Hi Everyone !
Hope this thread is in the correct location
.
Been having an issue where my plex server stopped working ( remote connections ) a few months ago.
The server works fine over the LAN to all local devices.
Previously, I had it working for many months with no problems. Port forward was set up ( rather than UPNP ) and working perfectly.
(Reserve IP and all that typical setup was also done and is working).
I tried troubleshooting my network for months now, and after giving up, I happened to find an article stating that Home Connect ( My ISP ) was bought out by Afrihost.
I then found a thread that explained that the Home Connect network was adopted into the Afrihost network, and that the method they used caused some (or maybe all?) Home Connect customers to be put into a CGNAT / DoubleNAT situation.
So I pretty much have the following questions:
1. Is it possible to get my plex server to work from my side without needing to ask Home Connect to do any configurations ?
1.1 a friend of mine told me he had to set up something called a DMZ to fix his connection ? (Same ISP and server issue, although he has a completely different ONT / router setup).
2. If not, what must I request Home Connect / Afrihost to do, so I can get my server reachable again ?
2.1 Some forums suggest asking the ISP to allow bridge-mode, some suggest to ask the ISP to manually setup a port-forward rule.
2.2 I have read in some forums that apparently you need to pay your ISP in some situations to get your public IP reserved to make this work long-term? Although I never had issues with reaching the server when using Home Connect.
3. If its too much hassle to get working through Home Connect, is the next best option to simply move to a different ISP ?
3.1 Would moving from Home Connect to Afrihost be less painful due to the merger, and also fix the Double NAT issue at the same time?
It would be pretty lame if I had to be forced to move ISPs, as I have never had any major issues with Home Connect since getting fiber installed approx. 4years ago.
The only time I had any 'issues' was when the move-over happened and since then, my international ping to EUW servers went from +- 143 to about 168 now. Honestly I don't mind this at all and its not work changing ISP for this minor issue alone.
PS: If at all possible, is there anyway to get the old routing back so my ping to EUW servers could be improved again ? Just asking out of interest sake though. Maybe WTFast or a similar service ?
PPS: I also sent an email / support message to Home Connect on their website asking about getting my network out of a DoubleNAT / CGNAT. The next day my office at home received a call from a support person and because I was not there to talk to them, they closed the ticket. According to the person who answered the phone in the office, the support agent did not know what CGNAT or doubleNAT was - but to be fair the office person that spoke to them do not know what the call was about. ( Reference Number: S240620056 )
My setup:
Fiber Network: Vumatel
ISP: Home Connect ( 200/200 Uncapped)
ONT: Vumatel Raycore
Router: Edgerouter X
Wifi / APs: TL-EAP 245
Thanks for your time !
Jaco L
Update 1:
Got a call from HomeConnect. They provided me with static IP settings, which I configured on the EdgeRouterX using the following guide
Guide: https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/204975244-EdgeRouter-Configuring-Public-Static-IP-Addresses
The static IP is formatted: 100.xx.xx.xx/22
Subnet Mask is: 255.255.xxx.x
I also received and input the Primary and Secondary DNS, as well as Default Gateway.
The EdgerouterX GUI shows my public / internet IP as the static IP - 100.xx.xx.xx/22
WhatismyIP website shows my public IP as - 102.xxx.xx.xxx
After setup and a quick reboot of the router and ONT, the internet was back online. Unfortunately the problem isnt solved yet.
I`m completely outside my field of expertise configuring all this, but I'm pretty sure its all input correctly.
Interestingly though, the websites from whatismyIP still shows the old pubic IP, namely the 102.xxx.xx.xxx IP.
Testing if the ports are open don't show any response from either the public IPs.
Would anyone be able to tell me if that points an issue on my router side or outside my network side ?
Update2: Troubleshooting
Purely for troubleshooting purposes, I swapped out my EdgeRouterX for an Asus RX-55.
The RX-55 has a very simple setup process for the static IP option. Also updated the plex server IP to a new static address. Added new portforward rule to the asus router, for the new Plex Server IP.
Its been about 1 hour and the public IP (whatismyIP) is still the 102.x IP, eventhough the static IP has been used in the initial setup of the router, and the ports are all still closed when testing either of them as the public IP.
My best guess would be that Ill have to ask my ISP to troubleshoot from their side why no ports are open.
Update 3: Its working !
Pretty much came down to the settings provided from Home Connect were incorrect.
The Static IP 100.x will aparantly ALWAYS be double NAT, so would never have worked from the start.
Got on the phone with Afrihost this morning, told them my situation, they advised the IP is the problem and they were correct.
I phoned HomeConnect, spoke a different technician and received new IP settings to use.
All in all about 20 minutes total I had the internet back up and everything tested and confirmed working.
Biggest drawback is that I have no choice but to pay for the static public IP
Thanks to everyone that commented advice
- JL
Hope this thread is in the correct location
Been having an issue where my plex server stopped working ( remote connections ) a few months ago.
The server works fine over the LAN to all local devices.
Previously, I had it working for many months with no problems. Port forward was set up ( rather than UPNP ) and working perfectly.
(Reserve IP and all that typical setup was also done and is working).
I tried troubleshooting my network for months now, and after giving up, I happened to find an article stating that Home Connect ( My ISP ) was bought out by Afrihost.
I then found a thread that explained that the Home Connect network was adopted into the Afrihost network, and that the method they used caused some (or maybe all?) Home Connect customers to be put into a CGNAT / DoubleNAT situation.
So I pretty much have the following questions:
1. Is it possible to get my plex server to work from my side without needing to ask Home Connect to do any configurations ?
1.1 a friend of mine told me he had to set up something called a DMZ to fix his connection ? (Same ISP and server issue, although he has a completely different ONT / router setup).
2. If not, what must I request Home Connect / Afrihost to do, so I can get my server reachable again ?
2.1 Some forums suggest asking the ISP to allow bridge-mode, some suggest to ask the ISP to manually setup a port-forward rule.
2.2 I have read in some forums that apparently you need to pay your ISP in some situations to get your public IP reserved to make this work long-term? Although I never had issues with reaching the server when using Home Connect.
3. If its too much hassle to get working through Home Connect, is the next best option to simply move to a different ISP ?
3.1 Would moving from Home Connect to Afrihost be less painful due to the merger, and also fix the Double NAT issue at the same time?
It would be pretty lame if I had to be forced to move ISPs, as I have never had any major issues with Home Connect since getting fiber installed approx. 4years ago.
The only time I had any 'issues' was when the move-over happened and since then, my international ping to EUW servers went from +- 143 to about 168 now. Honestly I don't mind this at all and its not work changing ISP for this minor issue alone.
PS: If at all possible, is there anyway to get the old routing back so my ping to EUW servers could be improved again ? Just asking out of interest sake though. Maybe WTFast or a similar service ?
PPS: I also sent an email / support message to Home Connect on their website asking about getting my network out of a DoubleNAT / CGNAT. The next day my office at home received a call from a support person and because I was not there to talk to them, they closed the ticket. According to the person who answered the phone in the office, the support agent did not know what CGNAT or doubleNAT was - but to be fair the office person that spoke to them do not know what the call was about. ( Reference Number: S240620056 )
My setup:
Fiber Network: Vumatel
ISP: Home Connect ( 200/200 Uncapped)
ONT: Vumatel Raycore
Router: Edgerouter X
Wifi / APs: TL-EAP 245
Thanks for your time !
Jaco L
Update 1:
Got a call from HomeConnect. They provided me with static IP settings, which I configured on the EdgeRouterX using the following guide
Guide: https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/204975244-EdgeRouter-Configuring-Public-Static-IP-Addresses
The static IP is formatted: 100.xx.xx.xx/22
Subnet Mask is: 255.255.xxx.x
I also received and input the Primary and Secondary DNS, as well as Default Gateway.
The EdgerouterX GUI shows my public / internet IP as the static IP - 100.xx.xx.xx/22
WhatismyIP website shows my public IP as - 102.xxx.xx.xxx
After setup and a quick reboot of the router and ONT, the internet was back online. Unfortunately the problem isnt solved yet.
I`m completely outside my field of expertise configuring all this, but I'm pretty sure its all input correctly.
Interestingly though, the websites from whatismyIP still shows the old pubic IP, namely the 102.xxx.xx.xxx IP.
Testing if the ports are open don't show any response from either the public IPs.
Would anyone be able to tell me if that points an issue on my router side or outside my network side ?
Update2: Troubleshooting
Purely for troubleshooting purposes, I swapped out my EdgeRouterX for an Asus RX-55.
The RX-55 has a very simple setup process for the static IP option. Also updated the plex server IP to a new static address. Added new portforward rule to the asus router, for the new Plex Server IP.
Its been about 1 hour and the public IP (whatismyIP) is still the 102.x IP, eventhough the static IP has been used in the initial setup of the router, and the ports are all still closed when testing either of them as the public IP.
My best guess would be that Ill have to ask my ISP to troubleshoot from their side why no ports are open.
Update 3: Its working !
Pretty much came down to the settings provided from Home Connect were incorrect.
The Static IP 100.x will aparantly ALWAYS be double NAT, so would never have worked from the start.
Got on the phone with Afrihost this morning, told them my situation, they advised the IP is the problem and they were correct.
I phoned HomeConnect, spoke a different technician and received new IP settings to use.
All in all about 20 minutes total I had the internet back up and everything tested and confirmed working.
Biggest drawback is that I have no choice but to pay for the static public IP
Thanks to everyone that commented advice
- JL
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