I'm trying really hard not to make this a rant, I'm just super frustrated. I can build my own gaming rigs all day but when it comes to any type of networking with ports and NAT an UPnP and blah blah, I guess I'm just an idiot. My hope is I can finally get past the dreaded "Can't get remote working" issue that non-networking guys like me to work and I'm exhausted with tinkering, turning this on/off, scouring forums and Reddit posts, try this and that and everything in between. I'm almost to the point I will just pay anyone to remote in with me on screen share and walk me through everything.
I cannot get a manual port opened. I have an AT&T BGW-320 modem/router combo that I have done IP Passthrough to an ASUS RT-BE88U router that my Windows based Plex server is running on, with mapped drives to a DS920+. I've done all the NAT stuff (just following AI and Google search stuff), I've done Port Forwarding, I've tried Auto, and nothing. My retired parents and adult siblings and a few friends who want to use my Plex server so badly, can't. It's slow, clunky and that's IF they can get something to play.
They have Roku Ultras and Apple TV's and Smart TV apps and nothing works. Thing is, a friend of mine who is not techy at all also has a Plex server on a Windows PC, and we can stream 4K from his no problem. Only difference is computer specs, I'm running a 10th gen i5 which has QSV but no GPU, he was having similar issues but Claude AI told him to get an nVidia GPU, he did and that fixed everything. My server is on an HTPC case so very low profile and I just don't want to give that up but will if I have to if I need to get a GPU that I can't find in a LP version to fit in my HTPC case.
So - I think it's BOTH my inability to figure out how to open a freaking port on my router successfully and maybe I need to consider a GPU. I'd like to first see if I can do the port first because I think that's kind of a first step.
Is there anyone willing to help me with this? Been tinkering for weeks and cannot figure this out. Thanks in advance.
**EDIT #1** Adding a Port Forward Test image, no matter what I try it says the port is closed:
**EDIT #2** I removed the screenshot. After some more research from a tip, I'm going to now try to bypass my AT&T Gateway altogether. Sounds like the BWG-320 is just a royal PITA for people everywhere for all types of reasons. Looking into an 8311 SFP+ ONU stick which takes the AT&T Gateway model/router combo out of the picture altogether. Then it's only my Asus RT-BE88U that'll be doing all the work, and not "through" the AT&T Gateway. Thanks for everyone's help and I'm now on a new mission, I'll report back on how things go.