External emby connect user unable to connect/play videos

[appoli 5]

Hi,

 

Ever since the new appletv app came out (which was the same day I upgraded my router to pfSense 2.4) my friend has been unable to connect to my server on his AppleTV app & when he tries from his phone a video will start playing, but very poorly, then stop with a constant loading wheel.

 

I’m not sure what the issue is since I can access internally and externally. I looked through the log attached and it seems like maybe his client is trying to access via appoli.ddns.net:8096. However, while appoli.ddns.net is my DDNS address, I have port 92 forwarded to the emby server port 8096 (and have this setup as such on the server itself).

I just tried adding a port forward rule for 8096, but we will see. Would it be possible for someone to take a look at the log to see if they can figure out what the issue is?

 

When I had emby on FreeNAS we never had issues, but now running in a jail there is always a headache...

I have asked him to try clearing his cookies/reinstalling the app/connecting to the server by manually putting in the address, but he’s pretty technology inept so it’s ditticult to get him to do that since he thinks the issue is on my end (it might be, but I’m trying to trouble shoot - I had to reinstall my appletv app to get it to work).

 

Thanks!

Safari - Oct 24, 2017 at 9:56 AM.pdf

[icsy7867 8]

So it works externally for you just fine?  If it works externally then it works externally.

 

Perhaps your friend isn't trying with enough 4g bandwidth.  I would recommend that he test on wifi.  I would also point him to https://fast.com and make sure he is getting at least 8+ Mbps (And remember MB and Mb are different!)

[appoli 5]

As I mentioned he has tried using his Apple TV (so at home) where the amount of bandwidth is satisfactory & emby is set to auto adjust bit rate for bandwidth on his device.

I also checked the activity graphs on my NAS and router and once the video stops the server stops sending data. And when it starts off at first the bandwidth used is very low (300kb - this is at home).

This also wouldn’t explain not being able to connect to the server I believe....thanks for your help tho & the logs are attached which show some interesting errors (like my DDNS address being used but with the internal port # rather than the external port #)

[icsy7867 8]

It looks like both of your ports (92 & 8096) are open and working.

 

If it works externally for you as you said, it really narrows it down to a few things to me.

1. The appleTV app has a bug with your specific configuration - Test a different device (Such as a web browser on his/her home network.  Simply send them to link to click.  If it works, it would point to the apple tv)
2. If neither work, this would actually point to the ISP.  It is quite possible they are blocking/throttling his/her traffic.  Which is typically either done by port, or by the traffic itself.  If his/her ISP is detecting this traffic, a SSL certificate may help by encrypting the data preventing his/her ISP for seeing the traffic as well.

Goodluck, I hope someone else stops by with more experience than I.

[appoli 5]

So I have an appletv too and had some trouble with it at first, but a quick reinstall fixed it.

He has tried using the Appletv app, iOS app and web browser & has tried using it at work WiFi, through his cell phone and at home via WiFi.

 

Previously I had not had my external port 8096 forwarded to the internal emby IP address. In addition I have had emby setup so that it knows that the external port is 92, not 8096 (which is why I find that curious). I just set up port forwarding for wan port 8096 to the emby LAN IP, but that was this morning & regardless that doesn’t seem right to me (but I don’t know for sure how the logs are compiled).

 

So to re-cap, he’s tried on multiple ISPs, multiple devices/apps (granted he can’t use the Appletv app on different ISPs, but the point isn’t that big a deal) & if the port was blocked how would he even be able to get to the menu and select a video to watch using the url in safari?

 

I will try removing him as a guest from my server and re-adding him to see what happens, but what would be resllly helpful is for someone with the knowledge to review the log and see if they can understand why hes having an issue.

 

And yes, I have checked my router to make sure it isn’t blocking any of his IPs

[appoli 5]

You do bring up an interesting point as well -

The server is setup for http, not https. The log mentions SSL certificates being used. I’m not an expert at this, but I wouldn’t think SSL certs would be used for http?

[icsy7867 8]

HTTPS is enabled by default and listening.  You just need to go to the page using HTTPS and port 8920:

https://appoli.ddns.net:8920/web/index.html (Which is looks like you have open to the server as well, jsut remember to hit advanced and "proceed" since the SSL cert is not signed by a CA)

 

You can also go into your settings on the web server and require HTTPS for external connections.  this may or may not help.  But I am not sure what EMBY uses for a default SSL certificate.  I use one I generated from letsencrypt for free, which is digitally signed.

 

Your logic is in the correct place, the port does not appear to be blocked, as then nothing would load.  but throttling is a little different.  I would be curious if they tried the HTTPS page if it would work.  These sort of things are just really hard to test when you said that externally, everything was working for you.  This would indicate that the server portion is setup just fine (but not guaranteed) 

[appoli 5]

I don’t have 8092 forwarded to my emby IP which is interesting.

 

And yes I agree - this is difficult to diagnose becusd itf works for me. I think because i had some issues with the Appletv app and that’s when his account started going heywire I will try removing him as a guest from my server and re-adding him.

 

Hopefully that helps

[Luke 37188]

In order to require https, you need to supply a trusted cert such as LetsEncrypt. Emby Server will not allow you to enable that option using the self-signed cert.

[icsy7867 8]

I don’t have 8092 forwarded to my emby IP which is interesting.

 

And yes I agree - this is difficult to diagnose becusd itf works for me. I think because i had some issues with the Appletv app and that’s when his account started going heywire I will try removing him as a guest from my server and re-adding him.

 

Hopefully that helps

 

Yeah

http://appoli.ddns.net:8096/web/index.html

http://appoli.ddns.net:92/web/index.html

https://appoli.ddns.net:8920/web/index.html

 

are all successfully being NAT'd by your router to your EMBY server

[appoli 5]

Interesting, the first two I setup myself I guess it created the port forwarding rules itself...which is strange because they aren’t on my routers list of forwarded ports....

[appoli 5]

@@Luke I know a signed cert would be needed, however the connection as per the log was via the http port (8096) so the cert shouldn’t matter?

 

I removed him as an emby connect guest and re-added him - I have a feeling that may work.

He entered in my server details manually and was able to login using one of the accounts on my server AFTER he uninstalled and re-installed the Appletv app.

 

Seeing as that’s the same thing that I had to do to get access (although I can’t say if remote access was effected during that time since I didn’t try) it seems like there might be an issue somewhere with the Appletv app when upgrading to the latest version....

 

I had tried to get him to re-install the app, but it’s difficult to get him/people to even restart their device let alone an app since they think it wouldn’t make a difference....

[Luke 37188]

@@Luke I know a signed cert would be needed, however the connection as per the log was via the http port (8096) so the cert shouldn’t matter?

 

Correct. Check the remote address listed on the front page of your emby server dashboard. That's what your remote users will be attempting to connect with when they sign in with Emby Connect.