Remote Connection Frustrations

[AngstyAardvark 2]

Hello.

 

I recently made a switch from Plex to Emby and everything works fine on my local network.

Unfortunately, as soon as I leave the house and connect via my work network, i am unable to connect to my emby server. (not an issue when i was using plex)

I have tried manually connecting and quick connect.

 

As far as i can tell, my ports are forwarded correctly and my server is on a static Lan address at home.

Basically i get the same unable to connect message from the web app screen whether i try via quick connect or manually.

Once or twice and for some unknown reason, it has all connected at work but the next day, it is all wonky again.

My sever lives on a windows 10 machine but all the client laptps are linux .... no issues at home on multiple operating systems or devices.

 

Please let me know if you need logs or anyything else.... I really like emby in the main and the remote connection is the one thing that is causing me strife....

 

Thanks 

[GrimReaper 4740]

Hey up,

Could you go through remote connection troubleshooter and tell us which steps worked and which didn't, including canyouseeme and tracert?

[rbjtech 5284]

If it working one day and not the next, sounds to me like a changing public ip - needing ddns setup etc.

[AngstyAardvark 2]

Thanks....

 

I have worked my way through the troubleshooter many times and none of the steps have worked....

Can you see me says it can see me

It could well be that the public IP is changing. I will keep an eye on that.

[GrimReaper 4740]

Just now, AngstyAardvark said:

It could well be that the public IP is changing. I will keep an eye on that.

You can link your user to Emby Connect account and login through Connect, then you wouldn't have to worry about IP changing. Or obtain a domain/use DDNS, as @rbjtech observed.

[rbjtech 5284]

Also check you are port forwarding and not port triggering - they are different things.

[sross44 431]

Another thing to check is that you're trying to access correctly. If you're trying to access via SSL you need to manually insert the security certs. So if you don't have that set up you need to be logging in at http://youripaddress:8096. I ran in to a lot of issues when I first set up remote access but am more than happy to help you get it up and running if I can offer any guidance. 

[Luke 42078]

@AngstyAardvark has this helped?

[AngstyAardvark 2]

sorry for the delay but no.......

 

i set up a quick connect account a while back because i thought it would be easier but when i try to log in remoely via quick connect, it loops back to the log in page and when i hit the connect to my server button, i get the spinning wheel and the message that i can't connect and to check the server is running...... the server is definitely running....

 

i have been relying on screenshots in other models of router to set up port forwarding and i will be honest and say it confuses me... i may have it set up wrong .... 

it is not a deal breaker but it is highly frustrating and something i would like to get working ...... i followed as many tutorials as i could find and followed a number of 'solved' threads before i finally caved and decided to ask directly....

 

 

it is a ZTE router btw

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by AngstyAardvark

[AngstyAardvark 2]

i think this is worth mentioning......

 

i use a VPN on a client laptop to test the remote connection when i am at home.- it works perfectly well with a VPN as long as i am still at home.

this makes no sense t me at all since the VPN address is the same when i connect at work (where it doesn't work)

[sross44 431]

To set it up for port forwarding, you should just have one rule to test this. Port 8096 (assuming you didn’t change the ports in Emby) pointing to your local ip address that the emby server is on.  If you want, take a screen shot of your port forwarding settings and I’d be more than happy to help you if I can. 

[AngstyAardvark 2]

^

thanks very much ...i am at work at the moment but wil get a screenshot tonight and post it here.... (i am in thailand and it is morning here) i assume you mean my router's port forward settings 

 

btw - i have noticed that as long as i sleep the laptop and leave the VPN connected, then it will work when i get to work....if i shut down the laptop, it will not connect either manually or with quick connect. - this could be co-incidence but it is working as i type

 

ithis is what i have in my emby network settings fr the time being 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by AngstyAardvark

[sross44 431]

I did mean the port forwarding settings. I’m curious though, have you tried it without the VPN to see if it’s still an issue? Trying to rule out things. 

[AngstyAardvark 2]

i thought about it but was so excited that i have a remote connection at work, i didn't want to ruin it

 

 

here goes....

[AngstyAardvark 2]

well - didconnected VPN and it still works 

 

further mystified 

 

would love to call it 'solved' but i don;t think it really is - i have been here before

 

anyway - since it works now, i will take my leave and come back when i invariably screw something up again.....

 

thanks for all the help nice people

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by AngstyAardvark
bee sting on bottom lip

[Luke 42078]

Let us know how you get on. Thanks.

[visproduction 315]

I assume you server is directly connected and not broadcasting through a Wifi.  If you are using Wifi, that is probably the problem.  I would suggest you don't do that.

Emby uses TCP packets for video. The user's computer, the VPN and the Emby server all have automatic TCP settings.  You can check what your workstation is doing by going to this page: http://www.speedguide.net/analyzer.php

My workstation is set automatically to RWIN 64240.  The test shows I am good for 90% of traffic up to a delay of 200ms to whatever server I connect to.

Does VPN add a delay that goes beyond 200ms?  Run some ping and traceroute (tracert) commands through your VPN to see. 

Just using 6 or 12 multiples as an example:  This is what happens with RWIN settings and packets arriving 'out of order' - Packets named by the alphabet to show this:
 RWIN set to 6 x 1460 = 8760 - A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I   Results D, E, F, G, H I are discarded and C is requested again.
 RWIN set to 12 x 1460 = 17520 - A, B, D, E, F, G, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, C, P, Q...  Results no error yet, video continues.

Windows 10, 11 TCP/IP is all automated.  You use to be able to change RWIN in Windows 7. 

If you are running a Windows server there are other optional settings to adjust your TCP.  (This does not apply to Window 7, 10 , 11.)  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/networking/technologies/network-subsystem/net-sub-performance-tuning-nics

If VPN is causing delays over 200ms, then pretty much that is your problem. 

Hope that helps.

 

[AngstyAardvark 2]

On 1/21/2023 at 1:40 AM, visproduction said:

Hope that helps.

It might well do thnk you.

i have always used emby via wifi

 

sorry not to hve thanked you sooner ... i popped back in to vent more frustrations with my remote access..... first i will check how it goes with a wired connection.

 

what i have noticed is that when my WAN changes that is when i (and other users of my account) can't connect remotely ....even with emby quick connect

 

right now - the wan address in my emby dashboard for remote connect is not the same as my actual WAN address

(my LAN address is static)

 

does this lot look right?

thanks again everyone for the help 

 

[rbjtech 5284]

So a different WAN address in emby to your real WAN address indicates an issue (could be cgNAT or VPN issues if used) but I believe your port forwarding rules are wrong - so lets correct them first.

You need two port forwards - 1 for http (8096) and (if you use https) 1 for https (8920)

So for http

WAN Start Port = 8096

WAN End Port = 8096

LAN Host Start Port = 8096

LAN Host End Port = 8096

for https

same as above, but use 8920 for all of them

--

Use TCP only - emby does not use UDP for WAN connections.

 

 

[AngstyAardvark 2]

Hi.... sorry to have taken so long responding.... i had kind of given up on getting it to work.

Turns out that i actually need the remote connection more than i thought so want to get it working....

 

@rbjtech  thanks for the help......I followed your instructions but still get the unable to connect issue....

 

there is also no discrepancy between the WAN address I see in Emby and the real WAN address ....

 

apart from a short period where it randomly worked, it has been unable to connect ...

[AngstyAardvark 2]

I started a topic some 3 months ago about my troubles with remote connection through emby connect...

 

***I have tried every troubleshooting step listed in the documentation and recommended on that thread and most.... many times. ****

Still can't connect on anything outside my home network.

 

Windows server but mainly linux clients but i have tried with a linux server too Mx linux - debian

 

Opened this thread because i didn't get any responses to my most recent comment on the original thread - apologies if this is not de rigeur....

If you need attachments, plese let me know.... I have about a month to sort it out so no major hurry - more pece of mind

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by AngstyAardvark

[ebr 16183]

Hi.  Let's continue the discussion here.  Sorry that we haven't been able to help you figure this out completely but it is definitely not directly related to Emby and, rather, about your complex network environment.  But, I'm a bit confused because last we heard a while back it seemed to be working for you...?

[pwhodges 2012]

You have mentioned your WAN address changing, but I'm wondering where you're seeing this.  If it's at the router, then have you checked your visible WAN address with something like https://www.whatismyip.com/ ?

Paul

[AngstyAardvark 2]

the WAN address changes about omnce a week and i see the change in both emby and every other place i look at wan addresses like system info and torrent information.

 

On 4/12/2023 at 8:04 PM, ebr said:

Hi.  Let's continue the discussion here.  Sorry that we haven't been able to help you figure this out completely but it is definitely not directly related to Emby and, rather, about your complex network environment.  But, I'm a bit confused because last we heard a while back it seemed to be working for you...?

No worries

thanks for merging the post

yes - it did work - for about a week when somebody pointed out i should be using my ethernet connection rather than wifi..... then it just stopped 

 

i have about 6 user accounts - all signed up with emby connect but none of which work outside the local newtowork

 

i dont't think i have anything especiallly complex about my network. Just a single server attached to the router directly - no VPN ...... home clients are a couple of smart TVs and a few laptops that all connect fine. I only reallly need the remote connection fro one specific place - where i work....

Thanks and let me know if you need anything else.

[Luke 42078]

What web app do you use when connecting remotely? What address is in the browser address bar?