this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2025
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Streaming traffic doesn't usually go through Plex's server, though. That only happens with "indirect streams", which usually means something is wrong with your connection and they are capped at like 2 mbps.
Streaming traffic has to go through the Plex proxies if your server isn't exposed to the internet (meaning proper port forwarding, no CG-NAT and no other ISP fuckery that would prevent such functionality).
Of the 25 million users of Plex, how many do you think have the setup (either the ability or availability) that supports direct playback remotely?
Ideally yes, only basic things like authentication and server mapping should go through the main Plex servers but sadly this isn't the case. And Plex has provided that service for years, for free. Them asking money for a service that isn't free to run, is fair game.
What isn't fair is how they've been doing it.
I think of those that run their own server and use remote streaming at all, the vast majority. All it takes is to forward one port in the router.
Of the 8 plex servers I have access to, all have direct streaming. And mine as well, of course.
Given the prevalence of one click install NASes (and by that I mean that Plex is a one click install, or even the whole *arr stack), I wouldn't be sure.
Also that doesn't account for people who are limited by available ISPs - some of us only have the choice of a single ISP, who might not be offering static IP, and CG-NAT makes port forwarding impossible. IPv6 would fix that but given we're not much better off than we were ten years ago... I don't have high hopes.