New Router - Plex no longer working. Jail dataset created on a share?

[lucker#1]

Hey everyone!

I was finally lucky enough to live in a region, where VDSL2 recently became available. Therefore, since yesterday i am glad about 100MBit/40MBit instead of the previous ADSL2+/LTE Hybrid solution which gave me 20MBit/s at best. Since i no longer use a hybrid setup, my former router became obsolete and i went back to my Fritzbox 7490. Unfortunately, also the IP configuration changed and that's where my problems with Plex began (however i also updated the Plex plugin in Freenas to the most recent version 1.10.1.4602-amd64 without checking with the new configuration before). Anyway, I am no longer able to access my Freenas server.


I have changed the IP address of the jail to 192.168.1.10, so that it belongs to the same subnet as the router (which is 192.168.1.1). Previously it was 192.168.2.x.


However, when i went into the configuration of the Jail, i discovered that i had manually configured the ip to the 192.168.2.x subnet.


When trying to change it to 192.168.1.x, I am just seeing a red "Jail dataset created on a share" message. The same happens when selecting DHCP. In both cases the setting does not get saved and i am unable to access my Plex Server on Freenas.


My shares are SMB shares, but i really am completely lost on how to fix this. I have already read this thread https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/jail-dataset-created-on-a-share.47407/ - however it was not clear to me how exactly to proceed. I am pretty much a newbie in Freenas and Linux and i am happy when it just works.

Would selecting DHCP prevent this kind of issue in the future if i ever switched networks again?

I am looking forward to any help you can give me. Please make it specific so that i know what to click and where. ;) Thanks in advance!

 

[danb35]

Would selecting DHCP prevent this kind of issue in the future if i ever switched networks again?

No.

Can you post a screenshot of your Storage page? Edit: and Sharing -> Windows?

 

[Nick2253]

I think we're a little off base here with the problem. Your error with the master jail configuration shouldn't have any impact on what's going on here. The real issue is that Plex is unable to access your storage. Plex itself seems to be working fine. So, that bring us to: how is Plex configured to access the storage on FreeNAS? Does it connect to it via a share (which is what your screenshot implies)? Or does it connect directly (did you pass through the media storage to the jail)?

------------------

To your specific error message, I'm guessing you are sharing your jail dataset, and FreeNAS is complaining about that. Looking at your screenshots, it might be that you are sharing your root (don't do that). You can always make sub datasets if you really need.

Your settings for your master jail config are not correct. They are going to be in conflict with the rest of your network. Most likely you've got a DHCP server on your network, so I would simply check the "IPv4 DHCP" box and be done with it. If you want to use FreeNAS to control the dynamic IPs of your jails, then you need to make sure your jail DHCP range (start and end address) do not conflict with any IPs on your network, or any IPs given out by your network's DHCP server. The network range you've put in there covers 100% of the addressable space, so you are, without a doubt, conflicting with something.

 

[lucker#1]

No.

Can you post a screenshot of your Storage page? Edit: and Sharing -> Windows?

Sure. The Jails Storage page:


General Storage page:


Sharing->Windows:

 

[danb35]

The real issue is that Plex is unable to access your storage.

How do you reach that conclusion?

Looking at your screenshots, it might be that you are sharing your root

Yes, I think that's the case as well. Earlier versions of FreeNAS allowed the jails dataset to live within a share without complaint, but that's no longer the case. So, when he tries to update his jails configuration (which he needs to, since his network configuration has changed), FreeNAS now complains about the jails dataset residing inside a share.

 

[danb35]

Sharing->Windows:

That's an awful lot of browser tabs. But you are sharing the root of your pool, which is what's causing the error message you're seeing. As I noted above, FreeNAS used to allow this configuration (though it's never been a good idea), but it doesn't any more. Do you have any data stored there, or is it all in movies/series/music?

 

[Nick2253]

How do you reach that conclusion?

The first screenshot is from the Plex web gui with the error "Server FreeNAS is unavailable". As I examine the screenshot closer, it looks like the issue might be something to do with certificates, because the error in the side bar is "Unable to connect to "FreeNAS" securely", and provides the option to connect insecurely.

Which leads me to the following speculation: the issue might entirely be because the Plex updates changed the security requirements, and prevented the previously allowed connection. I haven't checked the release notes to see if that's the case.

 

[lucker#1]

That's an awful lot of browser tabs. But you are sharing the root of your pool, which is what's causing the error message you're seeing. As I noted above, FreeNAS used to allow this configuration (though it's never been a good idea), but it doesn't any more. Do you have any data stored there, or is it all in movies/series/music?

Well apart from some photos/videos 99% is in movies/series/music. Is there an easy fix?

 

[Nick2253]

Is there an easy fix?

You can create another dataset, like "Photos", and use the command line to mv the files. It's very simple.

 

[lucker#1]

The first screenshot is from the Plex web gui with the error "Server FreeNAS is unavailable". As I examine the screenshot closer, it looks like the issue might be something to do with certificates, because the error in the side bar is "Unable to connect to "FreeNAS" securely", and provides the option to connect insecurely.

Which leads me to the following speculation: the issue might entirely be because the Plex updates changed the security requirements, and prevented the previously allowed connection. I haven't checked the release notes to see if that's the case.

that isn't happening anymore. I tried connecting insecurely - it didn't work and since then it doesn't ask me anymore. Although the browser address has changed to: http://app.plex.tv/desktop?secure=0

It just says that the server is unreachable and to make sure that it's running.

 

[Nick2253]

What happens when you connect to 192.168.1.10? Do you get the Plex GUI?

 

[lucker#1]

What happens when you connect to 192.168.1.10? Do you get the Plex GUI?

When i connect to http://192.168.1.10:32400 it gives me the Plex GUI. It requires the port though and the server still is unreachable.

 

[Nick2253]

Same exact error message? What happens if you click "Allow insecure connection"?

 

[lucker#1]

Same exact error message? What happens if you click "Allow insecure connection"?

It does not give me the option currently. I have seen it once more like 10min ago. When i clicked it, it just went to Server is unreachable like this:



EDIT:

You can create another dataset, like "Photos", and use the command line to mv the files. It's very simple.

I have created another dataset, but i am copying all the files onto my desktop before i try moving them over. I do not want to risk data loss since these are photos and videos from vacations.

EDIT2:
For clarification: I have created the dataset "MEDIA". In Windows i have connected the whole array as drive Z:.

I do prefer to have only one drive instead of mounting MOVIES as W:, SERIES as X:, MUSIC as Y: and MEDIA as Z:. If i understood your replies correctly, that however is a problem because it represents the drive root?

 

[Nick2253]

This thread looks like it might be a somewhat related issue: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/plex-cannot-find-a-server.58954/

Perhaps there is an setting you need to change from within Plex. Can you check Settings->Server and see if anything jumps out to you?

 

[lucker#1]

You can create another dataset, like "Photos", and use the command line to mv the files. It's very simple.

This thread looks like it might be a somewhat related issue: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/plex-cannot-find-a-server.58954/

Perhaps there is an setting you need to change from within Plex. Can you check Settings->Server and see if anything jumps out to you?

Thanks for your research. I did not find anything helpful there though. Since i cannot access the server, server settings are not listed. I have also selected to always allow fallback to insecure connections to avoid this being an issue.

 

[Nick2253]

So, what happens when you click on the wrench in the corner? Does anything pop up?

Let's try something: connect to the Plex jail, and try running service plexmediaserver restart. If you don't know how to get to the Plex jail, we can get you step-by-step commands to get you there.

 

[lucker#1]

So, what happens when you click on the wrench in the corner? Does anything pop up?

Let's try something: connect to the Plex jail, and try running service plexmediaserver restart. If you don't know how to get to the Plex jail, we can get you step-by-step commands to get you there.

The usual settings of plex pop up. I have the options to select Web. Users and Devices. There should also be Server there, but it doesn't show. Under "Web" it gives me the option to fallback to insecure connections, but that's pretty much it.

EDIT: I will try connecting to the plex jail somehow. I'd appreciate step by step commands though.

 

[Nick2253]

The easiest way is to SSH into your server. If you've never done this before:

From the web GUI, go to "Services", and check that SSH is on. If not, go ahead and start SSH.

From Windows, you want to use an SSH client, like PuTTY to connect. If you don't have one, I'd recommend PuTTY: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html

Now, you can connect to your server. You'll use the same credentials as when you sign in to the web gui. Now, run command jls. This will give you all running jails. Look for your plex jail, and not the JID for that jail. Now run jexec <JID> /bin/tcsh. This will get you into your jail.

From there, you can run the "service" command above.

 

[lucker#1]

The easiest way is to SSH into your server. If you've never done this before:

From the web GUI, go to "Services", and check that SSH is on. If not, go ahead and start SSH.

From Windows, you want to use an SSH client, like PuTTY to connect. If you don't have one, I'd recommend PuTTY: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html

Now, you can connect to your server. You'll use the same credentials as when you sign in to the web gui. Now, run command jls. This will give you all running jails. Look for your plex jail, and not the JID for that jail. Now run jexec <JID> /bin/tcsh. This will get you into your jail.

From there, you can run the "service" command above.

Thanks for the instructions Nick2253! I have executed the command, the server stopped and restarted. It is still not accessible though.


EDIT: Thanks again everyone! In the end i gave up and deleted Plex including the jail and its data and reinstalled it. It's working now and rebuilding the database... At least i got an insight into how jails and shares work thanks to your efforts!