Plex: "An unclaimed media server has been found...

[SeaFox]

Whenever I open the Plex web interface I get an orange banner at the top.

"An unclaimed media server has been found on your network. Claim it now"

Clicking takes me to the settings and I think it's suggested I need to log into a Plex account to "claim" it. I can close the banner or click back to the library and all is fine, but the next time I open the web interface the stupid banner is back.

How do I get rid of this banner without signing in with a Plex account?

 

[SweetAndLow]

Try the Plex forums they will be more helpful when asking a Plex question.

 

[SeaFox]

Try the Plex forums they will be more helpful when asking a Plex question.

I know you meant well in this response, the problem is to ask this question on the Plex forums I would need an account there -- and guess what account they use to authenticate on their forum.

 

[SeaFox]

Okaaay, I've been playing around over here and I've resolved my problem -- by going back to an earlier version of Plex.

First of all, Plex claims that the banner should only appear the first time you access the web interface on a particular machine. If you close the banner that state should be saved in the in-browser storage used on that (client) computer.

Seems to be false to me. Every time I close the web interface tab and click my bookmark of the URL to reopen it, the banner reappears.
I also tried disabling Ghostery and UBlock Origin to make sure anti-tracking was not having an impact on this working. Btw, did you know the Plex web interface has a Google Analytics tracker on it? I wonder who's getting that info, because even though the server is running on my NAS, it sure doesn't seem to be me!

Through repeat trail and error, I have determined this is the last version that does not include this new nag banner:
plexmediaserver-0.9.15.3.1674_3-amd64.pbi 19-Feb-2016 01:56

So starting with version 0.9.15.6 is when this appears.
Hope this info is useful to anyone else who doesn't like this, as it smells of a step towards mandatory-phone-home to use a service on your own local LAN.
When I first installed the current version, it took me to a login screen and it wasn't until I clicked an informational link that I was taken to another page that gave me the option of not logging in. Really reminds me of Windows 8 pushing online Microsoft Accounts to set up your own PC.

 

[pirateghost]

You must be new to Plex.

If you want something more open, use Emby. Personally, I love all the features that Plex provides and I'm sorry if they want to collect data about me watching old Seinfeld and Office episodes...oh well.

 

[nightshade00013]

Go into the settings on the server you are connected to and there will be a checkbox about checking for unregistered servers or something like that. Remove it. Shouldn't get the banner.

If you are worried about sharing usage data you can also uncheck a box that controls that permission as well.

 

[SeaFox]

You must be new to Plex.

No, I just haven't had to redo my Plex server from scratch for a long time. I thought I would this time because it's been awhile since I built it last and the "update" feature for plugins doesn't seem to work (on any plugin I've tried it on).

Go into the settings on the server you are connected to and there will be a checkbox about checking for unregistered servers or something like that. Remove it. Shouldn't get the banner.

I'll give this a fair shake. Installed a second jail of the current, in repo, Plex plugin. I've gone to the Server settings and turned on to show Advanced options. I'm not seeing it. Can you direct me to exact page this setting is on that will remove the banner?

If you are worried about sharing usage data you can also uncheck a box that controls that permission as well.

Again, I'm not seeing it (as far as the Google Analytics tracker is concerned). I have unchecked literally every checkbox about usage and debugging. Saved and then even killed and restarted the plugin. No change on the web interface, there's still a Google Analytics tracker there. Would need you to specify where. I've always turned off the feature to not share usage info with Plex.tv.

 

[pirateghost]

No, I just haven't had to redo my Plex server from scratch for a long time. I thought I would this time because it's been awhile since I built it last and the "update" feature for plugins doesn't seem to work (on any plugin I've tried it on).

Plex has never been about 'privacy'. They have always had analytics in some way.

 

[SeaFox]

It's really just the banner that bugs me. When I reinstalled the current version, the only way to get past the Plex login at setup is to click the tiny "whats this?" in the lower-right corner. Then you get an ad about the benefits of a Plex account.

Seriously, it's a mirror image of Microsoft trying to hide the Local Accounts option in Win 8.

 

[DrKK]

I feel like I'm not understanding this.

You're saying (and check me if I'm wrong, because I feel like I'm wrong):

"There is a warning when I start plex about an 'unclaimed' server. This is causing me to have a privacy-related breakdown, and I am now on a quasilibertarian jihad! At a minimum, to avoid this easily-dismissed banner, I am willing to do research on dialing back my plex plugin until such version as the banner no longer occurs! Furthermore, my outrage on this point is a matter for the FreeNAS forum, because others will join me in feeling this to be an outrage. And lying behind my outrage, of course, is the feeling that people that have created some of the most interesting and creative enduser software for media collection management that world has ever seen and offer it to me for free, should not be allowed even a taste of profit from my use of it."

Is that correct?

 

[nightshade00013]

Usage data is under the "Server" tab "General"
"Send anonymous usage data to Plex"

For the server discovery try "Network" and uncheck
"Enable local network discovery (GDM)"

For some reason I remember having a setting about checking for local unclaimed servers being in there somewhere when i was testing something but I am not seeing it.

But I have to agree it is simple enough to fire up a tor browser and then go get a ten minute email to register and then turn off sharing of data for the server. By setting up the server, not signing in and just leaving it your are still likely sharing the data (since it is enabled by default) anyway. If it works good even just kicking a few bucks their way by picking up the android app it would be worth it.

 

[SeaFox]

Usage data is under the "Server" tab "General"
"Send anonymous usage data to Plex"

For the server discovery try "Network" and uncheck
"Enable local network discovery (GDM)"

Both already disabled.
Thanks for trying to help, though, instead of making an unnecessary inflammatory post.

But I have to agree it is simple enough to fire up a tor browser and then go get a ten minute email to register and then turn off sharing of data for the server. By setting up the server, not signing in and just leaving it your are still likely sharing the data (since it is enabled by default) anyway.

You can disable all the same settings without signing in. You just forever get the bar at the top and the caution symbol next to the Settings in the sidebar now.

 

[CkWeb]

SeaFox,

I remember having a similar issue with Plex. Whatever the orange banner at the time was, I used a blocking Chrome plugin to prevent it showing the link. However, it did not remove the orange bar, so I pretended it was part of the opening page, knowing full well it wasn't. The good thing was that after the initial page, the orange bar went away.

Okay, I just installed GetAdblock for Chrome. I had to let it guide me in blocking the message. This will only work on the browser you're using, so other devices and platforms will still have the same issue. It's a small workaround, but since most of my devices don't have the pop-up and half the time I'm on the web player using my Chromebook, this is a perfect solution for me and possibly others.

I registered here to offer my workaround, hope it helps! Ck

 

[SeaFox]

I registered here to offer my workaround, hope it helps! Ck

Thanks Ck. I've moved to accessing my Plex server remotely occasionally now, so I ended up having to register in the end.