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[Theogenes]

Hello! I have spent the last several hours searching, but have been unable to locate an answer (although I found several topics that appeared, at first glance, to apply to my situation), and I'm finally willing to admit I either don't know what the correct search terms are, or maybe that the answer isn't easily locateable for my issue.

My situation is this: I have two computers (a desktop, which is my primary computer, and an older laptop), and I want to be able to use MC from my desktop to control what plays on MC on my laptop-- with the proviso that essentially all my media files are physically located on my desktop.

Below are the items I think are (or might be) relevant and/or helpful:

• The laptop is plugged via USB into my audio system. (It's directly plugged into my Lynx Hilo DAC, which I've confirmed is playing just fine for files stored locally on the laptop).
  
  
• I have linked the main library from my desktop to my laptop, and I am able to play music located on my desktop from my laptop, provided I interface with MC on the laptop, not the desktop.
  
  

• My desktop shows up under "Now Playing" on my laptop; my laptop does not show up under "Now Playing" on my desktop.
  
  
• Prior to a recent move, I had the laptop working in this capacity, and am using the same desktop, laptop, and router I was before. The only relevant change (that I can think of) is that the laptop is now connected wirelessly, rather than via ethernet in my previous setup. My desktop used a wired connection in both instances.
  
  

• MC 19.0.128 is running on both computers.
  
  
• The laptop is running XP SP3, the desktop is running 8.1.
   
  

• For reasons that would be too convoluted to go into here, I cannot plug my desktop directly into my audio system. (I don't have a problem going into it, but it requires a significant amount of exposition and isn't relevant IMO).
  
  
• I have tried to create a zone on my desktop that links to my laptop, but cannot figure out how to get my laptop to show up as a zone on my desktop.
  
  

• My laptop shows "There" listings for three DLNA devices I have in my apartment; my desktop shows the same three DLNA devices, but just lists the device name, and does not say "There" beside the name.
  
  
• Both computers have "Use Media Network..." and DLNA Server/Renderer/Controller selected. I have tried having only "Renderer" selected on my laptop, but this did not make a difference.
  
  

• Both computers have authentication turned on, and I have confirmed that I can log into the WebGizmo portal via Chrome for the laptop from the desktop (but only if I select the location as "Outside my network") and view the files that are stored on my desktop, but they will not play, and what shows under Playing Now is not correct.
       [When I attempted to do the reverse (log into the WebGizmo for my desktop from my laptop), I was able to login choosing "Inside my network," and although the song showing on Playing Now was not correct, when I hit Play, it caused playback from my audio system to stutter badlyand skip for about 90 seconds (at which point I hit Stop)  before smoothing out. The song playing did not change to the one I had selected in WebGizmo, it remained the song I already had playing from the laptop.]
  
  

• I can access my desktop MC from Gizmo on my Android tablet across 4G; I cannot access my laptop MC from my Android tablet across 4G.
  
  

• My desktop will allow me to add the library from my laptop, but I don't really want to do that. (The files I have on the laptop are just duplicates of some of the stuff from my desktop). If this is the resolution, though, I can delete the redundant files from the laptop and add it's library into the desktop. But unless I'm missing something (wholly possbile), I don't think this will fix the issue.
  
  

My current workaround is to use a remote desktop application to control my laptop from my desktop, and it works... But I kind of hate it.
I'd really rather use MC on my desktop to control what's being played on my laptop.

I hope this isn't too much (or too little) info; I tend to overdo these types of things, as you might be able to tell  . Obviously, if there's any info I haven't included that somebody thinks might shed a little light on the situation, please don't hesitate to ask!!

I have to be up really early tomorrow for a meeting, so that's all the pertinent info I can come up with at the moment. When I get off work tomorrow, I'll come back and jump on this. I'm happy to try whatever you think might be useful.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give!!! 

[JimH]

You win a prize for detail, but what is it you want to do?  Control playback from the desktop?  If so, see Tremote on our wiki.

I suppose you've said, but I read half way through the message and didn't see it.

[mwillems]

My situation is this: I have two computers (a desktop, which is my primary computer, and an older laptop), and I want to be able to use MC from my desktop to control what plays on MC on my laptop-- with the proviso that essentially all my media files are physically located on my desktop.

-snip-

Both computers have "Use Media Network..." and DLNA Server/Renderer/Controller selected. I have tried having only "Renderer" selected on my laptop, but this did not make a difference.

These settings should ordinarily allow you to do what you want to do, I'll suggest a few troubleshooting steps below:

Both computers have authentication turned on, and I have confirmed that I can log into the WebGizmo portal via Chrome for the laptop from the desktop (but only if I select the location as "Outside my network") and view the files that are stored on my desktop, but they will not play, and what shows under Playing Now is not correct.

As a troubleshooting step, try turning authentication off; with authentication off can you see the laptop as a DLNA device on your desktop?

I can access my desktop MC from Gizmo on my Android tablet across 4G; I cannot access my laptop MC from my Android tablet across 4G.

You don't mention wi-fi; what happens when your tablet is on the same Wi-Fi LAN (rather than using 4g)?  Can you access both devices then?  If so that might be a workaround.

My desktop will allow me to add the library from my laptop, but I don't really want to do that. (The files I have on the laptop are just duplicates of some of the stuff from my desktop). If this is the resolution, though, I can delete the redundant files from the laptop and add it's library into the desktop. But unless I'm missing something (wholly possbile), I don't think this will fix the issue.

You're right, I don't think that's the issue.

Based on the info you provided (changing the laptop to wi-fi broke the configuration, laptop only accessible from "outside the network," inability to use gizmo to control laptop from outside the network), it sounds as though there's a disconnect between the wired portion of your LAN and the wireless portion.  The Gizmo test I suggested above will tell more about it, but it really sounds like you're having to go "outside the network" to reach your laptop.  

I'm not an expert on these issues, but those troubleshooting steps should provide more info.

[MrC]

I quickly read last night.

it seems to me you want to use Library Server and configure your file paths such that both server and client see the same paths.  This can be done either using mapped drive letters or UNC-style paths.  This allows you to have the client play back files "locally" - in other words, via Windows' file sharing instead of streamed via MC.

I didn't see any mention of setting the Client Option under Media Network.  Be sure to check out the options there to allow the above, and to allow you to play music to remote MC zones via Library Server.

You can probably ignore DLNA and WebGizmo options.

[Theogenes]

Guys, thank you very much for your replies!! I'm going to jump right into 'em if that's kosher:

You win a prize for detail, but what is it you want to do?  Control playback from the desktop?  If so, see Tremote on our wiki.

I suppose you've said, but I read half way through the message and didn't see it.

Again, apologies for the huge post-- I actually don't like not being able to figure things out, and since people around here tend to be very knowledgeable and helpful, I wanted to limit the amount of hand-holding you guys would have to do to help me get it properly set up. Not looking to win any prizes. 

What I want to do is to use MC on my desktop to play the files physically located on my desktop to/via MC on my laptop.

The Tremote solution only works in reverse for me; I can see the desktop from the laptop, but not the laptop from the desktop. After reading your post, I again disconnected my laptop from the library on my desktop and quickly reconfigured the Tremote from the client/laptop, but it still came back up the same way: desktop can be seen under Playing Now on laptop, laptop cannot be seen on desktop.

One note: opening up the Media Server icon simply goes to MC itself, and as the Library Server and Media Server wiki pages both mention the feature is outdated, I've assumed that's normal. If not, let me know!

As a troubleshooting step, try turning authentication off; with authentication off can you see the laptop as a DLNA device on your desktop?

I originally assumed you were referring to the laptop, so I tried that again briefly (and went and did a couple of things around the house to give it time to recognize), and it was a no-go. I closed MC (and ended it in taskmgr) and relaunched, but the laptop is still not showing up as a "Playing Now" option on the desktop. I also tried unchecking Authenticate on the desktop (with it still checked on the laptop), and no dice. I tried unchecking both last night with the same result.

You don't mention wi-fi; what happens when your tablet is on the same Wi-Fi LAN (rather than using 4g)?  Can you access both devices then?  If so that might be a workaround.

Good call. It worked fine connecting to my desktop, but wouldn't connect to my laptop (and I tried it with and without Authentication selected). As far as it being a workaround, it is to a degree, but I have to reimport whenever I download new music this way, whereas I can just drop it directly into MC and have it play when I use the application directly from the desktop.

Based on the info you provided (changing the laptop to wi-fi broke the configuration, laptop only accessible from "outside the network," inability to use gizmo to control laptop from outside the network), it sounds as though there's a disconnect between the wired portion of your LAN and the wireless portion.  The Gizmo test I suggested above will tell more about it, but it really sounds like you're having to go "outside the network" to reach your laptop. 

I'm not an expert on these issues, but those troubleshooting steps should provide more info.

Based on the line of thought in your (very helpful!) post, that does seem more likely. As a quick attempt at a fix, I went back and power cycled my router, but it's still doing the same thing, so no luck there. I can reset my router if it's necessary, but it'll take me some time to save all my settings first. If it'll help, though, I'm all for it!

it seems to me you want to use Library Server and configure your file paths such that both server and client see the same paths.  This can be done either using mapped drive letters or UNC-style paths.  This allows you to have the client play back files "locally" - in other words, via Windows' file sharing instead of streamed via MC.

That may be the route I need to go; I'm not familiar with UNC file paths or what you're referring to with mapped drive letters in this instance, but I'll do some reading and try to figure it out. The odd thing is that my current setup has worked in the past, even (shortly) after I moved and re-set it up in my new apartment.

I didn't see any mention of setting the Client Option under Media Network.  Be sure to check out the options there to allow the above, and to allow you to play music to remote MC zones via Library Server.

Totally reasonable point, but yes, I just went back and confirmed I haven't unchecked it or anything. I have all three checkboxes ('Auto sync with server,' 'Play local file if one that matches Library Server file is found,' and 'Show playback zones from the server on the client') selected on my laptop. In fact, those options are selected on my desktop as well, so I unchecked 'Show playback zones' on the desktop just to see if it would have any effect, and it actually neither caused the laptop to show up on the desktop Playing Now destinations, nor caused the desktop to stop showing up on the laptop (which is what I would have anticipated happening). Again, odd. Switched the desktop back to all three checkboxes though to minimize the number of variables we have at play.

You can probably ignore DLNA and WebGizmo options.

Those are my fallbacks in case I can't get MC working like I want it to, but that makes sense in regards to primary playback. Especially since we've already done so much to try to make those work here.


I'll start looking into UNC file paths, thanks for the tip MrC! If anyone has any other ideas, questions, or idle thoughts, please don't hesitate to share them. Again, guys, I REALLY appreciate the help you all are always so willing to give!!

I'll swing back by the thread in a while and see if there are any other moments of epiphany somebody wants to share 

[MrC]

For Audio, MC can stream the music, so the mapped drives or UNC path names are not entirely required.  That's why it worked in the past for you.  This changes once you start using Video.

Mapped paths are easy.  If your paths are M:\Music on your Desktop, then use Windows file sharing to share your desktop's M:\ path and then connect to that path on the laptop via Network on the left side of explore.  When you see your Desktop's system name, open its shares and right click the correct folder and Map Network Drive.  Map it to the same M: location so both systems see M:\Music.  If you have MC on the Desktop using these paths, then the client's will use the same value (from the Filename field) and they will seem to MC as if the files are local and hence Windows will do the reading of the file rather than MC pushing a stream of data across the network.

It is sometime easiests to disable the Windows firewall on your systems to get everything working the first time.  Users often don't notice the Windows firewall auto-configuration prompt and dismissing it, blocking access to MC.

[JimH]

What I want to do is to use MC on my desktop to play the files physically located on my desktop to/via MC on my laptop.

Take a look at the Tremote topic on the wiki.  That should do what you want.

[Theogenes]

For Audio, MC can stream the music, so the mapped drives or UNC path names are not entirely required.  That's why it worked in the past for you.  This changes once you start using Video.

Mapped paths are easy.  If your paths are M:\Music on your Desktop, then use Windows file sharing to share your desktop's M:\ path and then connect to that path on the laptop via Network on the left side of explore.  When you see your Desktop's system name, open its shares and right click the correct folder and Map Network Drive.  Map it to the same M: location so both systems see M:\Music.  If you have MC on the Desktop using these paths, then the client's will use the same value (from the Filename field) and they will seem to MC as if the files are local and hence Windows will do the reading of the file rather than MC pushing a stream of data across the network.

It is sometime easiests to disable the Windows firewall on your systems to get everything working the first time.  Users often don't notice the Windows firewall auto-configuration prompt and dismissing it, blocking access to MC.

I'll give that a look man, thank you!!

[Theogenes]

Take a look at the Tremote topic on the wiki.  That should do what you want.

I appreciate the reply! Unfortunately, I've tried that several times, and I can't get it to work for some reason. I agree, in principle, that it should work, and I believe it was working in the past-- but it doesn't work now, for no reason I can discern.

If I rephrased the question, maybe that would help? "Tremote has worked in the past on my system, and appears to work now in only one direction-- I can use my laptop to control my desktop, but that is the opposite of what I want."

And just to clarify, I have read the Wiki on the Tremote (only 5 lines of text, so it wasn't particularly time-intensive) both before and after i posted, so I'm on your wavelength as far as the utilization of the Wiki and forums as resources go .

[dtc]

I had a similar problem a while ago and never did pinpoint an exact reason, but it eventually started working. Let me explain.

First, it seems that your laptop cannot see your desktop through MC. Can you see shared files on your desktop from your laptop? My guess is that you can, but it is worth checking. If not, it is clearly not a MC problem but rather a network problem. However, in my experience, just being able to see shared files is not enough. Whatever protocol MC uses to see other systems is, I believe, different than the file shaing protocols. (Windows)

I chased a similar problem for a long time. I have 3 MC systems and they could not all see each other. After a lot of reading, it seemed to be related to some function of my Verizon router. Prior to the Verizon router, I never had the problems. I tried all sorts of wireless settings on the router as suggested on many forums. None of them worked. Then, as if by magic, all the systems started seeing each other. I believe it was some problem with the wireless router software that Verizon eventually fixed.

Do you have a long enough Ethernet cable to hard wire your laptop at least temporarily? Or maybe you can just take your laptop up to your router and plug it directly into the router in as a test. Even though it will only be able to play through the laptop speakers, it might help understand if the wireless is the problem. If it is a wireless problem that you cannot fix, a pair of power line Ethernet connectors may solve the problem.

Not sure if you have a similar problem or not. But, thought I would share my experience. Good luck. I know how frustrating this type of problem can be.

[Theogenes]

Thanks for the reply! Apologies for the delay-- I ended up having to go out of town a couple days earlier than I anticipated. Although I never actually solved the issue, exactly, I found an acceptable workaround: I picked up a Dell Venue 8 Pro, loaded JRMC19 on it, and it works perfectly. No idea what the original issue was (and dtc may very well be right, the issue might be some network gremlin ultimately unrelated to MC), but I seem to be back in business now, so I'm going to walk slowly away and act like I never saw any problem .

Again, thanks to everyone who replied!!