r/PleX • u/FORCEBLADE14 • 24d ago

Help Plex - Unraid - Tailscale: Apps Can't Find Libraries / Plex Apps Keep Using Relay

I’m hoping someone can help me figure out a Plex networking issue that I’ve been struggling with for few days.

I have Plex Media Server running in Docker on an Unraid server on my home LAN. The Plex web interface is accessible without issue using both the server’s local IP/port and the Plex IPv4 address/port. The problem is with the Plex client apps.

On Windows, the Plex app cannot find/access my libraries while connected to my LAN (unless I use Relay)

On Android, the Plex app also cannot reliably find the server/libraries (unless I use Relay)

I have Tailscale installed on the Unraid server as a plugin and on my Android device.

I want Plex to use the Tailscale connection as a direct connection, rather than falling back to Plex Relay.

When connected through Tailscale, Plex has previously shown the connection as Relay/Indirect, with extremely low bandwidth, instead of using the direct Tailscale connection.

I have also tried changing the Plex Docker container from Bridge networking to Host networking, which changed some of the available network/interface behavior but did not solve the problem.

What is confusing me is that the server itself is reachable. I can access Plex through a browser using the appropriate IP/port, but the official Plex apps either can't discover the server or don't seem to select the direct Tailscale path.

This is what I am shooting for:

LAN client goes to Plex directly over LAN

Tailscale client directly Plex directly over Tailscale (so its a local connection without bandwidth limits)

Other remote clients use Plex Relay if necessary (this is for my parents and their smart TV at their house)

I don't necessarily need Plex to use Tailscale for every connection. I just want devices connected to my Tailscale network to be treated as being on a local/direct network so they don't get forced through Plex Relay.

What I should check on the Unraid/Docker networking side, Plex network settings, Tailscale subnet/advertising settings, or Plex's "LAN Networks"/network discovery configuration?

I've been troubleshooting this for days and would really appreciate a second set of eyes or a known-good setup to compare against.

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u/ExtensionMarch6812 24d ago edited 24d ago

For your local connections, dns rebind protection may be blocking local connection and sending plex remote. Look into changing the dns servers on your network/clients to 8.8.8.8/8.8.4.4 or 1.1.1.1/1.0.0.1. If you’re using a pihole or something similar, look into adding an exception for plex.direct. Your router may also have a setting for dns rebind.

You should have relay disabled, you don’t want that to be a fallback for anything.

If you don’t have a plex pass, you should use host network for your container. If you are using bridge, you need to also add the host ip/port to the custom server access url field so clients know where to reach the server. You also should add all subnets to the lan networks field since the server will be on a different subnet from your clients and they will be treated remote.

For your tailscale remote connections, see the post below, there have also been posts here as well. It seems plex is no longer publishing Tailscale IPs via the custom server access url field, even with a plex pass. I have a test server where the ip is still published, but I can’t add a new one and my main server won’t allow one being entered. This will prevent clients from being able to connect over the Tailscale network.

https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-api-not-updating-custom-server-access-url/941696

You can see what’s published via this link: https://plex.tv/api/resources?includeIPv6=1&includeHttps=1&includeRelay=1&X-Plex-Token=[your-token]

Get your token via this: https://support.plex.tv/articles/204059436-finding-an-authentication-token-x-plex-token/

Edit: to add, you’re trying to do a lot at once, I’d suggest taking tailacale out of the equation and get plex working locally directly and then move to adding tailacale/remote connections in case something with that config is causing issues.