Server Version#: 1.20.2.3402-0fec14d92 running as Docker container on Ubuntu 18.04
Windows Player Version#: 1.20.0.1406-f47a81b7
iOS Player Version#: 7.7
Hello, my Windows client is not visible to other devices on the network as a player (via the Cast button). All I want to achieve is to control music playback on my Windows PC (eg with my phone), whilst the PC’s monitor and other peripherals are being used by another device. I thought this could be done by casting music from my phone to the Windows PC (which has proper loudspeakers).
I have two iPhones connected via WIFI, they see each other via the Cast button and I can play content from either one of them on the other one. My Windows 10 PC is connected via ethernet cable to the same LAN. The problem is that neither of the iPhones sees this PC so I cannot cast the music to it.
Steps I’ve taken so far:
checked that the Windows client advertises itself as a Player
changed “Allow fallback to Insecure Connections” from “Never” to “On the same network”
checked that “Enable local network discovery (GDM)” is enabled on the server
opened TCP ports 32400, 32410, 32412, 32413, 32414 in firewall on Windows 10
disabled firewall altogether to check whether it resolves the issue (it doesn’t)
checked Plex Windows Client logs to see if there are any failed attempts to connect (didn’t find any, what should I look for?)
ensured that the applications are started in recommended order (several times)
Perhaps related: the Cast button in the Windows client app is disabled and doesn’t do anything.
Are you using “host network” for the container? Plex companion needs a running server in the same network segment as the two client apps.
If the container uses “bridged” network, this is not the case.
Can you remote control the web app oin that PC?
The docker network is configured in “bridge” mode. Do you think adding the container running Plex Server to another network in host mode, for LAN availability, could solve the issue? I hesitate to re-configure the existing network because it’s the only one accessible from outside and also used by other services running on that server.
I cannot remote control web app on the PC, either.
The 1.20.3 version is not available on DockerHub yet. Any idea when it will be available, please? Do I need to switch from ‘stable’ channel to ‘beta’?
Plex companion needs a running server in the same network segment as the two client apps.
What I still don’t understand, since this is not the case, why do those two iPhones see each other? Do mobile clients use different means of service discovery?
On some platforms, clients are not allowed to open a network port and “listen” on the local network. Those platforms need to use a Plex server as a “relay” for remote control packets.
Normally, the Windows app doesn’t belong into this category. But for optimal compatibility with all types of apps, you need a server in the local network.
If you want the bugfix now, yes. Otherwise you’ll have to wait until 1.20.3 will hit the ‘public’ release branch.
Ok then, I will tinker with the Docker setup to see if I can make the container part of host’s network + check out 1.20.3 and report back if I manage to fix it. Thanks a lot, Otto!
Hello, I managed to fix it (even before the 1.20.3 bugfix) by adjusting my docker-compose configuration, placing the Plex container to be in the host network.
(I removed the networks: section from the Plex server container in docker-compose.yml and added network_mode: "host" instead. I also published the necessary ports for service discovery and opened them in the firewall on the host machine, allowing only local network IP addresses through – yet now it works also over 4G, which is puzzling).
More research is needed to find an optimal configuration, but it will do for now. Thanks a lot!
