[HOWTO] Setup newer plexmediaserver (0.9.11.7) in a Jail

[sb00nk]

Thanks to Raulfg3 for his excellent HOWTO on installing plex from ports
but if you tried as me to setup a brand new plex, you will probably facing the problem of beeing unable to setup your Plex Media Server in order to use it

So, after a couple of days searching into forum and guides i've succesfully configured my PMS and i wanna share this knowledge.

Following the raulfg3 HOWTO, when you have to connect to your server at 192.168.X.X:32400/web you will notice two main differences between this version and the previous ones
1) you must login to myPlex in order to access your PMS
2) in the left column you will see the message "You do not have permission to access this server"

Despite what the message said, it's not a permission error (linux speaking) In fact the problem is that the new version of PMS need to be configured by the local machine but the local machine in this case is a Jail, so what to do?

You have to ssh tunnel to your jail having care to redirect the 32400 port to your client let's see how:

1) Login to the web gui of NAS4free and go into Services -> SSH
the option "Permit to do SSH Tunneling." has to be checked
Save

imm_001.png

2) If you use Firefox, enable the SOCKS 5 proxy - Chrome seems don't need this step
(in Firefox go to Preferences -> Advanced tab -> Connection section -> Settings
in the new window select manual setup for proxy and choose SOCKS v5)

img_002.png

3) Connect to the Jail via SSH using tunneling, do not disconnect until step 5!
NOTE 192.168.0.201 is the address of my plex jail, change it with your
terminal:

Code: Select all

ssh -L 32400:192.168.0.201:32400 root@192.168.0.201

img_003a.png

putty:

imm_3b.png

4) Open this address in your browser http://127.0.0.1:32400/web
(It will open plex as it is in your local machine)
In the settings page, the most important thing is to bind your myPlex id to your PMS so you can manage it in the regular way

imm_004.png

5) Once done, close the page, disconnect the ssh, revert the proxy configuration (if you have modified it) and try to open the page 192.168.X.X:32400/web (plex in your jail)

6) Probably you will not be able to play your media directly from that web page

imm_006.png

so i suggest you to use Plex Home Theater which do a great job even if it's a bit less intuitive on a pc, take a look at the list of keyboard shortcuts to use it smooth.

if all works, you've done, otherwise post below to get help

[nasrocks]

I am getting the following

Address already in use
channel_setup_fwd_listener: cannot listen to port: 32400
Could not request local forwarding.

What have I done wrong?

I changed the jail address and was able to get the following

ssh -L 32400:192.168.2.186:32400 root@192.168.2.186
The authenticity of host '192.168.2.186 (192.168.2.186)' can't be established.
DSA key fingerprint is b2:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.
No matching host key fingerprint found in DNS.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? yes
Warning: Permanently added '192.168.2.186' (DSA) to the list of known hosts.
root@192.168.2.186's password:

However when I go to Plex it still wants me to log in and once logged in it says I do not have permission to view the server.

I did a netstat and it shows:
tcp4 0 0 192.168.2.186.32400 192.168.2.186.59888 LAST_ACK

[sb00nk]

the ssh procedure to add a new key you have posted it's completely normal, it looks strange to you?

Anyway, consider that for step 4 you need to:
- be currently logged via ssh to the jail with tunneling (do not log out until you have finished setting-up the server)
- open the address 127.0.0.1:32400/web (this address it's always right because points to yourself, copy and paste it to your browser)

obviously both actions have to be done in the same pc, if there is some redirect problem it will be prompted in the ssh terminal

if you already have done this step properly, tell me more about your setup so i can try to replicate the problem and solve it

[nasrocks]

Thank you ! Thank you! Thank you! I spent hours trying to figure this out...

[sb00nk]

You're welcome

Inviato premendo il bottone "invia"

[smprc]

I feel really silly but I don't understand "bind your myPlex id to your PMS so you can manage it in the regular way" could you clarify?
Also, when I try to ssh tunnel in I don't see the L32400 192.168..etc..:32400 in the box as above.

[sb00nk]

Bind your myPlex Id means "go to that particular page and login with your myPlex credentials and save" so next time you want to manage the Plex server you will not need to make a ssh tunnel to the jail, you'll only need to open the web page and login with that account.

It's normal you not see that line because it's what you have to insert in order to make the ssh tunnel =)

Inviato premendo il bottone "invia"

[Dwibbly]

I don't see the L32400 192.168..etc..:32400 in the box as above. Same as smprc.

Doing my head in!!

Everything up to that point fine but how to get that?

[Gicult]

Hey Dwibbly
If I'm understanding you right. To the L32400 192.168....... on the putty config. This is what I did,
1st I entered your nas4free ip address on the sign in, then I expanded the ssh tab and I clicked on tunnels.
Check the boxes, so here is the part that was unclear from above. You have to add the L32400...etc.
On source Port: enter 32400
Then on detestation enter your jail ip address following with 32400.
After this if should be fine following the rest of the directions from above.
Hope this helped.

[sb00nk]

SSH tunneling made with Putty (imm_3b.png) updated for beeing more clear to everyone, please take a look of it

[vengenerator]

Thanks for this guide. My nas4free server crashed last week and I've have to rebuild as I didn't take any config backups (Doh!). I've reinstalled the newer version of plex then solved the unable to see server using this guide.

Now my server is up and running OK for music and photos and some videos. A lot of video files now won't play in my chrome browser I get the error message "there was a problem playing this item". This is also the case for channels - get "there was a problem playing this item" when I try to watch trailers from the apple trailer channel. Any idea why this is or what I can do to fix? Last week before my server crashed plex was working with no problem watching trailers.

[vengenerator]

As in the guide I see that I can watch all the files using plex home theater just not in a chrome web page. Is there some sort of authentication problem when using a web browser. I guess there can be nothing wrong with the files or the server itself it it plays through one method but not another.

[Seapal]

Thanks for this guide. Didn't get it at first as limited use with Putty but points of note are;
1. Open Port in Router (Plex Server ip:32400) and in Firewall
2. To SSH I logged into NAS with WinSCP
3. Then activated Putty (ctrl+P) to Terminal Login
4. Then right click top on Putty logo in left top corner of Putty dialog box to activate "Change Settings" menu item; then 'wallah'

Thanks again to you and Raulfg3

After disconnecting SSH lost access again.