Re: Can't watch movies on NAS without internet connection

OldTimerGuy · ‎2020-01-11

Recently, my wired internet went out, and I have a tech guy coming on Monday. I have 1 GB ethnet wiring inside the house, which quit working when the wired internet quit working. I switched all my devices to wireless, which includes 2 Rokus. I use the Rokus to watch movies with Plex from the ReadyNAS.

When I tried to watch a movie on the ReadyNAS, Plex said it couldn't connect. It connected just fine when wired internet was working. Now I can't watch any of the movies, I guess, until the cable guy comes. That doesn't seem right, since all the movies are saved on the NAS, which now reports "Network changed".

How can I watch my movies from the NAS when the internet is down? Or is this a question for the Plex forum?

FURRYe38 · ‎2020-01-19

Need to ask the Mfr of Plex about what is needed to make there software work while off line from an ISP service. I know there is Plex server based software that you can install on a PC. Not sure if this can work independently from the ISP service or not. Something the Plex Mfr should be able to answer...contact them thru there official support lines.

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CrimpOn · ‎2020-01-11

There appears to be some ambiguity in the description. "Wired internet" and. "cable guy".give the impression that the internet modem has failed ("cable guy"). But if the cable modem has filed, then switching to WiFi has no value, because even on WiFi nothing can reach the internet.

On the other hand, if all of the wired devices are connected to an ethernet switch and the switch failed, then (a) that would explaiin why wired devices lost service but WiFi devices are still working, and (b) the "cable guy" isn't going to do any good unless he is also the "ethernet switch guy".

If the NAS is connected using ethernet and all ethernet devices are out of service, then the NAS is out of service.

What would help is a diagram of what is connected to what, and what works and doesn't work. Doesn't have to be fancy. Just draw it on paper, scan it, and attach the picture.

OldTimerGuy · ‎2020-01-11

OK, I have attached my wiring layout. I know it looks complicated, but I know it's not any of the switches or Cat 6 or Orbi. I took my Windows laptop downstairs to where the Orbi is located, near where the internet cable comes in from the box outside, and then connects to the connector on the Orbi that says "Internet". I went directly from the wall to my laptop with the wireless off and there was NO internet. Hence, the call to the cable guys.

My issue is the internal ethernet wiring going to the ReadyNAS. I have set a static IP address for the ReadyNAS, say, 192.168.1.108. Now that I have only wireless internet, if I open Chrome and enter 192.168.1.108, it tells me there is NO access. To my own NAS drive! Ouch! I DID have access to the NAS drive when the wired internet was working coming in from the outside. Hence, the call to the cable guys.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

CrimpOn · ‎2020-01-11

This is a great diagram, thanks.

I see the model of ReadyNAS, but I must have missed the model of Orbi. Is there also an Orbi satellite in here somewhere?

If the Orbi is an RBR50, that means it has four ethernet ports, one of which is going to the switch.

It should be possible to plug the laptop into one of the other Orbi LAN ports, open a web browser, and connect to 192.168.1.1 (the Orbi).

If the Orbi is a model with only one LAN port, then the laptop WiFi should be able to connect to the Orbi WiFi and a web browser go to "orbilogin.net" (which is usually the same as 192.168.1.1).

I remain confused about "I have only wireless internet". If the ISP is not providing internet when connected directly to a laptop, it should be impossible to get internet from any device (wired or wireless).

OldTimerGuy · ‎2020-01-12

@CrimpOn wrote:
This is a great diagram, thanks.

I see the model of ReadyNAS, but I must have missed the model of Orbi. Is there also an Orbi satellite in here somewhere?
If the Orbi is an RBR50, that means it has four ethernet ports, one of which is going to the switch.
It should be possible to plug the laptop into one of the other Orbi LAN ports, open a web browser, and connect to 192.168.1.1 (the Orbi).
If the Orbi is a model with only one LAN port, then the laptop WiFi should be able to connect to the Orbi WiFi and a web browser go to "orbilogin.net" (which is usually the same as 192.168.1.1).

I remain confused about "I have only wireless internet". If the ISP is not providing internet when connected directly to a laptop, it should be impossible to get internet from any device (wired or wireless).

Thanks for the reply.

I have the Orbi model RBR20, so there is only 1 ethernet port. There is one satellite unit in the office.

I really can't explain, nor could the tech people over the phone by connecting to my equipment on their end, why I am getting ONLY wireless internet. They told me it was usually the other way around. A customer would have a faulty router, and their wired devices would be working, but not wireless. It's beyond me. Maybe the cable guy can figure it out on Monday.

I can now get to the RBR20 router by using orbilogin.net on the Windows laptop, but it is a very slow connection. Even so, the Orbi shows everything working. But the wired connections are NOT working.

The real problem is getting to the ReadyNAS 524X. If I type the address 192.168.1.108 into Chrome, the connection times out with ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT. Furthermore, the front panel on the ReadyNAS shows the correct static IP address, but then it reports "Network changed". What does that even mean?

I really don't get what's happening. Again, maybe the cable guy can figure it out.

CrimpOn · ‎2020-01-12

Since you can reach the Orbi over WiFi, I would open the Orbi web interface "orbilogin.net", enter the credentials ("admin" and the admin password), and bring up the Attached Devices page. Does it show the NAS as attached? Does it show with the same IP as the static IP that it was assigned?

OldTimerGuy · ‎2020-01-12

@CrimpOn wrote:
Since you can reach the Orbi over WiFi, I would open the Orbi web interface "orbilogin.net", enter the credentials ("admin" and the admin password), and bring up the Attached Devices page. Does it show the NAS as attached? Does it show with the same IP as the static IP that it was assigned?

Yes, this morning I was able to see the NAS on the attached devices, and the static IP address was correct. I tried that address, and the NAS drive very slowly opened up so I could see it. However, Plex still cannot see the server without wired ethernet working.

I am going to ask this question on the Plex forum, and I will report the results back here. I will also report what the cable guy says tomorrow.

Thanks!

OldTimerGuy · ‎2020-01-19

@OldTimerGuy wrote:
@CrimpOn wrote:
Since you can reach the Orbi over WiFi, I would open the Orbi web interface "orbilogin.net", enter the credentials ("admin" and the admin password), and bring up the Attached Devices page. Does it show the NAS as attached? Does it show with the same IP as the static IP that it was assigned?
Yes, this morning I was able to see the NAS on the attached devices, and the static IP address was correct. I tried that address, and the NAS drive very slowly opened up so I could see it. However, Plex still cannot see the server without wired ethernet working.
I am going to ask this question on the Plex forum, and I will report the results back here. I will also report what the cable guy says tomorrow.

Thanks!

The Cable guy couldn't tell me anything about why my internal ethernet wouldn't allow me to watch movies from the ReadyNAS without being connected to my ISP. Inexplicably, the internet started working before the cable guy even got there, and that was the only problem he came to fix. So I still don't have an answer to my question. Frustrating.

I tried my question on the Plex forum and got no replies. Seems like there should be someone somewhere who can answer this:

If I disconnect the wire in the attached diagram labelled "From ISP", which goes into the "internet" port of the Orbi RBR20, and just leave the "ethernet" port connected internally in my house to the ReadyNAS, why can't I watch the movies I saved using Plex? It doesn't make any sense to me. None of the movies are being streamed from the internet, so why do I have to have an ISP to watch them?

If anyone can solve this mystery, I would be eternally grateful. 🙂

FURRYe38 · ‎2020-01-19

Need to ask the Mfr of Plex about what is needed to make there software work while off line from an ISP service. I know there is Plex server based software that you can install on a PC. Not sure if this can work independently from the ISP service or not. Something the Plex Mfr should be able to answer...contact them thru there official support lines.