Plex and Public IP address issue

[Fortgreen7]

Hi

I have recently joined EE. I was previously with Virgin.

My issue started a couple of weeks in joining EE and keeps happening every 2 weeks or so not sure on exact times but there abouts.

I use plex to access my Media remotely which works usually fine, but each couple of weeks I lose my connection remotely which means I cannot access my media content out and about.

The thing that resolves my issue is a restart of router. So I'm thinking is it to do with DHCP renewing my public IP address?  Never had this issue with virgin and all settings are the same I.e port forwarding.

Has anyone had this issue or know the reason as to why this keeps happening every couple of weeks.

Thanks

[Fortgreen7]

Thankyou for this info.

If EE change public IPs often, is there a way to get one static?? 

[Mustrum]

EE does not offer the option of a static IP.

[XRaySpeX]

Move to PN. They do static IP for £5 one-off last I heard.

[Fortgreen7]

Just a follow up from this original post.

I'm still not further on in terms of sorted this issue. 

My reason for posting is this. 

In event viewer the following message corresponds to this particular error I keep getting regarding my dns server that knocks my media server off and I have to manually restart router each time to get it back working again.

EVENT VIWER MESSAGE

"Name resolution for the name" My Media Server" timed out after none of the Configured DNS servers responded.

This used to happen around a fortnight but sometimes it happens much more frequently. 

Is there anybody that could provide a solution other than moving providers as I'm tied into EE for a while at moment. 

I have tried setting up a DDNS but failed to work. I tried swapping my static DNS servers for my static IP I've created as I need it for port forwarding. 

If this is souly an EE techinal issue then I will just have to see out my Contract and put up with restarting my router each time it happens, but as I said previously in my original message, I had talktalk and virgin before and never had this issue, so I'm 100% sure it's something EE do

Thanks

[mikeliuk]

Hi @Fortgreen7 ,

From your report here, it sounds like something is failing as it cannot resolve a domain name.

Assuming your media server is attempting to resolve the domain name, you can try configuring a different DNS that won't fall over, or the server may allow you to statically specify some IPs so that name resolution could be avoided.

DDNS pertains to enabling a public lookup of your router WAN IP so is unlikely to be related to a DNS lookup failing for a server inside your LAN.

[Mustrum]

@Fortgreen7  you have not answered the basic questions that were asked when you first posted - how are you accessing the server when remote? 

There may have been a couple of red herrings, static/dynamic IP's and DDNS.

APPS such as HIVE, Philips Hue and HP use neither of the above, and yet they can still be accessed remotely.

It would be worth finding out how your server is accessed and is meant to communicate.

[Fortgreen7]

Thankyou for your reply

I access my media server via an app. Certain devices with play via a "relay" which limits speeds and isn't convenient. If I try to access my media server on say a smart tv with app while this happens it won't work.

This happens each time EE switch the broadband ip address as I've recorded the IPs so I could clarify that was the issue. So seems to be EEs dynamic ip addresses that changes every so often. 

Is there a way around this? If say EE upgrade there firmware each fortnight or update anything for that matter and it changes the broadband ip address, is there a possibility of buying anew router whereby the address wpuld stay static like my previous ISPs? Maybe a silly question. 

[XRaySpeX]

The only way round a changing dynamic public is with a DDNS. The public IP may change any time the router resyncs. Not just firmware updates which are rare anyway.

[Slowping]

@Fortgreen7 I had a similar problem with my internal email servers after moving to EE from Virgin, move due to house move.

I had to use DDNS in the end as I have multiple domains it was not an issue when using DNS to access the server.

I am assuming your having a similar problem but not using a domain may be the reason as this points to my conclusion: "Name resolution for the name" My Media Server" timed out after none of the Configured DNS servers responded 

I would suggest that if you own a domain create a record for it and get DDNS to handle the requests

[Slowping]

@Mustrum you are correct in what you say about Hive etc, however Plex does not work on an external server/client relationship as does the ones mentioned hence this is not a problem for them.

Unless @Fortgreen7 is using the Plex cloud solution then their server is within their home so as you say will not work unless DDNS is employed or a static IP which as we know EE does not provide.