External & Internal Networking Issues

[smody121 3]

My Emby server is on my Synology NAS 923+ in a docker container. I have two major problems I'm dealing with at the moment. In order of importance:

1. This problem started with me trying to figure out why I can't get external access to my Emby server. I have forwarded 8096 and 8920 ports (or so I thought) and still the remote access wouldn't work. I tried going into the Emby Network settings and changing my Internal and External Port numbers from 8096 to 9000 and forwarding to those ports and all that has done is locked me out of connecting to my Emby server altogether now. Anyone know how to fix this issue? I can't even get back into my Emby Network settings because I can't connect to the new internal IP address. How screwed am I here?

2. Once this issue is fixed and I can indeed get back into my server settings, then I need to finish figuring out what is holding external devices back from recognizing my server. I have had zero issues (before problem #1) connecting within my WiFi network, connected to the NAS.

Please let me know if there is any more information I can provide to be more clear, thanks.

[smody121 3]

53 minutes ago, smody121 said:

1. This problem started with me trying to figure out why I can't get external access to my Emby server. I have forwarded 8096 and 8920 ports (or so I thought) and still the remote access wouldn't work. I tried going into the Emby Network settings and changing my Internal and External Port numbers from 8096 to 9000 and forwarding to those ports and all that has done is locked me out of connecting to my Emby server altogether now. Anyone know how to fix this issue? I can't even get back into my Emby Network settings because I can't connect to the new internal IP address. How screwed am I here? Ok, I figured this one out. I just went into the container, switched it over from 8096 to 9000 to match my earlier screw up and I was back in. Reverted everything back to 8096 as it originally stood.

 

[smody121 3]

2 hours ago, smody121 said:

2. Once this issue is fixed and I can indeed get back into my server settings, then I need to finish figuring out what is holding external devices back from recognizing my server. I have had zero issues (before problem #1) connecting within my WiFi network, connected to the NAS.

So far for remote setup I have confirmed that:

1. Checked the "Allow Remote Connections to this Emby Server"
2. Unchecked auto port mapping as I was intending to port forward to the Emby server

Step 3 was to port forward 8096 and 8920 for SSL and non-SSL purposes, but I wanted to confirm what IP address to port forward. Given I created a docker container on my NAS which is where the Emby server lives, wouldn't I need to use my NAS's IP address to port forward, or should I use the IP address of the desktop computer's which I use to control the NAS?

[Luke 39638]

Hi, how exactly are you trying to connect? And what exactly happens when you try?

[smody121 3]

It's a bit tricky as you know since I'm testing inside my home and it's not always going to work just turning off the wifi on my phone and trying to get back in to the Emby server "remotely".

On the port forwarding testing side: I have tried https://canyouseeme.org/ as well as downloading the Port Forward Network Utilities desktop software to test open ports as well. I use a Netgear Orbi RBR 850 as my home router, very easy to configure this router. I have forwarded ports 8096 and 8920, understand it doesn't matter which local IP address to use but at this point I'm not able to get either tool to recognize the open port, so that's probably an issue that needs resolving. Edit: I've gotten it to recognize the open port again, so good there. Still having the same problems as below though...

To your question on how I've tested the connection to the Emby server externally, I turned off the wifi on my phone, and reopened the Emby app. The options were:

1. Connect to the Emby server through the internal IP address
2. Connect to the Emby server with Emby Connect
3. Add a server
4. Downloads folder

Emby connect isn't working, it just takes me back to this screen above as soon as I enter my credentials, looping on itself forever. When I try manually typing in the external IP address provided by the Emby Dashboard, it does not recognize the server. When I go back to the documentation from Emby, it says the port must be forwarded if the auto port mapping doesn't work (which it didn't), so back to the problem at the top of this comment. Feels like I'm just going in circles.

Edited August 12, 2024 by smody121

[Luke 39638]

Quote

When I try manually typing in the external IP address provided by the Emby Dashboard, it does not recognize the server.

Hi, what exactly happens when you do this?

[smody121 3]

When I press Connect, the blue circle spins for roughly 15 seconds and then says "Unable to Reach Server. We are unable to connect to the selected server right now. Please ensure it is running and try again." And then a button that just says Got It.

[Luke 39638]

Just now, smody121 said:

When I press Connect, the blue circle spins for roughly 15 seconds and then says "Unable to Reach Server. We are unable to connect to the selected server right now. Please ensure it is running and try again." And then a button that just says Got It.

Are you inside or outside of your home network when trying to do this?

[smody121 3]

I turned the wifi off on my phone, but are still sitting at home within the network. I have tried this away from home to the same effect.

[Luke 39638]

50 minutes ago, smody121 said:

I turned the wifi off on my phone, but are still sitting at home within the network. I have tried this away from home to the same effect.

OK I would suggest checking out our Connection Troubleshooter:

Connectivity

Please try the steps listed there and let us know which ones succeed and which ones do not. Thanks !

[smody121 3]

On 8/14/2024 at 1:35 PM, Luke said:

OK I would suggest checking out our Connection Troubleshooter:

Connectivity

Please try the steps listed there and let us know which ones succeed and which ones do not. Thanks !

Followed the guide:

• Largely skipped the internal connections section as my connection is already fine on the WiFi network across all devices
  • I did double check that "Allow remote connections to this server" was checked in both the Network and Users (nice cameo in the Users section lol) settings and "Enable automatic port mapping" was unchecked in the Network settings
  • I also opened port 8096 in my Windows Firewall
• External connections still not working
  • I opened a browser on my cell phone with my WiFi turned off, pasted in the external URL provided by Emby (Remote WAN Access address) and after ~2min the page showed the error: Webpage not available. net::ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT
  • Triple checked that automatic port mapping was still unchecked
  • Port Forwarded 8096 as directed (verification attached)
  • Only have the one RBR850 router, no need to address double NAT
  • Triple checked the Users all have been granted remote server access through the Emby settings
  • Was directed to the remote connection guide
    • Tried running automatic port mapping again using the stated procedures and came back with the same issues I'm having now
    • "You will need to forward TCP Port 8096 on your router to port 8096 on the Emby Server machine. Do the same for port 8920 as well (if using SSL)."
      • I don't actually know what this guide is trying to say with this sentence. I did not take any steps to "forward 8096 from the router to the Emby server", the server address was provided by Emby, and I port forwarded the port number using the IP address of my desktop computer (not my Synology NAS). I would assume that made this "forward" occur, but lmk if I need to do something not explicitly stated in this guide
      • I did set up DHCP for both the NAS and my desktop though
    • It says next that if my connection still doesn't work (it doesn't) then it could be a CG NAT issue from my ISP and that I should visit the forums... here I am.
      • My external IP provided by Emby is NOT within the CG NAT range listed on the guide of 100.64.0.0 - 100.127.255.255
      • I ran tracert 8.8.8.8 in a command prompt on my desktop, none of the resulting lines started with 172, 10 or 192. They started with 173, 72 and 142
    • No firewall issues or VPN running in the background
  • Emby Connect seems useless if I can't get the remote connections to work, but like I said above, when trying to access Emby through the app it puts me in a login loop

 

So yea... still not having any luck here.

[seanbuff 1092]

29 minutes ago, smody121 said:

I did not take any steps to "forward 8096 from the router to the Emby server", the server address was provided by Emby, and I port forwarded the port number using the IP address of my desktop computer (not my Synology NAS). I would assume that made this "forward" occur, but lmk if I need to do something not explicitly stated in this guide

Little confused by this bit. If your Emby Server is installed on your Syno NAS, then you need to port forward 8096 in your router to your the local IP of the docker container on your NAS (get this from the Emby dashboard). Your desktop is irrelevant here.

But since your canyouseme test shows success then I'm guessing it's from the auto port mapping.

[Neminem 791]

Or Jellyfin is also installed, since they use same ports.

22 minutes ago, seanbuff said:

But since your canyouseme test shows success then I'm guessing it's from the auto port mapping.

 

[smody121 3]

42 minutes ago, seanbuff said:

Little confused by this bit. If your Emby Server is installed on your Syno NAS, then you need to port forward 8096 in your router to your the local IP of the docker container on your NAS (get this from the Emby dashboard). Your desktop is irrelevant here.

But since your canyouseme test shows success then I'm guessing it's from the auto port mapping.

Thank you, this is where I thought I may be going wrong before. What's confusing me is that the canyouseeme worked when mapped to my desktop but my auto port mapping was turned off.

When I switch the IP address from the desktop to the NAS, canyouseeme stops working whether I've auto port mapped or not. I believe I may be using the wrong IP address to port forward. Which IP address from the NAS should I be using to port forward, is it the local IP that my router recognizes as my NAS? That's what I've been using.

19 minutes ago, JayceDK said:

Or Jellyfin is also installed, since they use same ports.

 

Did not know this was a thing.

I did in fact try and use Jellyfin before Emby, so still had a Jellyfin container on my NAS but did not have it on my desktop. I deleted the container just to clean it up.

[seanbuff 1092]

2 hours ago, smody121 said:

Which IP address from the NAS should I be using to port forward, is it the local IP that my router recognizes as my NAS?

Did you try this?

3 hours ago, seanbuff said:

the local IP of the docker container on your NAS (get this from the Emby dashboard).

 

[smody121 3]

The Emby Dashboard is using an IP address that starts with 47. and when I try and use that IP to port forward, my router gives back a Failure with the message: Server IP address must be a LAN IP address.

[seanbuff 1092]

2 hours ago, smody121 said:

The Emby Dashboard is using an IP address that starts with 47. and when I try and use that IP to port forward, my router gives back a Failure with the message: Server IP address must be a LAN IP address.

The dashboard gives 2 addresses, make sure you are forwarding to the "In-Home (LAN)" address only.

[smody121 3]

Using either the In-Home (LAN) or external (WAN) gives the same error.

[seanbuff 1092]

26 minutes ago, smody121 said:

Using either the In-Home (LAN) or external (WAN) gives the same error.

What IP address do you use to connect to Emby from your desktop? Does this IP differ from the In-Home address shown on the Emby dashboard? If so, have you tried forwarding to that IP?

What network mode is your docker container configured as? Bridge, Host or other?

[smody121 3]

When I'm connecting to Emby through my internal network, I'm using the IP address of my Synology NAS, which as before was not working if port forwarded there. 

Sorry I'm still learning this world obviously so I'm not sure how to answer your next question yet. I created the containers and put them behind a VPN container using the Gluetun guide: https://www.smarthomebeginner.com/gluetun-docker-guide/

 

[seanbuff 1092]

13 minutes ago, smody121 said:

I created the containers and put them behind a VPN container

Okay well that changes things...

Because that's not what you indicated previously.

13 hours ago, smody121 said:

No firewall issues or VPN running in the background

 

You need to decide how you want to manage remote access. If it's via VPN, then all of this port forwarding is pointless.

[smody121 3]

Ok thanks, is there a place I can understand the options for managing remote access? Ideally I'd like to keep all of my containers behind the VPN container but I assume it's fine to pull Emby out in front if I need to. Just not sure what exactly needs to connect where given the container layer.

[Luke 39638]

3 hours ago, smody121 said:

Ok thanks, is there a place I can understand the options for managing remote access? Ideally I'd like to keep all of my containers behind the VPN container but I assume it's fine to pull Emby out in front if I need to. Just not sure what exactly needs to connect where given the container layer.

Hi, does our remote setup guide help?

https://emby.media/support/articles/Remote-Setup.html

[smody121 3]

It does not. Trying to figure out how to connect to Emby if it's in a docker container that is behind a VPN-container. Whether it's safe to just pull it out in front of the VPN or if there's some way to be able to connect behind the VPN, I don't think that guide doesn't references that.

[Luke 39638]

On 8/18/2024 at 4:39 PM, smody121 said:

It does not. Trying to figure out how to connect to Emby if it's in a docker container that is behind a VPN-container. Whether it's safe to just pull it out in front of the VPN or if there's some way to be able to connect behind the VPN, I don't think that guide doesn't references that.

Is the docker container in host or bridge networking mode? Host will be a bit easier to setup.