Using Plex Media Server across different PC accounts

Plex Media Server
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Server Version#: 1.38.0.2734-ec4489fe
Player Version#: 1.25.9.5721

Sorry if this has been posted before, but it’s hard to know where to look when you’re not sure what is wrong.

I am trying to use plex across multiple PC user accounts, however, I am finding that I (admin) have to be logged in on the computer for the server to work on any other devices. There are also two parts to this problem.

Now the first issue I am finding is that whilst I have downloaded the Plex app on the TV, it wont connect with the Plex player I have on the computer. I am not sure how it has connected, but I essentially need to change tv inputs and find the plex media server that way (not through the app). Also, the Plex app on the computer ‘Remote Access’ never wants to connect. Not sure if that’s a VPN thing or not. So whilst the work around for this is just for me to login on my computer, it doesn’t help if anyone else wants to watch anything and doesn’t have my login. So basically, I can’t use the Plex app on the tv. - Everything is on the same network.

The second issue is that when I want to use Plex on either the TV or any other app, I need to be logged in to my computer for it to work. If my wife logs in, the Plex Media Server will not connect on the tv or any other devices. Now, if I log in, then switch user account to my wife, it will work, as I have logged in. But if she turns the computer on first and logs in herself, it won’t work.

So in a nutshell, ho do I get around the issue of the remote access not working properly so I can use the Plex app on my tv; how do I get the media server to function across multiple user accounts on the pc.

The only other issue I have, is that whilst there is a likely way to fix this problem, I may not be tech savvy enough to fix it. I don’t like messing around with networks and things.

Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers

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That’s quite a load of topics :wink:

Your server configuration is part of the account with which you setup the server – so if another user is logged in and runs the server, they won’t see what’s on your server.
IIRC there’s ways to run the Plex Media Server “as a (Windows) service” in which case it will not depend on a particular user to be signed in.

Remote access is a book of its own. There’s many factors that can impact your setup – a VPN will certainly complicate things. You might want to take a look at this guide to pin down what might be causing this (e.g. if it’s still not working if you bypass the VPN for the Plex Media Server).

As a side note: you don’t need remote access to stream media inside your home network.

As for the app not linking to your server… on what platform are you experiencing this (e.g. Samsung Tizen, LG WebOS, Android TV…)? Certain older TV models are no longer able to connect to a server securely as they don’t support current certificates.
Usually the Plex apps on a TV will ask you to link the app to your Plex account. Usually this works by the Plex app offering a 4 character/digit PIN and a URL → https://www.plex.tv/link/ to enter it. Opening the URL in a browser on a mobile/PC will ask you to sign in and enter that code.
From what you describe it sounds like you’ve enabled the DLNA server feature on your Plex Media Server and your TV has an option to use different DLNA sources as inputs

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Thanks Tom

Well, now I have a bigger problem. I thought it might have been a simple fix as I noticed that the Plex media server wasn’t running on startup under my wife’s PC account. However, when I enabled it, it started to scan for a new PC

So now I apparently have two PC servers with only one the new one working. (The old location can no longer be accessed). On top of that, the new server location cannot add any libraries.

I think I may just have to uninstall Plex on everything and start again…

Bloody hell.

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