VPN on server and local network connections

[2BTSquared 5]

Are there issues with Emby server/clients when the server is running a VPN? Question mostly concerns local/in network connections. But, information on remote connections might be helpful too. Thanks.

[Luke 42079]

Hi, no specific issues. There are a lot of users running VPNs here.

[Marijuana 12]

On 12/4/2021 at 9:07 PM, 2BTSquared said:

Are there issues with Emby server/clients when the server is running a VPN? Question mostly concerns local/in network connections. But, information on remote connections might be helpful too. Thanks.

The only issues I have had when running a vpn on windows 10/11 is sometimes the guide data will blank out until I turn the vpn off rescan then turn vpn back on and all is fine again. Running vpn on for example a firestick even with trusted apps split tunneling emby will sometimes cause playblack stutter not often but sometimes, just connect to another vpn server and all is good afterwards. What I recommend is put emby on a dedicated pc with no vpn and setup shared folders on that pc to add movies and shows to it over your network and all your other pc's run vpn. If you use emby to record a lot of tv shows from cable on emby m3u or hdhomerun whatever the tuner then you will run into issues with it recording only a few minutes of shows with random stops, not always but sometimes. If you have no vpn on the emby pc then it records perfectly every time. Another thing that will cause recording problems even without a vpn is obviously bad m3u servers, some servers that sell iptv are not worth using so google before you buy and do a bit of research. Personally I use dreamboxes dm920 and 800 setup at a different location because we can't have satellite dishes at our condo so I have two 6 foot dishes setup elsewhere. Sorry for going off topic chatterbox today lol, good luck dude!

[2BTSquared 5]

19 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, no specific issues. There are a lot of users running VPNs here.

Thanks Luke for getting back. 

Asking because I noted it was mentioned in the connectivity section of the knowledge base. It suggested that VPNs should be turned off for local/In-network connections. 

So far, I have mine turned on and it seems to be working. I'll keep Marijuana's post in my back pocket in case any of the nits he's seen using VPNs arise.  

Edited December 6, 2021 by 2BTSquared

[2BTSquared 5]

8 hours ago, Marijuana said:

The only issues I have had when running a vpn on windows 10/11 is sometimes the guide data will blank out until I turn the vpn off rescan then turn vpn back on and all is fine again. Running vpn on for example a firestick even with trusted apps split tunneling emby will sometimes cause playblack stutter not often but sometimes, just connect to another vpn server and all is good afterwards. What I recommend is put emby on a dedicated pc with no vpn and setup shared folders on that pc to add movies and shows to it over your network and all your other pc's run vpn. If you use emby to record a lot of tv shows from cable on emby m3u or hdhomerun whatever the tuner then you will run into issues with it recording only a few minutes of shows with random stops, not always but sometimes. If you have no vpn on the emby pc then it records perfectly every time. Another thing that will cause recording problems even without a vpn is obviously bad m3u servers, some servers that sell iptv are not worth using so google before you buy and do a bit of research. Personally I use dreamboxes dm920 and 800 setup at a different location because we can't have satellite dishes at our condo so I have two 6 foot dishes setup elsewhere. Sorry for going off topic chatterbox today lol, good luck dude!

Thanks for the tips. If I see any of the nits you've noted, I'll know to check if the VPN is the problem. 

For the time being, my server machine has to be multi-role. Can't dedicate it to just Emby Server duties. 

[Carlo 4561]

I run into VPN issues all the time helping people.  Just to clarify I mean public VPNs like NordVPN, PIA, etc..  I'm not referring to running your own VPN to allow access to your network.

When running a public VPN server there are two ways to do this.  With a split tunnel setup you can have Emby Server use your normal network while other programs go through the VPN.  That usually works without problems.

Trying to run Emby Server through a VPN is not going to work 95% of the time because your Emby Server picks up the new IP address of the VPN end point and not your WAN point.  So it's going to want to listen to the VPN and send back out through the VPN.  That's fine from Emby Server standpoint but none of the VPN servers I've ever used allow this.  They simply don't allow incoming traffic to your end point because they would not know what to do with that traffic.  There could be 250 to 500 people on that IP address so how would it know?

Some VPN provider allow you to get a static IP or more likely a static Port at a specific location.  In this case when you have the static port any traffic going to that port will be sent to you (it's purpose).  So with that setup you can change your Emby Server public http port to match.

There is another issue that is common as well.  Since so many other people use the same IP end point a lot of "mischief" takes place over VPNs and many sites block those IPs.  I know some of the meta-data providers we use in Emby block those IPs making it impossible to fetch data from them while using the VPN.

One of the reasons you see VPNs dropping in price and so many cheap hosting or VMs is that they recycle these tainted IP address that show up on black lists that providers use to ban with. It can take 3 months to a year for these IPs to fall off these lists. Another popular use of tainted IPs is using them for seedboxes as well.

Overall using a public VPN can be difficult if not impossible to do depending on provider.  You are likely much better re-evaluating if you actually need this on your Emby server and removing it if possible.  If you have other activities that "require" it, see if you can move that functionality to another computer that can run the VPN or consider getting a VM in the cloud and installing your own VPN software on that to use.  That way the IP is all yours and not shared.  This can be done using a $5 dropplet account at Linode and other places. If you set this up using Wireguard it would run close to 90% of your bandwidth rate which I'm sure is much faster than you do through a public VPN. Setting up your own VPN like this is pretty easy and there are a lot of guides for this that you can Google.