WMP 11 media sharing problem

[sofasurfer]

I have had a problem with my version of Windows Media Player 11 and so decided to reinstall it. Before the reinstall my media sharing with both my PS3 and especially my 360 was fine.

Now when I try to set up media sharing WMP 11 keeps on throwing up a message saying that it is turned off and needs me to change the settings to enable sharing. i have done this several times but in the box where it lists what devices can be shared with there is nothing there. There used to be the 360 and PS3 lised but now they both do not recognise my PC if I check for media servers.

I have also diasbled my firewall temporarily to count that out as a problem but this makes no difference. Going into the program control of my firewall program I have even made sure that WMP 11 is allowed access.

I do remember a few weeks ago when the PS3 had it's firware update that I suddenly got a message on my PC that a new device had been found so do i have to wait till my PC finally detects the consoles?

Cheers for reading this and if you can offer any help then I would be very very grateful.

[sofasurfer]

Anyone??????

[Number45]

What specifically does the error say?

[sofasurfer]

What specifically does the error say?

It says

'Media sharing is currently disabled, either becuase the sharing service is not running or your firewall settings have changed. To restart sharing, you must first confirm your sharing settings'

This takes me to the sharing set up screen and my 360 and PS3 do not appear as they used to.

[ChrisF]

Are you in Vista or XP?

I know it (Vista) keeps on disabling media sharing for me because it keeps on thinking my network is public. I have to go in and change the network to be Private before it'll allow me to share my media. Facists

[sofasurfer]

Are you in Vista or XP?

I know it (Vista) keeps on disabling media sharing for me because it keeps on thinking my network is public. I have to go in and change the network to be Private before it'll allow me to share my media. Facists

XP Media Centre Edition. It was working fine till I did the reintsall. That will learn me

[merf]

last PS3 f/w update borked my media sharing, worked perfectly til then and now can't get the ps3 to see the pc for love or money.

gave up and just marked it down as yet another reason to hate the PS3.

[ChrisF]

Well.. I'm guessing sofasurfer's problem lives on the PC if it's affecting the 360 as well as PS3.

ss: Have you been into the Firewall settings in XP MCE to check that Media Sharing is allowed? Can't remember which port it needs, but it should be fairly obvious from the description (he says). May have had some windows update thats reset your settings.

[sofasurfer]

Well.. I'm guessing sofasurfer's problem lives on the PC if it's affecting the 360 as well as PS3.

ss: Have you been into the Firewall settings in XP MCE to check that Media Sharing is allowed? Can't remember which port it needs, but it should be fairly obvious from the description (he says). May have had some windows update thats reset your settings.

I port forwarded the port that Portforward.com listed and went into my Firewall to ensure that windows could share but will have another play around.

I haven't gone into the Firewall settings in XP MCE though. I thought my only firewall was my software one. I disabled the Windows one. Am I missing an obvious firewall setting.

The 360 can share some media through the Media Centre connect so there is some communication between my consoles and my PC but just not the ones I want

[jim g]

last PS3 f/w update borked my media sharing, worked perfectly til then and now can't get the ps3 to see the pc for love or money.

gave up and just marked it down as yet another reason to hate the PS3.

Strange , as my PS3 and 360 work fine

[sofasurfer]

I keep on going around in circles here. It tells me to turn my file sharing on, which I do, and then when I try to have a look in the library tells me what it isn't turned on!

[Zebedee]

An alternative approach... just ditch WM11 and download Twonkymedia server. Should work fine with X360 and PS3, and uses less CPU than WM11 too

[sofasurfer]

An alternative approach... just ditch WM11 and download Twonkymedia server. Should work fine with X360 and PS3, and uses less CPU than WM11 too

That's not free though is it?

How much is it because if it isn't too bad it will save me from stressing out about this WMP problem

[JamesS]

From the error, if it's not your firewall, it might be that the service isn't running. In the XP control panel, go to administrative tools and load the Computer Management tool (or just do start->Run and enter "compmgmt.msc").

Open up "Services and Applications" and select "Services". In the list on the right, you should have a service called "Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service". If you don't, or if it's not started, that's likely to be the cause of the problem, though I'm not sure how you'd go about fixing it. If it's there but stopped, you can try double clicking it and starting it (and making sure it's set to start automatically). That might do it.

[sofasurfer]

From the error, if it's not your firewall, it might be that the service isn't running. In the XP control panel, go to administrative tools and load the Computer Management tool (or just do start->Run and enter "compmgmt.msc").

Open up "Services and Applications" and select "Services". In the list on the right, you should have a service called "Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service". If you don't, or if it's not started, that's likely to be the cause of the problem, though I'm not sure how you'd go about fixing it. If it's there but stopped, you can try double clicking it and starting it (and making sure it's set to start automatically). That might do it.

It wasn't that but this mornig I removed WMP 11 off of my PC and made sure it was completely gone. Re-downloaded and now my 360 and PS3 are streaming away happily.

Thanks for all the help guys