My server is on LTE and I cannot access it remotely

[Maphuse 1]

Hi everyone!

 

I've had a working emby server for a while, but recently I moved to a new place and they didn't have fiber available, so I chose an LTE plan with an LTE home router.

I have forwarded the emby ports on the router, but still can't access my server, the page is just blank.

 

Any idea why this might be?

 

 

[Luke 42079]

Hi, welcome. The first thing I would do is ensure you're running the latest version of Emby Server. Then I would take a look at our Connection Troubleshooter and go through the steps there. Please let us know whether or not all of the tests pass. Thanks.

[Maphuse 1]

Thanks for you response Luke!

My server version is up to date, and I have followed every step in the troubleshooter. I can connect fine from within the home network, but not from outside. When I enter the external address shown in the dashboard into my mobile browser, I get nothing. For what it's worth, emby connect via Android app shows the server, but is unable to connect as well.

[pir8radio 1312]

Thanks for you response Luke!

My server version is up to date, and I have followed every step in the troubleshooter. I can connect fine from within the home network, but not from outside. When I enter the external address shown in the dashboard into my mobile browser, I get nothing. For what it's worth, emby connect via Android app shows the server, but is unable to connect as well.

 

Use a third party service and see if your port/IP shows open...  LTE providers usually always block incoming connections.   They usually give you an internal IP address, internal to the LTE network that is not reachable from the internet... Its a NAT setup like your home network, many phones/lte devices share a single internet reachable IP.   You might try and have one of us PING or trace route that ip that you think is reachable via the internet.  If that works, then test for the open port...  I bet one or both don't work..   If that's the case the only way around it is to run a VPN and enter your server that way.

 

The only exception to this that I have read about is VZW HomeFusion LTE service.   But I have not tested.

 

All of the above is based on IPv4, you may want to try using your IPv6 address to connect to your server as well.... If your LTE router lets you setup inbound rules for IPv6, also assuming you received an IPv6 address from the LTE carrier.  

Edited August 5, 2016 by pir8radio

[Maphuse 1]

Use a third party service and see if your port/IP shows open...  LTE providers usually always block incoming connections.   They usually give you an internal IP address, internal to the LTE network that is not reachable from the internet... Its a NAT setup like your home network, many phones/lte devices share a single internet reachable IP.   You might try and have one of us PING or trace route that ip that you think is reachable via the internet.  If that works, then test for the open port...  I bet one or both don't work..   If that's the case the only way around it is to run a VPN and enter your server that way.

 

The only exception to this that I have read about is VZW HomeFusion LTE service.   But I have not tested.

 

All of the above is based on IPv4, you may want to try using your IPv6 address to connect to your server as well.... If your LTE router lets you setup inbound rules for IPv6, also assuming you received an IPv6 address from the LTE carrier.  

 

That's very interesting and probably the reason for my problem. I just used http://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/ and none of my emby ports were shown as open. I also used http://ping.eu/ from my mobile to PING and traceroute, not sure if I did it right though. PING shows 9 packets transmitted, 0 received and 100% packet loss. Traceroute connects until some *t-mobile.at url with a 193.* IP shows up and it says "assuming we reached firewall". Am I correct in assuming that this is the internal IP that you mentioned above?

 

My LTE provider is t-mobile Austria. No ipv6 unfortunately, but maybe I can request that.

 

This is a major disappointment, since I had just managed to set up a working solution for my previous provider with much effort, who had implemented ipv6 via DS-lite, which also made the server practically unreachable from outside. And now this bullshit. Don't providers ever learn that these shitty workarounds are not going to solve the ipv4 shortage in the long run?

 

Anyways, are there any easy solutions to set up a VPN on my home server? Other solutions? I can remote desktop into the the server from outside, if that's relevant at all.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Maphuse

[pir8radio 1312]

That's very interesting and probably the reason for my problem. I just used http://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/ and none of my emby ports were shown as open. I also used http://ping.eu/ from my mobile to PING and traceroute, not sure if I did it right though. PING shows 9 packets transmitted, 0 received and 100% packet loss. Traceroute connects until some *t-mobile.at url with a 193.* IP shows up and it says "assuming we reached firewall". Am I correct in assuming that this is the internal IP that you mentioned above?

 

My LTE provider is t-mobile Austria. No ipv6 unfortunately, but maybe I can request that.

 

This is a major disappointment, since I had just managed to set up a working solution for my previous provider with much effort, who had implemented ipv6 via DS-lite, which also made the server practically unreachable from outside. And now this bullshit. Don't providers ever learn that these shitty workarounds are not going to solve the ipv4 shortage in the long run?

 

Anyways, are there any easy solutions to set up a VPN on my home server? Other solutions? I can remote desktop into the the server from outside, if that's relevant at all.

 

Yea, by everything you are saying it sounds like you are behind the t-mobile NAT.   If you are not being given an IPv6 address already, you probably cant request it, they probably are not complete setting it up in your area...     I would at least ask them if you could receive a static public accessible IP, it may cost you a bit more per month if they even offer it, In the US some carriers do offer the option.        

 

The reason they do this on cellular networks is that 99% of their customer base was cell phones (in years past) most people would never want or need an inbound connection to their cell phone, plus with the "IPv4 shortage" imagine if every cell phone in the world had it's own IP address, how many more IP's would be eaten up by cell companies.

 

You can always ask for a static IP first, if they don't do that, and the service is good otherwise, or you don't want/cant change ISP's i would look into a fast VPN service and just keep your emby server connected to that VPN at all times.  Some home routers will even auto connect to some VPN services, so no intervention from you.   THIS is the vpn service I use, its not the cheapest, but its a great service, you probably have cheper closer places near you..  You may have to do some googleing.

 

Sorry It couldn't be better news buddy.....

 

I just noticed you said you can remote desktop into your server from the outside.. Is that using actual microsoft remote desktop or something like team viewer?   RDP using team viewer (or similar) is handled a bit differently, team viewer on your server actually originates from your server out to their servers, and maintains a connection until your client connects to their servers then a two way stream happens.  So no firewall ports need to be open, because it was originated from your PC.   BUT if you do have Microsoft RDP access, opened ports on your firewall and that IS working, there may be hope!   

Edited August 6, 2016 by pir8radio

[Maphuse 1]

You can always ask for a static IP first, if they don't do that, and the service is good otherwise, or you don't want/cant change ISP's i would look into a fast VPN service and just keep your emby server connected to that VPN at all times.  Some home routers will even auto connect to some VPN services, so no intervention from you.   THIS is the vpn service I use, its not the cheapest, but its a great service, you probably have cheper closer places near you..  You may have to do some googleing.

 

So I actually have access to a number of VPN's at my disposal, but I'm not sure if they offer what I need here. Do you mean that I could turn on the VPN on my server and mobile and then connect them "locally" to each other?

 

I've just tried that with my university's VPN to no avail. Emby connect shows the server, but doesn't connect. Same in the mobile browser if I enter the ip address I can see in ipconfig on my server. Two things as to why this might not work: Apparently using my uni's VPN gives me an ipv6 address only. So that's the one I used to try and access the server (with []-brackets around the ip address). Is that a useful hint? Second, I remember our IT guy telling me something about different subnets at the university, which makes it difficult for devices to connect via VPN, even if they are all in the university's network.

 

I'll try another VPN later, but maybe you have some comments on this. Am I even doing it right?

[pir8radio 1312]

No, you just need a single VPN from your emby server to the internet, that allows inbound connections.  Think of this VPN as a second internet provider, except this second provider doesn't block stuff.    

 

People usually use this type of VPN to mask their location, or hide their internet activities.   You are basically using someone else's internet connection where ever the VPN server is located, US, UK, AU.....   Hope that makes sense...

[Maphuse 1]

I'm not sure I understand... Which IP address would I use to connect to my server in that case? And how do I know if my VPN accepts inbound connections?

 

BTW, the remote desktop applications that I use are teamviewer, chrome remote desktop and splashtop.

[pir8radio 1312]

I'm not sure I understand... Which IP address would I use to connect to my server in that case? And how do I know if my VPN accepts inbound connections?

 

BTW, the remote desktop applications that I use are teamviewer, chrome remote desktop and splashtop.

 

Yea all of those remote desktop connections originate from your pc, establish a connection to their servers, then you remotely connect to their server...  Its hard to block those outbound connections which is why they work. 

 

You have to do some digging to see what VPN service allows inbound connections.  Here are a "Top 10" vpn provider list: https://www.top10vpn.com/compare/?bsid=c0se1kw060&gclid=CMfD2rHzr84CFUKVGwod7hsDmQ

 

Once connected to the VPN service, you can go to http://www.whatsmyip.org/ and it will show you your new public IP that is running through the VPN service.

 

Here is my normal ISP IP:

 

Here is after I have connected to a VPN in Switzerland:

Edited August 7, 2016 by pir8radio

[Maphuse 1]

I understand the principle and common use of VPNs, but I wasn't aware that they could be used as a solution to obtain a static IP. I was always under the impression that they own a pool of IPs and give you whatever they have free at the moment when you connect, making a static IP unviable. Just for the heck of it, I've tried to scan the ports of the two VPN services I have, but there doesn't seem to be anything open - it would probably be a security vulnerability for them, especially the university VPN. I think the service you linked above is more sophisticated/user oriented.

 

FWIW, I've managed to find another very easy fix for this: I just had to change my APN (to business.gprsinternet) and bam, static IP. 

 

Thanks for all your helpful comments - I've learned a lot here and in the end even managed to fix my problem.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Maphuse

[pir8radio 1312]

 

FWIW, I've managed to find another very easy fix for this: I just had to change my APN (to business.gprsinternet) and bam, static IP. 

 

Thanks for all your helpful comments - I've learned a lot here and in the end even managed to fix my problem.

 

 

As you said, its not static, you would use dyndns or something with it...  That solution is more for people who don't have an option like you found.

 

Good Job by the way!

Edited August 8, 2016 by pir8radio