What you wish to use is actually called Library Server.
Media Center also provides Media Server, which allows Media Center to provide
server functionallity without being open itself.
Library Server is really very simple.
It works only JRiver Media Center to JRiver Media Center however (ie not with Windows Media Player)
It allows you to see and use a library from one machine(the server), on another machine (the client).
You can start it from within Media Center on the machine you wish to host the files,
under the services and plugins section, in the tree, there is a plugin called Library Server.
Clicking on this you can see a 'start' button, hitting the 'start' button starts the server.
The library server will now start everytime you open MC, unless you stop it.
If you wish Library Server to be started everytime you start Windows
(without opening Media Center) you can use Media Server.
You enable this by going to Tools -> Options -> General -> Run Media Server On Startup
Then on the client (your laptop) from Media Centers menu system select
File->Librarys ->Search for Library Server.
Media Center should go away and find your library on the
server and download it to the laptop. The laptop will then be able
to play the files off of the server.
(Be warned it will need to download the thumbnails which may take a while)
More information is available here
http://wiki.jrmediacenter.com/index.php/Library_ServerEdit Made: Mistake Corrected regarding Library Server/Media Server