Remote-access Guide

plex remote access from my laptop

by Maida Frami Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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How to Access Plex Library from a Remote Computer

  1. Enable Plex Remote Access. For most people, this may be the only step required, and it's ridiculously easy. Just...
  2. Use uPnP or NAT-PMP on Your Router. Plex tells your router that it's here on the internal network, and it would...
  3. Use Port Forwarding on Your Router. If you still can't remotely access your Plex content, this step may be the...
  4. Reserved DHCP Address (Optional). Finally, you should now be able to access your Plex...

To do so:
  • Open Plex Web App and make sure you're signed in to your Plex account on the server under Settings > Server > General.
  • Go to Settings > Server > Remote Access.
  • If needed, toggle the Show Advanced button to ensure the appropriate options are visible.
  • Enable the Manually specify public port checkbox.
Jan 12, 2022

Full Answer

How to enable remote access on Plex Media Server?

Remote Access

  • Quick Guide. If Remote Access is currently disabled, then use the Enable Remote Access button to trigger your server to try to configure a connection.
  • Normal Settings. The information displayed by default will depend on the current state of the Plex Media Server. ...
  • Advanced Settings. ...

Do you need Plex Pass for remote access?

However, the perception is that you need a premium Plex Pass to watch remotely. It's not true. All users can stream remotely providing you've configured your Plex Server correctly. Head to Settings > Remote Access > Enable Remote Access to set it up.

Do I need a VPN for Plex remote access?

· 4y You shouldn't need a VPN to share via Plex, assuming you are sending the content over SSL which is the vast majority of use cases. Just to speak generally, if you were to send data to someone over the VPN it would be the people on the other end receiving the data in an unencrypted format.

How to access Your Plex library from a remote computer?

  • Set a static IP address on your Plex server
  • Enable remote access in the Plex web console
  • Take note of the IP address and port (32400) that the Plex server uses
  • Enable forwarding on your router to the appropriate IP address and port
  • Access your Plex server through the correct public IP address and port number

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Can you access your Plex server remotely?

Enable access to your Plex Media Server from outside your local network so that you can reach it when away from home or for sharing content with family or close, personal friends. You can do this under Settings > Server > Remote Access in Plex Web App.

How do I access Plex server from another computer?

To open the Plex Web App from a different device than the server computer while still on the same network: Open a browser window. Type http://server.local.ip.address:32400/web into the address bar (e.g “http://192.168.1.5:32400/web”) The browser will connect to the server and load Plex Web App.

Can I use my laptop as a Plex server?

Plex Media Server can run on Windows, Mac, or Linux computers—some people use their every-day computer, others have a dedicated computer. It can also be installed on a compatible network attached storage (NAS) device. Generally, Plex works just fine on most modern computers.

How do I access someone else's Plex server?

Granting AccessUsername or Email. Enter the username or email address for the Plex account you wish to grant access and click continue. ... Select the Server. Plex Media Servers associated with your Plex account will be available. ... Set Restrictions and Inviting to Home (Plex Pass required) ... Pending Access.

Do you need Plex pass for remote access?

It's not true. All users can stream remotely providing you've configured your Plex Server correctly. Head to Settings > Remote Access > Enable Remote Access to set it up. In this regard, the Plex Pass is only useful if you're going to be in a place with no internet—it lets you save content directly onto your device.

Is there a Web browser for Plex?

Supported Browsers The Plex Web App Player runs in the latest version of most modern browsers like: Chrome. Edge. Firefox.

How can I use my laptop as a server?

I will cover Tenda router settings in this article.Step 1: Find the public IP of the router: ... Step 2: Free the port 80 and 443 if being used in the router. ... Step 3: Change router password for security. ... Step 4: Setup NAT. ... Step 5: Restrict the DHPC to allot the 192.168.1.250 IP to any other device. ... Step 6: Setup 192.168.More items...

How can I turn my laptop into a media computer?

Media Center Laptop in 4 Easy StepsConnect laptop to TV with a video cable. If your laptop is a bit older model, it is probably equipped with a VGA socket. ... Connect laptop to A/V receiver with an audio cable. ... Get a wireless mouse. ... Install iTunes and Google Photos to your PC.

How do I make my laptop a media server?

Open Start. Go to the Control Panel and search the term media using the provided search box and select Media Streaming Options under the Network and Sharing Center. Click the Turn on Media Streaming button to turn on the media streaming server.

How do I log into Plex as a guest?

0:472:43How to Add Plex Guest User Account - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clip4 click the grey enable guest button toward the top part of the screen if you don't have a pinMore4 click the grey enable guest button toward the top part of the screen if you don't have a pin associated with your account you'll be prompted to create one enter a four-digit pin.

How many users can access Plex at the same time?

Up to 15 members can be in a Plex Home. For Plex Pass users that includes a combination of both Managed Users as well as regular Plex accounts that are invited.

Can I use someones Plex?

Before you can share your Plex library with someone, they must have an account with the service. If not, direct them to Plex's website(Opens in a new window) and have them create an account. Their account will allow them to access shared libraries and share their Plex library with others, if they want.

What is the IP address of my Plex server?

Find out the local IP address of the device on which the app is running. You will typically be able to find this in the device's system settings. In your Plex Web App, go to Settings > Server > Network .

How do I install Plex on a new computer?

1:338:41How to Move / Migrate a Plex Server from a Windows PC to AnotherYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMachine which I'll be moving the plex server to you'll first want to go to plex TV. And download theMoreMachine which I'll be moving the plex server to you'll first want to go to plex TV. And download the installer for the plex media server. I'll opt to open it as soon as it's downloaded.

How do I use a guest account on Plex?

0:432:43How to Add Plex Guest User Account - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clip4 click the grey enable guest button toward the top part of the screen if you don't have a pinMore4 click the grey enable guest button toward the top part of the screen if you don't have a pin associated with your account you'll be prompted to create one enter a four-digit pin.

How do I transfer plex from PC to Mac?

2:387:48Move a Plex Library Between PC & MAC - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd download. The latest version of the plex. Media server for your platform. In this case I am on aMoreAnd download. The latest version of the plex. Media server for your platform. In this case I am on a PC. And I'm moving my mac library from OS X to or Mac OS from OSX to PC in this case Windows 7.

What is plex software?

Plex is a client/server software system, meaning you need the server software installed somewhere AND the client software to access your Plex library. This can be on your desktop PC (even the same one you'll be watching the content on), or something more dedicated like a network attached storage device . You have a Plex account, and you're signed ...

How does plex work?

Plex tells your router that it's here on the internal network, and it would like to make itself available to the outside internet. It asks the router to open a port and forward any incoming traffic on that port, to a specified port on your Plex server. Then, when a Plex request comes in from the internet, the router knows exactly where to send ...

What do you need to tell your router to use plex?

This means you'll have to tell your router that you want data packets on a certain port forwarded onto your internal Plex server. You need two pieces of information to do this: your internal Plex server IP address, and the Plex server port number.

What happens when a plex request comes in from the internet?

Then, when a Plex request comes in from the internet, the router knows exactly where to send that data packet on your internal network. Without that automatic port configuration, your router would simply reject the packet, not knowing what to do with it.

How to enable remote access on a server?

Make sure you select whoever your admin user is, since you'll need to adjust some settings. Then click on the Settings icon in the top right (the one with the spanner and screwdriver crossed). Select the Server tab, then Remote Access from the menu on the left. You should see a button to Enable Remote Access; click that.

Can you install plex without an account?

If you've been a Plex user for some time, this used to be called myPlex, but it's just a generic Plex account now. It is possible to install the server without creating an account, but you would have had to jump through some hoops to skip the account creation. Head over to Plex.tv and click on Sign In if you're not sure.

Can you access Plex from outside network?

After a few moments, you might see a green message saying "Fully accessible from outside your network." If that's the case, congratulations! You can skip the rest of the tutorial, because you can now access any of your Plex library remotely in any browser or client app by simply signing in to your Plex account.

How to check if Plex is disabled?

While logged into your Plex Media Server’s web control panel, select the Settings icon from the upper right toolbar. Within the Settings menu select, the “Server” tab.

How to set up static IP address on Plex?

You’ll need to identify your Plex Media Server computer on the network and then look for an option in your router to create a “static IP”, “static lease”, or “DHCP reservation” to permanently associate the Plex Media Center with a given IP address. Below you can see an example of what adding a static IP address looks like, via our DD-WRT router.

How to port forward on Plex?

First, let’s turn on the manual port mode in Plex. To do so navigate to Settings > Server > Remote Access (as we did in the previous section of the tutorial).

What does the control panel indicate on Plex?

In addition to telling you that the server is accessible, the control panel will also indicate the internal IP address and port number of the Plex Media Server on your local network as well as external, or public, IP address and port number.

Can you use Plex Media Server on a TV?

If you primarily use Plex Media Server for watching content on your local network (like streaming your favorite shows to your HDTV or smartphone), you may not have given much though to the benefits of remote access. RELATED: How to Set Up Plex (and Watch Your Movies on Any Device)

Can you watch Plex on your phone?

One of the greatest things about the Plex Media Server platform, however, is the ease with which you can access your media from anywhere. With remote access enabled and properly configured, you can watch your favorite TV shows anywhere you have internet access: on your phone while you’re sitting in a waiting room, on your laptop while you’re vacationing, or even on a smart TV at a friend’s house.

Can you disable remote access on Plex?

During the initial setup of the Plex Media Server, the setup wizard prompts you to enable or disable remote access. While the default state is enabled, you may have opted at the time to disable remote access, or perhaps you inadvertently disabled it while messing around with the system settings later on. Regardless, it’s easy enough to check the status of remote access and enable it if it is currently disabled.

Plex remote access not working?

Plex offers a remote access feature that relies on port forwarding, but the configuration may not always work or there may be other common issues like Double-NAT, resulting in an error like the screenshot below.

Prerequisites

The rest of this guide assumes that you have some components already installed. If you’ve already installed Plex, WSL, and Docker on your Windows PC, skip ahead to “Sign up for Twingate” below. If not, please following these instructions first.

Sign up for Twingate

Twingate Starter is a new free plan that is designed for home and personal use. If you don’t have an account already, please click here and follow the simple steps to sign up for a Starter account and begin the initial setup.

Add a Connector

After completing the steps above, you should now have a Starter account with a Remote Network set up. The next step is to deploy a Twingate Connector, which is a piece of software that allows for secure access to your remote network and the devices connected to it.

Add a Resource

You’ve now set up a Connector on your Windows PC, which enables remote access to Plex, or other services that you’re running on your computer (called a “Resource” in Twingate).

Download the Twingate client

All that’s left to do now is to install Twingate on your devices (we support Windows, Mac, Linux and have apps for iOS and Android) and access your Plex Media Server from anywhere. As an example, let’s walk through setting things up on iOS.

Sharing is Caring

Do you want to share access with a family member? You can easily do this from the Twingate web UI. Just go to the Team tab and click “Invite User” to send an email invitation. The recipient would simply follow the same steps to download the Twingate client, join your network, and get access to Plex, or any other resource you set up!

How to access Plex server remotely?

If you are using a mobile device you will then also need to download the Plex app from the app store. You will need to determine your Plex server’s ip (Click Start, Run, and type in CMD. Once the CMD Prompt pops up type in ipconfig ...

How to connect to plex server?

Log in to your plex control panel by double-clicking on the icon on your desktop. Click the wrench to open Settings. Click Server. Click Connect. Click Advanced. Check the box next to manually specify port. Type in 32400. Save by clicking update.

How to find a Plex server IP?

You will need to determine your Plex server’s ip (Click Start, Run, and type in CMD. Once the CMD Prompt pops up type in ipconfig and hit enter. Your Client IP should show up.) It should be something like 192.168.1.x X will likely be any number between 2 and 10 unless your network has a varied config. Lets call this ip IP1.

Can you use Plex Media Center to access media?

If you are using Plex Media Center to run your household media then you may already be using it to access your media from anywhere. However, if you have not yet done that and need to know how, then read on and we will walk you right through it. You can always sign up for the premium PlexPass service and pay a monthly fee to access your files ...

Can you use Plex on Roku?

In our household we use Plex for almost all of our movie and tv watching. Using Chromecast and Roku devices we can access the Plex Server from any tv in the house so that we can pull up a video with the click of a button. When we are out of the home we can also watch anything anywhere anytime.

What is plex media server?

The Plex Media Server is smart software that makes playing Movies, TV Shows and other media on your computer simple.

Is FLiRC a good remote?

FLiRC is such a great lil tool. Plus my Harmony remote has built in profiles for it.

Can you use Plex as a remote?

Just buy/use the Plex app, it can be used as a remote and also to watch on that device.

Can I use a Plex remote for Windows Media Center?

Yes it is. Also, you can get any Windows Media center remote kit for like $10 that will work as well. I highly recommend using Plex Home Theater with a remote like this.

Can you use Plex on an Android phone?

You can use the Plex app on your iOS or android device to control Plex at another location.

What is plex media?

Plex is a client-server media stream and software suite. It has a Plex Media Server desktop application which is available on Windows, Ubuntu, and macOS. This applications allows you to organize different media files in your computer and allows players over the internet to access them if given the correct credentials.

Why is Plex not working?

There are many instances where several bugs are induced into the Plex application which causes it not to work as expected. Software all around us get updates every once in a while and sometimes these updates are not compatible with Plex. Hence its engineers roll out an update targeting this issue solely.

Why does Plex Media Server buffer?

This scenario usually occurs when your internet connection is not sound which forces the server to use less bandwidth in order to provide access to the media.

Why is Plex server error?

This usually occurs because Plex is a heavy application with numerous parameters going on simultaneously. If any one of these gets into an error state or load a bad configuration, it might be unusable.

How to find my router's IPv4 address?

Find and note down your router’s External IPv4 address/WAN. You can easily find this in the status page present in your router settings.

Does a plex router need NAT?

If these are not enabled or have different configurations set than required, Plex Remote Access will not work.

Does Plex update itself?

Normally, Plex’s web application updates itself over time as you use it. The case is different in case of Ubuntu or other platforms where Plex is running. Below is the method on how to update Plex on an Ubuntu machine. You can easily google other methods for updating if you have it running on another platform.

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