Am I just better off running Drobo Server off of my old MacbookPro for now? Not that I want to have another machine running 24/7.
