Plex server thinks all connections are remote

[#1]

I set up a plex server about 2 weeks ago and initially had trouble with it thinking my smart TV was trying to access the server remotely. I managed to fix that by changing the DNS address on the TV, but yesterday out of nowhere the problem came back. Now I can't access the server at all on my phone, and the TV says it is remote again.

I've tried changing the DNS settings on my router to Cloudflare, but that hasn't fixed it. Can anyone suggest what might be causing this problem and how I fix it?

[#2]

If the TV is set to DHCP what does it get as DNS servers?

I suspect the router would relay DNS and might be aware if your plex server.

Alternatively can you reserve an IP address for the plex server on the router and use that address rather than a name?

[#3]

When I first had this issue I switched the TV DNS over to 1.1.1.1, and that fixed it for about a week and a half. Since it broke again, I've tried using the normal DNS settings, then back to 1.1.1.1, then cloudflare, then changing my router DNS, etc etc. Nothing fixes it. I think it's a router issue because I could access the server on my phone before, but now I can't do that at all, the server just reads as offline even though my phone's on the same wifi.

How would I reserve an IP address for the server on the router? I haven't tried that, I'm not great at tech stuff 

[#4]

Is your Plex set up using docker or as an app on the server?

[#5]

It's an app on the server, I am not good enough at computers to know what a docker is!

[#6]

what are the ip addresses of the server and tv?

[#7]

Server is 192.168.1.179
TV is 192.168.1.206
My VPN shows up as an unknown adapter when I use ipconfig but I have it deactivated so I don't think that's what's causing the problem?

[#8]

if the VPN is deactivated, then it shouldn’t be causing the problem.

Try disabling relay and remote access on your PMS.

[#9]

Wow, that worked!! Why did turning off relay fix it? Ive been struggling with this for days, thank you so much!!

[#10 · Accepted solution]

Relay is there if the plex app think it's trying to connect remotely and can't access the server directly.
If you switch if off then it won't try to connect through Plex's servers.
As you don't have a Plex pass you can't use Plex outside of your home network so switching it off has no effect.

[#11]

You are a lifesaver. I will add this to the list of things to check next time this happens!! Thank you so much 🤩

[#12]

No problem.
It won't happen again as long as you don't switch it on again lol.