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Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 09:45

So I'll provide some background. I have two PCs, one in my bedroom, one in my loungeroom.

My loungeroom PC is connected direct to my main router. My bedroom PC is connected to a second router which is in turn connected to the first. This is because I use the second router as a range extender to give us Wi-Fi in the bedroom. The second router is connected to the first through EoP (too far to run a cable).

I thought I'd be able to add the loungeroom PC as a UPNP server, but have been advised that UPNP can't be used through two routers (which would explain why I could never see the loungeroom server).

So my current work around is, I've just shared, through Windows file sharing, the folders with my video files from my loungeroom and added the locations as sources on my bedroom server. This works fine except it obviously means the systems don't have each other's marks when watched etc. So essentially I can see the same files but it's a different library.

Is there anyway I can add my loungeroom library to my bedroom Kodi? Can I use zeroconf or a http protocol somehow?

Any help would be great

zerocool_ie · 2016-01-31, 13:55

can you use your hardware as a switch instead of a router?

Abbaskip · (This post was last modified: 2016-01-31, 13:59 by Abbaskip.)

Don't think so...How would I do that? I currently just turn DHCP off on second router and plug it into my other router.

Guessing this means there is no way around with the software?

trogggy · 2016-01-31, 14:00

Then you are using it as a switch.
UPNP works through all my switches - are you positive it's the switch rather than the powerline blocking it?

zerocool_ie · 2016-01-31, 14:01

Choose one router as your 'brains of the operation' and turn DHCP off on the other.
Only connect router to router using the LAN ports... don't use the WAN/INTERNET port on the secondary router at all.

That will put all your devices on the same subnet.

Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 14:05

Oh, that's exactly my setup. Is there any other reason I wouldn't be able to see the UPNP server?

I'll try plugging the cable straight from EoP to bedroom PC (skipping the second router) to see if the EoP is the issue.

Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 14:43

Ok, so Kodi still doesn't find the UPNP server, even if I plug the network cable straight into the bedroom PC.

However I can see the Loungeroom media server (three Kodi one) from Network in Windows. Is this the Zeroconf/HTTP server or the UPNP server?

Is there no way to add this as a media location?

**Fry7** · 2016-01-31, 15:10

Can you elaborate on your powerline adapters?
Maybe they are blocking IGMP (or one (or both) of your routers do), I'd suggest looking for available firmware updates for all your powerline devices and routers.

Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 15:56

The EoP I have are these:
http://www.tp-link.com/en/products/detai...11KIT.html

Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 16:02

I'm in bed now, so unfortunately can't test anything more until tomorrow, but just a thought - I assume that it's not going to be an issue having the UPNP server also enabled on my bedroom box? Currently it is, I didn't even think about it, I assume that I don't need to turn it off to stop a conflict or anything?

Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 16:36

Sorry for triple post. Bedroom PC is off (wife sleeping) but playing around with loungeroom PC, it doesn't even find itself when I try to search for a UPNP server.

I noticed that the bedroom at least found itself when I was searching for UPNP servers. Guessing this may be the issue, the loungeroom pc is simply not starting a UPNP server.

I'm running Windows 10, do I have to do anything special? I've ticked the UPNP option in kodi but it then can't find itself

trogggy · (This post was last modified: 2016-01-31, 16:47 by trogggy.)

If you start the upnp server in kodi on the lounge pc you won't see that if you search in the same kodi for a upnp source - but if you open Windows Explorer (on that pc) and go to Network it should show up under Media Devices.
If it doesn't show up there (in Explorer > Network > Media Devices) - and restarting kodi / refreshing Explorer doesn't make it show up - then that looks to be your issue.
Can you confirm?

Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 16:56

The only media server in Network is my Windows homegroup share by the looks.

Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 17:00

Ok, I just restarted my kodi, turned upnp off and on etc and now it's appearing in Network.

I'll check tomorrow if it appears on bedroom computer

Abbaskip · 2016-01-31, 17:18

I just installed Kodi for Android on my phone, and connected to the bedroom router/switch. I could see the server and connect to it (And add it as a source) so it looks like we're all sorted!

Hopefully when I boot the bedroom PC up tomorrow it's the same, though I imagine if my Android phone can see the UPNP server than the PC should have no worries.

Not sure what the issue was, seems I actually had everything right first time, but after a few Kodi restarts it still wasn't working. Switched upnp off and on a few times then restarted and suddenly ta da! A little frustrating as I don't know how to fix it again next time now!