Server Version#: latest
Player Version#: web, mobile, desktop
Hello, my friend and I both have a plex server running on a Synology NAS DS920+ server, we also happen to have the same ASUS router, and 1GB (both directions) WAN.
We are both video-amateurs and share our creations with each other over plex, in addition to making them available to our families.
We both have a valid Plex pass.
When my friend streams my videos, he gets the option to stream them in 4k for the 4k content that I’ve made available, but when I try to look at his 4k content, I don’t even get that option.
We have spent countless hours comparing both our Plex configurations, as well as the router configurations, and are now running purely identical setups as far as we can tell.
Given that we DO have a plex pass, we’re both running the same NAS / Plex server environment, the same plex versions, what could it be that inhibits him from streaming out in higher than 720? We are stumped, amazed, and confused!
Check the remote / internet streaming setting on your clients. The default setting is 4 Mbps / 720p.
You have to change the setting on each client. You cannot force it from the server or configure it remotely.
Plex for Windows: Launch the app, select settings (the wrench icon), then look in the Plex for Windows → Quality section. Change Internet Streaming → Video Quality to Maximum.
The settings will be in similar location for the other Plex clients.
Hi and thanks for reaching out. Unfortunately that’s not it. Here are the effects of what we’re seeing:
I can see my own videos in 4k both from within my home, and when I am outside my home, i…e by streaming them onto an iPad. My friends sees all my 4k content in 4k.
My friend can see his own videos in 4k ONLY when he is at home. Outside of his home, the best resolution he gets is 720. I can only see his videos in a maximum of 720.
Not sure what else to try, we suspect that at this point in time, it might boil down to some obscure setting either in the Router itself, or perhaps there is an advanced setting somewhere that we are unaware of. We have compared our configs tab for tab, line for line, and they appear to be identical.
At this point, I am thinking that there may be something wrong with his plex pass registration, but when we look at it, it says that it is enabled, all payments are correct etc.
VPN in use on friend’s server or router?
If so, shut it down.
Remote Access Settings
On your friend’s server, in Settings → Remote Access, what are the settings for Internet upload speed and Limit remote stream bitrate?
Verify Plex port is open
From a system on the same network as your friends server, go to https://www.canyouseeme.org/. Enter Plex’s remote streaming port and click “Check Port.” Can it see the Plex server?
Plex Dashboard
On your friends server, when streaming remotely, what is displayed in the Plex Dashboard → Now Playing?
Is the connection local, remote, or indirect?
If Indirect, then the stream is using Plex Relay, and is tunneled through a server at Plex, and limited to 2 Mbps. This is an indication that remote access is not working correctly.
Pull Log Files
On your friend’s server:
Make sure it is configured for debug logging in Settings → Server_Name → General.
Do not enable verbose logging. It adds too much information to the log files.
Thank you, @FordGuy61 !
The thing that helped us solve this was to use the URL you gave us to see if a direct connection was able to happen or not. Turns out my friend has a very silly internet-provider that masks the public IP towards his Asus Router. We saw that the Asus router believes the public internet address to be on address 192.168.0.57 , while in fact it is 200.xxx.xxx.xxx. We then found a way to configure that modem through his IP, AND to port-forward 32400 from the modem to the ASUS router, and then from the ASUS router to the NAS which hosts Plex.
With the direct connection now working and responding on canouseeme.org, the 4k was instantly available.
