Plex Media Server is a fantastic service for streaming your own media, be it music, movies, or TV shows. Like all technologies, there can be instances where Plex stops working in some way or another. Luckily, it’s easy to diagnose the problem and work through some suggested remedies to see if this addresses your issue. Here are a few common Plex NAS issues.
Suffering buffering
No one wants to sit around and wait for content to load. If you notice the Plex server is taking longer than usual to stream your favorite media, I’d recommend switching to a device that’s not on Wi-Fi to diagnose network problems. Also, check that there aren’t any updates available for the recipient device.
If you’re using a new TV or another device, make sure it supports the files you’re trying to stream. If your NAS enclosure isn’t the most powerful server around, you may encounter bottlenecks with the processor trying to transcode media.
Unable to connect to Plex
If you’re somehow unable to connect to your Plex Media Server, the issue may be with your network, especially if you’re able to connect locally but not from the outside world. Universal Plug and Plug (uPnP) can be enabled on your router to make this process easier, but I’d recommend reading through your router documentation and manually setting up your NAS for external access.
Configuring ports would require TCP 32400 to be allowed. Even the best NAS for Plex needs a solid connection to work flawlessly.
Possible Plex solutions
In order to fix common problems with Plex Media Server, I’ve compiled a list of steps you can take to not only address hiccups but also diagnose more serious problems.
Restart Plex Media Server
The first step you should take is to restart Plex Media Server. This can be carried out by logging into the admin UI of your NAS enclosure. If this doesn’t sort the problem out, you could try rebooting the NAS altogether.
Check for Plex updates
Plex regularly rolls out updates, some minor and others substantial with new features. There can be an instance where Plex running on your NAS may cease to function properly if you’re too out of date. Simply installing the latest version of Plex Media Server can sort everything out.
Here’s how to check for and install Plex updates:
- Log into the server web interface (http://SERVER-IP-ADDRESS:32400).
- Click the settings icon in the top-right corner.
- Choose the server tab. (The server should automatically check for updates and alert you if one is available.)
- Install a later version.
- Restart Plex Media Server.
Access logs to see what’s wrong
To understand what’s causing your Plex Media Server installation to go weird, it’s best to check the logs to see if anything was reported. Here’s how to check the Plex logs on your NAS:
- Log into the server web interface (http://SERVER-IP-ADDRESS:32400).
- Click the settings icon in the top-right corner.
- Choose the server tab.
- Select help.
- Click Download logs.
