Why Emby for ATV is requesting to enter a pin for a first time use?

[Richard Branches 232]

I remember to be able to start using the ATV Emby app for the first time without having to go to emby.media/pin to enter a pin on LAN, I just selected the user that appeared on the screen to start using the app and then I used to go to settings to activate the check box for the option to start session with the current user automatically.

 

The mobile app doesn't ask me for a pin when I open it for the first time or even show a user to select.

 

Did you change the above behavior or is there something wrong with the app?

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited October 12, 2018 by delacosta78

[ebr 14960]

Hi.  Neither.

 

That means the app could not find your server on the local LAN.  Is it running?  Is something blocking UDP traffic?

 

You can press the button to skip and enter the server address manually on that PIN page.  Do you see that button?

[Richard Branches 232]

Hi.  Neither.

 

That means the app could not find your server on the local LAN.  Is it running?  Is something blocking UDP traffic?

 

Then the mobile app should react the same, as far as I know nothing is being blocked, everything is as it has always been.

 

You can press the button to skip and enter the server address manually on that PIN page.  Do you see that button?

 

Yes, I see it but I stopped using an static IP and switched to Auto, I was using static IP to open a TCP port to be able to use emby outside my local network but I don't need it anymore since the modem set it up automatically.

[ebr 14960]

Then the mobile app should react the same, as far as I know nothing is being blocked, everything is as it has always been.

 

Did you install the mobile app on a device that had never had it as well?

 

 

...but I stopped using an static IP and switched to Auto, 

 

Could definitely be related to that.  A static IP address on your server is recommended whether you have external access or not.

 

If you are seeing the PIN screen on a first time install it is because the server discovery came up with nothing.  Perhaps this has been this way for a while but this is the first time you started fresh on a new device in a while.

 

In any case, all you have to do is connect to your server once and it will remember it.

[Richard Branches 232]

Did you install the mobile app on a device that had never had it as well?

 

I'm currently using the app in an LG G3 for the last 3 months and I've never seen a pin request there.

 

Could definitely be related to that.  A static IP address on your server is recommended whether you have external access or not.

 

I was using a static IP and it has always been asking me for a pin everytime I delete the cache and data of the app or when I uninstall the beta app and the install the stable one, I wish I could tell you the version of the app where it started to ask me for a pin.

 

If you are seeing the PIN screen on a first time install it is because the server discovery came up with nothing.  Perhaps this has been this way for a while but this is the first time you started fresh on a new device in a while.

 

I never had to enter for a pin in the past, this started recently but I ignore on what version of the app started.

 

In any case, all you have to do is connect to your server once and it will remember it.

 

That's what I did in the past and that's what I still do with the mobile app, but everytime I delete the ATV app data I have to enter for the pin once again.

[ebr 14960]

Again, this means that the app simply cannot find your server automatically.  It has always been this way.

 

If I had to guess, I'd say your firewall on the server is not allowing UDP traffic (the protocol the app uses to automatically find the server).

[Richard Branches 232]

If I had to guess, I'd say your firewall on the server is not allowing UDP traffic (the protocol the app uses to automatically find the server).

 

If this is true, why is not affecting the mobile app even when I'm using now auto IP?

[ebr 14960]

If this is true, why is not affecting the mobile app even when I'm using now auto IP?

 

In any case, all you have to do is connect to your server once and it will remember it.

[Richard Branches 232]

In any case, all you have to do is connect to your server once and it will remember it.

 

 

I'm really having a hard time with the ATV app, auto discovery is broken here, the mobile app works like a charm with this.

Edited October 13, 2018 by delacosta78

[Luke 37279]

Have you tried connecting to the server once?

[Richard Branches 232]

Have you tried connecting to the server once?

 

I always have to use "connect" to be able to get connected to the server, however, I had to set an static IP again and then skip "connect" and instead enter the IP address manually in emby app to get connected, I'm gonna have to use that method while you try to find the reason why it's not working properly, thanks.

Edited October 13, 2018 by delacosta78

[Richard Branches 232]

Another suggestion is if I only have one user, the ATV app shouldn't ask me to select it, it should be selected automatically, the mobile app does it.

[Luke 37279]

Actually the mobile app does not do that. There's no way for the app to know that there's only one user because you could have hidden others.

[Richard Branches 232]

Actually the mobile app does not do that. There's no way for the app to know that there's only one user because you could have hidden others.

 

I don't have hidden users, the mobile app has never asked me to enter a pin or an IP address or even to select a user, it goes straight to the home screen, I wish the ATV app do the same.

[CBers 6806]

I don't have hidden users, the mobile app has never asked me to enter a pin or an IP address or even to select a user, it goes straight to the home screen, I wish the ATV app do the same.

Do you have "Login as this user" ticked in the ATV app?

 

I have 2 users on my server and the ATV app always logs in as the main 1 I use.

 

Check the settings. I think it's the first option in the General settings.

 

The best way to sort it out, is log in with your user, then change that setting to "Always show login page". Then, logout and back in again and then change the setting to "Login as this user" then log out and in again and you should be straight in.

 

If not, then something is wrong with your setup as that's how it should work.

[Richard Branches 232]

Do you have "Login as this user" ticked in the ATV app?

 

Like I said in comment # 1, when I open the app for the first time I select the user and then go to settings and tick the checkbox for that option so every time I open the app it logins automatically using that user. What I don't understand is why the mobile app doesn't ask me to select any user or login using connect but it goes directly to the home screen.

 

What I'm going to do now is to search for the previous emby app version where I didn't have to enter a pin or IP address.

[Richard Branches 232]

I tried different versions of the app and they all asked me to enter a pin or IP address so I suppose the reason could be the Android Oreo firmware because on Marshmallow it didn't ask for a pin, however, I've used the mobile app on Android nougat and it didn't ask for a pin, now I'm using the app on marshmallow and it hasn't asked to enter the pin either.

[ebr 14960]

Have you confirmed that your firewall is not blocking UDP traffic from the server?

 

Or, is this device not on your local LAN?

[Richard Branches 232]

Have you confirmed that your firewall is not blocking UDP traffic from the server?

 

It's is not, otherwise this should happen to the mobile app as well, can you tell me where else should I look to see if I'm missing something?

 

Or, is this device not on your local LAN?

 

It is!, the device is connected directly to the modem by ethernet, so does the computer.

Edited October 14, 2018 by delacosta78

[ebr 14960]

It's is not, otherwise this should happen to the mobile app as well, can you tell me where else should I look to see if I'm missing something?

 

You are comparing apples and oranges.  As far as I can tell, you have not done the exact same thing with the mobile app that you are doing with the TV one (completely uninstall and start fresh).

 

Both apps are designed exactly the same way.  They issue a request on your local network for any Emby servers.  If any are found, they are presented to you.  If not, they assume that you are remote and will want to either connect via Emby Connect or manually and so they present that option.

 

Your assumption above is just that. It is not proof that UDP traffic is properly being allowed.

[Richard Branches 232]

You are comparing apples and oranges.  As far as I can tell, you have not done the exact same thing with the mobile app that you are doing with the TV one (completely uninstall and start fresh).

 

The fact that I didn't mention it, doesn't mean I haven't done it, I actually uninstall and reinstall the mobile app yesterday, it still doesn't ask for a pin.

 

Your assumption above is just that. It is not proof that UDP traffic is properly being allowed.

 

Can you please help me through this? I'm not a network expert, I guess what I have to do is a UDP connectivity test?

[Richard Branches 232]

You are comparing apples and oranges.  As far as I can tell, you have not done the exact same thing with the mobile app that you are doing with the TV one (completely uninstall and start fresh).

 

Both apps are designed exactly the same way.  They issue a request on your local network for any Emby servers.  If any are found, they are presented to you.  If not, they assume that you are remote and will want to either connect via Emby Connect or manually and so they present that option.

 

Your assumption above is just that. It is not proof that UDP traffic is properly being allowed.

 

I went to Windows Firewall -> advanced settings -> inbound rules, I found two entries for "embyserver", one for UDP and one for TCP, both say "Anyone" in every column, is this what you were talking about?:

 

[pir8radio 1293]

I remember to be able to start using the ATV Emby app for the first time without having to go to emby.media/pin to enter a pin on LAN, I just selected the user that appeared on the screen to start using the app and then I used to go to settings to activate the check box for the option to start session with the current user automatically.

 

The mobile app doesn't ask me for a pin when I open it for the first time or even show a user to select.

 

Did you change the above behavior or is there something wrong with the app?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

in the ATV app, go to settings UNCHECK "login as this user"  close the app totally...  login again using your pin, close the app totally,  Log in one more time, and now RE-CHECK "login as this user"  quit and see if it still asks for your pin. 

 

All of my ATV boxes did this after oreo update.   

Edited October 14, 2018 by pir8radio

[Richard Branches 232]

in the ATV app, go to settings UNCHECK "login as this user"  close the app totally...  login again using your pin, close the app totally,  Log in one more time, and now RE-CHECK "login as this user"  quit and see if it still asks for your pin.  

 

Oh, no, maybe I was misunderstood but the app is not asking for a pin everytime I open the app, it's only when I enter the app for the very first time whether I just installed it from the play store or when I delete the data and cache, this doesn't happen with the mobile app, however, "Emby Connect" should be mandatory for every mobile app because sometimes I've been unable to get connected to the server when I'm using mobile data or an external wifi connection.

Edited October 14, 2018 by delacosta78

[pir8radio 1293]

Oh, no, maybe I was misunderstood but the app is not asking for a pin everytime I open the app, it's only when I enter the app for the very first time whether I just installed it from the play store or when I delete the data and cache, this doesn't happen with the mobile app, however, "Emby Connect" should be mandatory for every mobile app because sometimes I've been unable to get connected to the server when I'm using mobile data or an external wifi connection.

 

Oh...  I misunderstood you.    Not sure why the mobile app is not asking for a pin the first time.  All of my apps mobile and ATV asked for pins the first time.