You Are Not Authorized (?)

Plex Media Server
1

Problem Review and Solution Summary:

I initialized a new NAS server (QNAP TS-464U) which I then installed Plex on. After setting it up on my network, I attempted to login to Plex. I succeeded, but was then directed to a page which indicated I was not authorized and had to claim the server.

  • I did not have the option to claim it locally.
  • Logging into my Plex.TV account did not permit claim.
  • SSH tunneling did not permit me to utilize the loopback to claim.

Ultimately, the solution was to SSH in and utilize the UserCredentialReset bash script (linked further down) combined with a paired key from plex.tv/claim to force the server to update.

Thank you @ChuckPa for your timely and helpful troubleshooting.

2

are you saying:

ssh  -L 8888:127.0.0.1:32400  ip.addr.of.qnap

will not then allow you to open up

http://127.0.0.1:8888/web

on your computer?

3

Yes.

ssh -L 8888:127.0.0.1:32400 10.20.30.40
ssh: connect to host 10.20.30.40 port 22: Connection refused
4

The SSH server is not enabled.

Screenshot from 2024-09-01 15-09-25
Screenshot from 2024-09-01 15-09-25826×424 60.4 KB

5

Oh, sorry! Forgot I shut it off to test something else.

ssh -L 8888:127.0.0.1:32400 10.20.30.40
Corrupted MAC on input.
ssh_dispatch_run_fatal: Connection to 10.20.30.40 port 22: message authentication code incorrect
6

You have encryption / encapsulation with other SSH protocol defined or active?

What you’re showing only happens when the default protocols get changed.

8

I did not modify anything related to encryption. The only thing I could think of would be that I trunked the two ethernet ports together.

I was able to get it working via:

ssh -m hmac-sha2-512 -L 8888:127.0.0.1:32400 10.20.30.40

Having said that, browsing to 127.0.0.1:8888 does nothing.

The connection was reset
The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading.

9

i was just looking that up for you:

-m hmac-sha2-256

followed by

[chuck@lizum ~.2002]$ ssh -Q mac
hmac-sha1
hmac-sha1-96
hmac-sha2-256
hmac-sha2-512
hmac-md5
hmac-md5-96
umac-64@openssh.com
umac-128@openssh.com
hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha1-96-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com
hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com
hmac-md5-etm@openssh.com
hmac-md5-96-etm@openssh.com
umac-64-etm@openssh.com
umac-128-etm@openssh.com
[chuck@lizum ~.2003]$

Don’t browse to 32400. There is no 32400 port on your computer.
You want http://127.0.0.1:8888/web (go through the SSH tunnel port)

11

Sorry about that- that was a typo- my hands were moving faster than my brain.

Browsing to localhost:8888 leads to the connect reset error I mentioned.

12

Here we go… Checking the output on the tunnel and seeing the following:

channel 3: open failed: administratively prohibited: open failed
channel 3: open failed: administratively prohibited: open failed

Repeating ad nauseum.

13

ok… time to get mean.

  1. go here and download the 'UserCredentialReset.sh` script
    — I have documentation / examples in the README.md
  2. Upload to the Public share on the QNAP
  3. chmod +x /share/Public/UserCredentialReset.sh
  4. /share/Public/UserCredentialReset.sh

It will ask for a claim token.

  1. In another tab, open https://plex.tv/claim

  2. COPY it

  3. Return to the SSH session and paste the claim-xxxxx token

  4. Hit enter.

  5. If the QNAP has internet connectivity, it will get new credentials from Plex.tv and claim your server for you

14

That’s done it- cheers, mate.

15

I will just say this post right here saved me ripping the rest of my hair out, thank you very much.