Okay, thanks @mike27oct 
Another idea: see if you can completely delete the PLEX app and all associated folders and files for it from your My Cloud. Then, reboot your MC, and try installing PLEX again.
But Mike, out of doing it with that kind of approach, I may lose a lot of meta data gathered already from my collections wouldn’t it, and need to redo it all over again.
You mean PLEX metadata, right? Well, that could easily be replaced; its not like removing “real media data” from your hard drives or NAS. So, let the PLEX get your metadata data again while you sleep. This may be the only way to set things right, who knows, but hey, it’s your call.
True mike, I might as well do that. Btw, which Media Server do you use on your WD-Nas at home?
OK, Gerry, I know why you ask me this, since I said I have PLEX installed on my NAS but don’t like it and never use it. Here’s why I don’t need it.
The WD NAS devices all have a built-in Media Server for DLNA streaming called Twonky Server. You will see it referenced in the Dashboard Settings menus. .So, if I want to stream via DLNA say, music or video, I can do so.
I use a WDTV media player to access and play my media on TV, for this example, videos, from my network, and it can access files either from the NAS or even drives in, or connected to, computers, or drives connected to the WDTV itself.
Most devices (and mobile apps) can only access Media server DLNA-type files streamed to them (e.g. a Smart TV) or from network shared devices like drives, but not usually both, But the WDTV is different, it can do both. In addition, the WD NAS is neither solely a Media server nor a shared device – it is also both; a Media server, and a network shared device. BTW, some mobile apps can only access network shares. Very few can do both.
Why the distinction and why one way over the other? Because, a Media server cannot play any files that are not actual media files. So, if all my movies are from my DVDs I have ripped, they are in ISO file format with the movie and all the other disc features as on a DVD. An ISO file is not a media file, although it has a full length DVD movie on it. An ISO file is a “disc image” file that a device like the WDTV can “pull” from a shared device and play it like it was an actual DVD. Media Servers on the other hand cannot do this, so they “push” playable media to devices like Smart TVs. This is a nutshell explanation of the diffs between servers and shares.
There are other limitations with playing music via the two formats. Media servers, for the most part will stream a complete album with tracks in alphabetical order, whereas played from a shared source the tracks are played in track order. One thing a media server can do is play from playlists, but trying to them from shared devices can’t be done.
So, back to PLEX, it is a different sort of Media Server, it incorporates lots of graphic clutter I dislike, because all I need is a quick list of files to choose from, whereas PLEX loads things up with cover art, movie descriptions and the other gobbledygook. All this extra stuff greatly slows down selecting media to play, and I don’t need that. I just want to watch my movie!
Now, I think I remember you saying you have an Apple TV, and in many ways it is like a WDTV, I believe. I remember having my wireless drive along with mp4 movies on it (for playing on our iPads) during a trip to visit my daughter, and I started up the wireless drive, she connected her Apple TV to the wireless drive Wi-Fi instead of her home Wi-Fi, and we streamed a movie from my drive to her Apple TV to the TV and watched it. I would not be surprised if you cannot do the same from your NAS. So, in this case, you don’t need PLEX either…
Before you go adding more stuff to deal with, you need to better understand the stuff you have at hand.
And, just in case you now think you want a WDTV, you need to know they are becoming extinct in US since there have not been any produced for sale in way over a year. But, last week a guy from New Zealand asked at forum about them, said he wanted one, I told him good luck finding one, but he did, because of where he lives, he located a new one made for the AU/NZ market and got it up and running later that day. You could also be this lucky finding one because of where you live. I am sure there are WDTVs made for your area of the world. It would likely cost you around a little over $100 US. The last model made is called the “WD TV Media Player”. There is a user forum for it here.
ALL FOR NOW!
Hi @mike27oct, pardon for couldn’t get back to this any earlier than this, been out of the city limit for the past week. But woow, that’s one full-fledge explanation you’re sharing with me. Thank you very much, that was so detailed and well-perspective. I might do a bit of a research on the device myself. Really, thank you @mike27oct.
Rgds,
G
Hi Gerry,
I was just shutting down the PC and saw the message from you. I just re-read my message to you; yea, it was a long and detailed one. Where do I find time to write all this stuff! Anyway, it will give you plenty to think about and understand. o, see if your Apple TV can do some of the tricks I mentioned. It really is too bad that WD appears to be leaving the media player business. They are leaving a big hole if they really do, and a lot of people are disappointed if they do. Just tonight we watched a movie playing from it.
I was also up late playing with my new toys from Amazon. Perhaps you have heard of the Amazon Echo. It is still only available in the US for over a year now, but there would be high demand for the product worldwide, so I wonder when Amazon will make country-specific ones.
Anyway, we have had the Echo for about a year and a half, and this past week Amazon released two new kinds of Echo products called the Echo Dot and the Amazon Tap. The Tap is portable and the Dot is like a satellite unit. I really like the portable Tap, and that is what I was playing with before heading off to bed. If you are curious of these new hi-tech gadgets, you can read about them at the US amazon.com site.
Hi Gerry + Mike,
I am having the same problems as the first post; Cannot configure Plex Media Server on my WDMyCloudEX2 - NAS & Devices - Plex Forum
Do you have any idea on how to fix this issue yet?
TheBroook
Yeach @mike27oct an Apple TV manages do the trick, though the thing about it, Apple still haven’t yet decided to go ahead with a 4K resolution output, instead they’re still with 1080p up till this very moment. I bought this device while ago back in Atlanta, due Apple hasn’t yet officially released them in local Indonesian market. And I did what you’ve told me earlier on upgrading my networking instruments, nowadays I’m on ethernet gigabit cable and switch, but just found out the Apple ethernet card only supporting the 10/100, and not yet the 10/100/1000.
Okay, shall check that one too, but have you ever used Roku 4? It looks promising as they provide a 4K output, mind checking them out? Roku
Thanks @mike27oct
Hey @TheBroook
I think I might have solved the problem, basically I’m on 2 router/wifi in my home network. And Plex required only one router/wifi with NAT enabled, while the other wifi/router needed to be off for the NAT feature. You might want to check you router settings. If any router you’re using has the NAT feature, you might want to enable it. But if you’re using two wifi/router within the same network, you might want to disable one of them instead, so there wouldn’t be any conflict within the home network.
Let me know your progress.
-G
Hey Gerry,
I only have the single router, which doesn’t have a NAT feature. I have opened the correct ports on my network though, so I am unsure what the issue is. I’ve tried everything in the thread, and still nothing.
TheBroook
TheBroook
I will defer all the helping on this to Gerry; he became quite familiar will all this as he figured it out with his system. I have a different My Cloud, and PLEX “just worked” on mine and I had no problems to solve like Gerry did, although I did through a few suggests at Gerry, and questioned the two routers being used. Seems he got that resolved.
Mike
I just tried putting the IP address of my WDMyCloudEX2 as a DMZ server on my router - this hasn’t resolved the issue neither.
Hey @TheBroook,
It is very unlikely for a single wifi/router not to have a NAT feature as a part of their module, otherwise your ISP wouldn’t be able to route you to their networks or even assigned you with an external IP address. And a minor revision to my previous post, I’m currently on 3 wifi/routers on my home network, and I’ve checked each one of them has all the NAT feature as a part of their modules.
NAT is like a DHCP for the WLAN or the LAN, but instead it’s for the WAN part, it’s a way for your ISP to communicate with your router. You might want to try to check with your ISP else download the official documentation for your WiFi/Router. But as in your case, ever since you only have a single wifi/router in your home network, you might want to enable that part.
And regarding with the port issues, by the very nature of the Plex application, it’d open port 32400, without bothering you to define them in your router, and it might be best to leave them that way. Are you behind any certain Firewall both from your Operating System or your router? You might want to try to disable them and see which setting might work for the case.
Let me know your updates on this.
And as as for @mike27oct, you’ve been very helpful my friend
Thanks,
G
Hi Gerry,
Its interesting, as the issue has only happened recently. I’ve had my EX2 for a while now, and update Plex frequently (by removing/adding the app) with no issues. I’ve not made any changes to my router, nor have the ISP.
My router is a Sky Hub, and its locked down quite heavily… Maybe I should liaise with the ISP and see if they have any input on it… I am just confused as to why this issue has occured all of the sudden…
Thanks for your help guys.
TheBroook
OK Gerry, back to our Apple TV and now, added, Roku 4 questions:
So did this discussion encourage you to stream to your Apple TV from you NAS for the first time, or had you already done that?
I am surprised the Apple TV is only 10/100, is this the most current model of this past fall you have? No matter, the WDTV is only 10/100, too, and can receive and stream movie files just fine via my wired network… There is plenty of bandwidth for that. But, if you are streaming to it wirelessly, Appl has dual N band on it mobile devices las far back as the first iPad; maybe soon with earlier iPhones.
Roku: I bought the first Roku from Roku, the week it was released, and have upgraded a few times over the years. I stopped getting new models when the upgrade was marginal, and I stopped with the Roku 2. This Xmas my daughter said she needed a second Roku and she got one. So, I looked into the model 3 and new 4. The 4 was overkill for her needs so she got the model 3. So, since I have looked into the 4, yes, I can recommend that for you. It’s more likely used for the newest home video cameras I would suspect, and not for commercial movies yet; I just haven’t looked into the home video cameras for a long time, so don’t know much about this currently.
Mike
I did this approach too, didn’t work out for me as well.
Yeach, mine was something the similar too. It was all fine, until it randomly had a conflict within the home network system.
Meaning, you can not access its interface?
Is the router is the same time acting as the modem? Cause if it is, that was actually my main problem too, until I removed the EX2 Ultra and plugged them to the secondary or the third router instead, and even better, since I’ve invested in a gigabit ethernet, I simply plugged them there.
-G
Hi @mike27oct,
Done it already mike, for streaming a 1080p quality, both on a wired or wireless connectivity, it works fine. But once I’m trying to stream a 4K one, it’s rather stuttering.
I have the latest Apple TV, the second generation. For some reasons, Apple decided not to include the 4K yet. That’s why I came across the fact that Roku-4 is capable to stream 4K quality movies.
That’s true, there aren’t much 4K quality movies around just yet, but I wish to become an early adopter and observing the technology. Ahh, just came across this too, UBD-K8500 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player Home Theater - UBD-K8500/ZA | Samsung US might be more appropriate just to get a player one instead of a STB, wouldn’t you think?
-G
