Remote access configuration for Plex Media Server

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reubenp

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#318629 5-Feb-2025 12:19

I have a local Plex Media Server but I am not able to access my library via remote access.

I have followed these steps:

Enabled remote access via Plex media server settings.
Manually forwarded port on router mapped to internal port 32400.
Ticket manually forward port via remote access settings in Plex and ensured port matches router configuration. I have kept both internal and external ports as 32400.
Disabled UpnP as I have manually forwarded port on router.

However when I try to see if the port is open using online checkers it tells me that the port is still closed. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Any help is much appreciated.

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#3339561 5-Feb-2025 12:25

Who's your ISP? Quite possible you're hitting CG-NAT as an issue.

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freitasm

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#3339563 5-Feb-2025 12:30

Why port forward? Why not something like Tailscale?

CYaBro

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#3339564 5-Feb-2025 12:33

Have you also adjusted the firewall on the OS that the Plex server is running on, to allow remote access to that port?

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reubenp

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#3339565 5-Feb-2025 12:35

ISP is 2 Degrees, how do I resolve if it is a CG NAT issue?

reubenp

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#3339566 5-Feb-2025 12:36

The Firewall on the Mac that is running Plex is turned off.

toejam316

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#3339575 5-Feb-2025 13:01

reubenp:

ISP is 2 Degrees, how do I resolve if it is a CG NAT issue?

2degrees IP Addresses | 2degrees

TL;DR - call 2degrees and tell them you need a public IP, they may charge you for this.

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

CYaBro

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#3339581 5-Feb-2025 13:30

reubenp:

ISP is 2 Degrees, how do I resolve if it is a CG NAT issue?

https://mythofechelon.co.uk/blog/2024/1/7/how-to-set-up-free-secure-high-quality-remote-access-for-plex

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davidcole

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#3339627 5-Feb-2025 14:59

freitasm:

Why port forward? Why not something like Tailscale?

very few media devices will be able to connect via a tailscale connection

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reubenp

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#3339629 5-Feb-2025 15:02

Thanks I will try assigning a public static IP to see if that makes a difference

freitasm

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#3339633 5-Feb-2025 15:13

davidcole:

freitasm:

Why port forward? Why not something like Tailscale?

very few media devices will be able to connect via a tailscale connection

There was no mention of media devices. Or have I missed it?

lowigz

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#3348309 27-Feb-2025 10:27

reubenp:

Thanks I will try assigning a public static IP to see if that makes a difference

Did that sort it? I had similar issues but was behind cgnat..

Another issue I had was my media is hosted on a NAS and there were issues with my plex server connecting to the NAS for transcoding..

Remote connections kept timing out for some reason, turned out windows firewall was my issue there.

Static shouldn't matter as Plex handles connecting to dynamic using accounts system.

lxsw20

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#3348314 27-Feb-2025 10:45

freitasm:

There was no mention of media devices. Or have I missed it?

Plex is a media server, think self hosted Netflix. So you would usually have things like Chromecast/Apple TV connected to it.

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#3348331 27-Feb-2025 11:04

lxsw20:

freitasm:

There was no mention of media devices. Or have I missed it?

Plex is a media server, think self hosted Netflix. So you would usually have things like Chromecast/Apple TV connected to it.

Thanks, I know what Plex is.

The OP did not explain the whole situation. There was no mention of a media device like Chromecast, Fire TV or Apple TV, so we can't give a good answer without knowing what's on the other end.

The OP could be using Plex on a laptop, in which case Tailscale would work without the need of port forward. Or on an Android or iPhone, which also have Tailscale.