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Indirect Connection Plex. Why?

I have a G3100 with my install happening on 2/18 this year. I had such a hard time getting Plex to work outside my network that I dumped the G3100 and ran two of my own modems, but both of them (a Netgear R7000P and an Asus RT-AX88u) had substantial issues with FiOS here for some reason (WiFI drop-outs mainly) that I decided to go back to the G3100 to see if maybe things have improved.

I also saw a note from someone that Verizon is using McAfee on the backend and it was originally blocking Plex from working, but claimed it was fixed. No matter what I tried, I always had an Indirect Connection. Flash forward 3 months. Same issue. On the server Plex says it's fully accessible, but on any client other than the server itself (like even my desktop in the house) it shows and Indirect Connection. WHY? Does Verizon have me behind some sort of double NAT?

I would love to solve this. Any help greatly appreciated.

Comments

dslr595148

#1 Check the networking info on your OS.

As how to do that depends on the OS and version.

For Windows 10 as one example

Start -> Settings -> Network & Internet -> View your Network Properties.

Can also, right click on the network icon on the taskbar and click on Open Network & Internet settings -> View your Network Properties.

#2 If the default Gateway listed is not in one of these ranges, please report back that fact.

a) 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255

b) 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255

c) 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255

#3 If the default gateway is one of those, then try go to there with your browser and login to the G3100.

#4 That task did take you to your G3100?

#5 If not, then report back that fact.

#6 Moving along..

With another web browser Window, go to https://whatismyipaddress.com/ds-check

#7 With the other Web browser Window looking at the router's main screen (as shown on page 36 [item 2.3a/Menu] at https://www.verizon.com/cs/groups/public/documents/onecmsresource/home-router-usermanual_new.pdf ) compare the Address under Status to one in your other web browser Window.

#8 Is the WAN IPv4 Address the same or different?

#9 As need be, do the same again but this time for the other computers and report back if any of them....

a) ...do not have the same Default Gateway.

b) ..are not coming from the same public/route-able/Non bogan/True WAN IP Address.

Agrajag

2. Default Gateway on the server is under c) 192.168.1.1

4. Yes, going there takes you to the G3100.

8. WAN IP addresses are the same.

All systems show the same IP and Gateway.

dslr595148

Strange/odd.

Ok, while I am not sure of what is going on - I have a test for you to run.

Points to third party site: pcwintech.com -> Routers -> Router Help -> How to test if your router supports Reverse NAT.

If you do not want to use Simple Internet Tools - Port Listener (the suggested program that they tell you to use), that is ok with one catch. The catch is that you must find and use a server that has IP Address logging enabled.

lasagna

When Plex reports that it's "accessible", that means that the Plex.tv service can see the plex server thru the port forward which you have setup.

From what you describe, it sounds like you have a local firewall issue on the Plex server itself. I didn't see where you said what platform you're using for your server -- but I am going to assume it's a Windows box since that's the most likely culprit.

When you installed plex, it likely established a connection thru the local firewall configuration on the PC to allow "public" connections to reach the plex server (each PC based firewall is different, so can't really describe all the "how to" tell easily here without more info). What it probably didn't do was create a rule for the "domain" or "local" networks. Common problem.

Easiest way to troubleshoot this is to go into your security settings on the PC and disable the Windows firewall (on all three "public", "domain", and "local" if you have them). If you have a third party antivirus product with firewall capabilities, make sure you disable the firewall there as well. It's only temporary -- it won't hurt to do this for a test -- you're not exposed in anyway to the nasties from the internet side of the house. Once that's done, try again and see if you get a different result. If so, you now know the culprit and a bit of firewall troubleshooting/configuration is in order. If not, try also doing the same on the destination system (if it's another PC) or use a device like an iPad to test with. Same comments as above based on results.

Lastly, anti-malware products can also interfere -- Malwarebytes is notorius for interfering with broadcast based traffic which Plex uses to find servers on the local network -- so if you have that running, need to suspend all four settings for that temporarily as well on both sides.

Once you get thru that -- if you have a working configuration -- then it's time to troubleshoot the firewalls. If not, there's something else going on and you'll need to get nmap or a similar tool to do some testing against the plex server.

Agrajag

If the issue is a local firewall problem, why would the problem not be there when I'm using another router, then materialize when I switch to the G3100 and then go away again when I switch back to the non-Verizon router? Also, this is Windows 10 that the server is on.

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