Emby randomly unable to reach server

[PX_54 0]

I spent the weekend setting up emby on my WD My Cloud EX2 Ultra, it was all working (other a slight network hiccup in the middle of setup) and I shared it with a friend who had it working also.

I was talking about it today with someone else, and when I've tried to access it I'm getting Unable To Reach Server messages constantly - I've not changed any settings.

I'm able to access my server directly through the WD MyCloud site, and I can also access it via Plex, but for some reason emby can't connect.

I vaguely remember having this issue when I've previously tried to set up emby; that it would be quite temperamental and randomly say it can't connect to the server, when there's no reason it shouldn't.  The hiccup at the weekend, was that it did it in the middle of me trying to set everything up again - though I'm not sure if I actually had an actual network at that point (because some other things seem to point to that possibility). I can't even remember how I rectified it at the weekend, because the webpage just kept saying that it couldn't connect and then I clicked through somewhere which opened a new tab that could connect - but the old tab still couldn't.

This happens both locally and remotely.

I really want to switch to emby, particularly for it's free remote access, but this random loss of access keeps putting me off.

[Luke 42847]

Hi there, please attach the Emby server log from when the problem occurred:

How to Report a Problem

Thanks!

 

[PX_54 0]

Forgive my ignorance but, how do I do that when I can't connect to the server?

[Luke 42847]

Are you sure the server is running? Does your server machine ip address change regularly?

[PX_54 0]

Yes it's running, like I said I can still access it directly via MyCloud and through Plex.

I don't use a dynamic IP on the server.

It's only Emby that says it's unable to connect.

[Neminem 1814]

Can't connect

You mean you have the Emby client and no server to link it to?

Or the admin disabled you account.

Did you install your own server, with your own media, on your own hardware ?

Your options are 
(1) install a server.  

Quick Start

(2) ask a friend who runs a server to let you use theirs.

(3) access an illegal server (no further instructions here).

If someone else's have a talk with them.

Emby does not host your server and do not supply media files.

[PX_54 0]

As I said.

I have a MyCloud EX 2 Ultra, with Emby installed on it and it was working at the weekend.

I am the owner/admin of the device, and the server.

I have movies and TV shows saved on this device, which I can access directly via MyCloud and Plex.

However when I try to log into Emby via the browser or Firestick; I can sometimes access it, and sometimes it just randomly says "Unable to connect to server" - even though I can still access it via the others. I don't know what causes it, or how to rectify.  Sometimes it's only for a few minutes, some other times it's for days on end.

I can't play directly from MyCloud on Firestick and Plex now charges even the server owner to stream remotely themselves (rather than just for additional users). So I was hoping to get Emby set up for travel, which I occasionally do for work, so I don't need to download what I want to watch from MyCloud while I'm away.

Edited 21 hours ago by PX_54

[Luke 42847]

On 8/6/2026 at 3:02 AM, PX_54 said:

Yes it's running, like I said I can still access it directly via MyCloud and through Plex.

I don't use a dynamic IP on the server.

It's only Emby that says it's unable to connect.

How do you know that it’s running. Just because you don’t use a dynamic IP doesn’t mean your router isn’t changing your LAN IP address. What is the LAN IP address of the nas? 

[PX_54 0]

I know it's running because I can still access it via MyCloud and Plex using the same IP address info.

 

These images are taken from trying to access the server via Plex (top) and Emby (bottom) at the same time.
I've tried clicking all the green links on the Emby message, but none of these allow the connection

Edited 1 hour ago by PX_54

[Luke 42847]

That dialog with the four bullet points gives you four options to resolve your issue. Which of those will you proceed with?

[PX_54 0]

Like I said in my previous response...I've clicked all those links.

I either get the same/similar window open which just gives the same message when I try to connect, or the page doesn't load at all.

[Luke 42847]

6 minutes ago, PX_54 said:

Like I said in my previous response...I've clicked all those links.

I either get the same/similar window open which just gives the same message when I try to connect, or the page doesn't load at all.

OK we may actually have to remove the third bullet point because most browsers are not allowing plain http anymore.

 So of the other three, which will you proceed with?