Confused how Emby login works

[lordlance 2]

I am very confused at how Emby's logins work. Is Emby connect supposed to allow connecting to an Emby server from anywhere in the world? Is Emby connect supposed to directly log into a server or would it just show a list of servers that are associated with that account?

[Carlo 4561]

Hi, Emby Connect is just a method to get to your server remotely if you've ALREADY setup the server for remote use. A lot of people don't use it but instead use a domain name or a DDNS name to access their server.  Here's a couple of links that should help you understand the process better.

https://emby.media/support/articles/Connectivity.html
https://emby.media/support/articles/Emby-Connect.html

Edited November 6, 2025 by GrimReaper
KB articles links updated

[pwhodges 2037]

Emby Connect acts like a directory.  It does not enable an Emby server to be visible to the outside world - that has to be done first. 

If you only have one Emby server, then using Connect to get to it provides no benefit (that I can see) over just connecting directly with that servER.

This article tells you how to get the external connection set up:

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44001849007-connectivity

Paul

[Luke 42272]

@lordlance has this helped?

[lordlance 2]

49 minutes ago, Luke said:

@lordlance has this helped?

So if I understand correctly: Since I have only 1 server, I don't need to obther with Emby Connect but if I had two, Connect would let me access them both simultaneously even though they are on different connections?

My port settings are set up correctly but my port is still not detected as being open which is strange. I need to contact my ISP.

I basically want to be able to stream my content flawlessly on any internet connection. The problem right now is that my server uses my Fibre connection and my TV uses the Wi-Fi so they are technically on different connections? I want to be able to listen to music on my phone when it's on mobile data.

[Carlo 4561]

Not simultaneously.  Emby Connect just makes it easier to choose the server to connect to for some people or devices. You could still setup each server with it's IP or domain name as well in most cases without Emby Connect.

[lordlance 2]

Just now, cayars said:

Not simultaneously.  Emby Connect just makes it easier to choose the server to connect to for some people or devices. You could still setup each server with it's IP or domain name as well in most cases without Emby Connect.

Yes I meant being able to select either one of them directly rather than having to manually type each time as would be the case otherwise, right?

[ebr 16348]

1 hour ago, lordlance said:

than having to manually type each time as would be the case otherwise, right?

No matter how you connect (manually or via Connect) once you've attached to a server it will be remembered for easy switching.  Connect just makes it so that the user never has to know the exact server address (and also a little easier with a remote control).

[lordlance 2]

On 12/27/2020 at 12:37 AM, ebr said:

No matter how you connect (manually or via Connect) once you've attached to a server it will be remembered for easy switching.  Connect just makes it so that the user never has to know the exact server address (and also a little easier with a remote control).

I talked with my ISP and he said that a port can only be forwarded if it works on the local PC itself. Emby's guide states that ports 8096 and 8920 should be open for it to be accessible on mobile data. I can open 8096 on my PC but not 8920. I can also see that 8096's port is open but not 8920.

What should I do next?

[blim5001 8]

I think, from what I found the other day is that you need a valid ssl certificate before emby will listen on the https port

[Carlo 4561]

8920 is the equivalent of port 443 for web use or https which as blim5001 mentions, require you setup Emby with a valid certificate for your domain (this is needed as well) so it can generate the encrypted data.

Emby will use 8920 if you have the cert in place and everything is setup or will fall back to using the non SSL port of 8096.

Hope this helps

[lordlance 2]

Just now, cayars said:

8920 is the equivalent of port 443 for web use or https which as blim5001 mentions, require you setup Emby with a valid certificate for your domain (this is needed as well) so it can generate the encrypted data.

Emby will use 8920 if you have the cert in place and everything is setup or will fall back to using the non SSL port of 8096.

Hope this helps

I don't understand networking. I just need to be able to use Emby on my mobile data and apparently that means 8096 and 8920 should be open. So am I ready to go? I don't have a domain.

[mastrmind11 722]

14 minutes ago, lordlance said:

I don't understand networking. I just need to be able to use Emby on my mobile data and apparently that means 8096 and 8920 should be open. So am I ready to go? I don't have a domain.

if just straight from your mobile device to your server, you'll only need 8096 open and forwarded.

[lordlance 2]

2 minutes ago, mastrmind11 said:

if just straight from your mobile device to your server, you'll only need 8096 open and forwarded.

Then what is 8920 for?

Also I could technically play music even without that port being open so what difference did opening 8096 do?

[Carlo 4561]

8096 is for NON encrypted content

8920 is for OPTIONAL encrypted content

Emby uses one or the other.

In your case, don't worry about 8920.

[lordlance 2]

7 minutes ago, cayars said:

8096 is for NON encrypted content

8920 is for OPTIONAL encrypted content

Emby uses one or the other.

In your case, don't worry about 8920.

So Emby can encrypt my files separately and if I need to see it on a non-local device I need 8920 open? How do I do the former?

Also can Emby work even without opening the port on my mobile device? Is opening the port merely for smoother performance?

[pwhodges 2037]

12 minutes ago, lordlance said:

So Emby can encrypt my files separately and if I need to see it on a non-local device I need 8920 open? How do I do the former?

Also can Emby work even without opening the port on my mobile device? Is opening the port merely for smoother performance?

Emby is not encrypting your files.  If you use port 8920 it will encrypt the transmission - this is like any other web site using https (the "s" stands for "secure").  But to do that it must have a certificate, and to get a certificate you need a domain name.  So you can either go without the secure transport (which is of little benefit for most users, I'd say), or learn enough about networking to set it up if you want it.

The client opens ports automatically.  It is your router and/or Windows firewall that needs to be told that incoming requests on your chosen port are allowed, which is the meaning of "opening" the port.  Opening the port is often combined with mapping it to a different port, so that, for instance, your client can request contact with the default port 80 (for unencrypted http), but your router can be told to pass that traffic to port 8096 on your Emby server - this saves you having to type ":8096" as part of the URL in the client, but typically only works outside your local network (unless you go further and have a proxy, which is a whole other kettle of fish).

Paul

[lordlance 2]

On 12/28/2020 at 10:49 PM, pwhodges said:

Emby is not encrypting your files.  If you use port 8920 it will encrypt the transmission - this is like any other web site using https (the "s" stands for "secure").  But to do that it must have a certificate, and to get a certificate you need a domain name.  So you can either go without the secure transport (which is of little benefit for most users, I'd say), or learn enough about networking to set it up if you want it.

The client opens ports automatically.  It is your router and/or Windows firewall that needs to be told that incoming requests on your chosen port are allowed, which is the meaning of "opening" the port.  Opening the port is often combined with mapping it to a different port, so that, for instance, your client can request contact with the default port 80 (for unencrypted http), but your router can be told to pass that traffic to port 8096 on your Emby server - this saves you having to type ":8096" as part of the URL in the client, but typically only works outside your local network (unless you go further and have a proxy, which is a whole other kettle of fish).

Paul

Wait so are you saying that I don't have to type 8096 on mobile data because the port is now open?

[Carlo 4561]

You still have to enter the port to use.  It's either the non secure port of 8096 or the SSL port of 8920.

[pwhodges 2037]

4 hours ago, lordlance said:

Wait so are you saying that I don't have to type 8096 on mobile data because the port is now open?

You can avoid typing the :8096 if you set up port forwarding in the router that will convert an incoming (default) :80 to :8096.  But this will only work for traffic that goes through the router; for local traffic you need to do things differently.

Paul

[lordlance 2]

10 hours ago, pwhodges said:

You can avoid typing the :8096 if you set up port forwarding in the router that will convert an incoming (default) :80 to :8096.  But this will only work for traffic that goes through the router; for local traffic you need to do things differently.

Paul

But router is local traffic, right? 

[pwhodges 2037]

Not usually, no - it is routing traffic between the outside and the inside of your network.

Now, if you try to access your server using your external address while inside your network, that request will go to your router - but whether your router is prepared to accept and pass on traffic for the external address when received internally (known as loopback or hairpinning) is a matter of design and/or settings, and you need to be more confident in your networking abilities to be able to check that out, I suspect.

Paul