HOW TO : Setup your Xtreamer to stream content off Windows (Win7) machines via a wifi network

Update#2 [Apr 2010]: Sent the wireless USB dongle back to their seller in India since it was within the warranty period. They sent me a new dongle, free of cost. Now the whole setup is functional again. The online forum on the other hand was another deal altogether...

Update: My Xtreamer has stopped communicating via wifi after 3 days, without any configuration changes. "Can't get SSID" is the only response I get from the network settings page. The Wifi antenna drivers are proprietary (available for download) and hence I can't isolate the problem to the antenna. 2 subsequent posts to the Xtreamer forum have been mysteriously being deleted without any dialogue/clarification. Verdict as of now: Flaky antenna/connection finder.. wouldn't get this if streaming is your main need.

This post details my skirmishes in getting my Xtreamer (a streaming media player) to wirelessly stream content off my Windows7 laptop via a DLink N-Router. You could hook it up such that the Xtreamer can also access the internet - but I haven't done that. I intend to use the Xtreamer on a local trusted network and internet access on a diff public wireless network.


Step1: Update your Xtreamer firmware. I have version 2.3.1. You download the firmware zip, unzip it to get an .xtr file. Place the file in the root dir of a USB pendrive and connect it to the Xtreamer. Power it on - Main Menu > Settings > System > Upgrade. Browse and select the .xtr file. It should upgrade and reboot.

Step2: Get your network running and get your machine on it. Get your wireless router connected to your PC. Mine came with a CD with a wizard for basic setup.

Next enter the Web Config of the router. e.g. http://192.168.0.1
You would be prompted for the credentials to login into the router. Refer to your memory / the manual as necessary. Make sure you change your router password from the defaults.
For my DLink DIR-615, I navigate via Setup > Wireless Settings > Manual Wireless Conn Setup


  • SSID / Wireless N.w name = MySecretNetwork
  • 802.11 mode = use mixed b/g/n if you're not sure
  • visibility = Visible.
You can hide it / set to Invisible after you've scanned the settings into the xtreamer.
Set SecurityMode = None initially ; till you are positive that you have the network working first.
If you have the network working, secure it. My settings are as...
  • SecurityMode = WPA Personal
  • WPA Mode = Auto (WPA / WPA2)
  • Cipher Type = TKIP
  • GroupKeyInterval = 3600 sec
  • Pre-sharedKey = supersecretpwd
Save these settings. This should reboot the router. So you'd have to reconnect again to wireless network - MySecretNetwork.
Click on the wireless icon in the tasktray - choose the network. You will be prompted for the password - key in your supersecretpwd

To verify that you're connected. Try getting to your router web config page again in a new browser window. It should work.

Step3: Get the Xtreamer on the network.
From the main menu, Settings > Network > Wireless Setup.
  • Select a connection profile: Choose a free slot e.g. Connection2 and press Right to go to the next screen.
  • Get Conn mode: Choose Infrastructure (AP) and go Right
  • You should see a drop down containing your network/ssid name. Woohoo! Go Right
  • Next it will prompt you for the WPA Key (for a secure network). Use the onscreen keyboard to key in your supersecretpwd and hit OK.
  • Choose DHCP IP (Auto) at the next screen.
  • Now you're at the moment of reckoning. You'd be shown a summary of your choices and asked to confirm. Go Right to test your connection.
  • If all goes well, you should see Test Ok and Show Net Info (summary of network parameters).
  • Press Enter to complete task.
You should now see
On*: [AssignedIP] as the value for the Wireless Setup property in the Settings > Network page.

Step4: Gentlemen (n ladies) share your folders
  • Select the folder c:\MyShare in Win7 and bring up Properties > Sharing > Advanced Sharing...
  • Enter a name for your share, a comment if you wish.
  • Next click on Permissions and add a credential (user/pwd/domain) that you'd use to access the share remotely. Use a non-guest account. I was not able to get it to work with the default guest account.
Repeat the above for all shares.
You also need to turn off at the network connection level

Click on the Network and Sharing Center link on the Sharing tab. Verify the following settings for the current (home or work) profile
  • Set Password protected shares = Off.
  • Public Folder sharing = On
  • File and printer sharing = On
  • Network Discovery = On
Tell your firewall to let in the media: Finally, you need to ensure that you're firewall is not gonna play spoilsport. Bring up your firewall.. Kaspersky in my case
Settings > Protection > Firewall > Settings.
Go to the networks tab.
Select your network (which is currently showing as Public). Right click and mark it as trusted. Easiest way to get this over with. Of course if you are accessing the internet this isn't the way to do it. You'd need to configure it at a more granular level. Ok out. You can verify by setting up 2 machines on the wifi network and pinging each other ; if packets are received correctly, you're all set.

Step5: Time to stream
So now you have the PC and Xtreamer on the network, shares created and reachable.
  • Press home on your Xtreamer to get to the main menu > Media Library > NET.
  • Select My_Shortcuts.
  • Press 1 on your remote. Select Add in the popup.
  • Use down and right to click the detail button.
  • Now navigate back up and enter the username, pwd, domain, File Server IP (ignore the other params) Press Enter in each field to bring up the onscreen keyboard. Use the numeric keys on the remote for the IP addr. Remember this is the set of credentials that you used on the Permissions dialog when you shared the folders.
  • Click OK. Save the network setting.

You should now see a shortcut like fileserverIP:username. Select it by pressing Enter. If you've entered everything correctly. You should see a red "Logon successful" at the top-right; below a listing of all shares on that machine.
Sometimes you maybe prompted for a user-name/pwd for an individual share. Not sure why this happens - however enter and choose 'OK and save'. Xtreamer will remember it for you from now on.

You should now see all files in the shared folder. Choose a movie and hit OK to begin the streaming... and yeah it's all set for you to scream in joy!

22 comments:

  1. Hiya - Just wanted to thank you for taking the time to post your guide :)

    Would you mind if I copied it to the Xtreamer Wiki (With credit of course) or if you even want to add it yourself?

    I am sure some users will benefit from it.

    'CaP

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  2. Go right ahead, Cap. Glad to help...

    ReplyDelete
  3. hi can you help me on how to stream files from my pc using wired connection on a windows xp?

    can't get it to work. thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. @Anonymous - you'd need a router and 2 ethernet cables connecting the PC and xtreamer device to the router. The xtreamer should show a valid IP address when it boots up. Should work... let me know if you have any issues; I haven't tried this personally.

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  5. Hi Gishu,
    Nice article there. I did the exact steps by connecting both (Xtreamer and my laptop to the router - Not wireless). I have installed Norton Antivirus. I couldnt find the steps that u mentioned in disabling the firewall in ur kaspery steps. I tried without it. I created the profile which asked for usr name, pswd, ip address. On clicking on the link/profile that has got created, it asked for user name, pswd, which I duly entered but to no success. Any tips on this would be highly appreciated.

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  6. One more thing i wanted to find is if u have tried accessing the share port of the dlink router on xreamer. Some how I am not able to do that. thats the next task I have taken up. Any inputs would be appreciated

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  7. @Rams - The first step is for your Xtreamer to obtain an IP (should show up at the bottom of the Xtreamer menu).

    The next step should be getting both of them to speak to each other. Here is where firewalls can interfere. Norton would have its own version of a firewall. Not sure what it is called.. While doing your setup, temporarily turn off both windows and norton firewall. If they are able to see each other.. you can then enable and configure your firewall to let xtreamer IP traffic through. Not sure what you mean by the share port of the router...

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  8. Hello,
    I have a new win7 machine in my network. Sharing is enabled, and I can access the shared folders from other computers. From xtreamer, I can access the folders via 'NET' menu, and browse the win7 folders freely, but I can't access them via 'Network Shares' (I can access other XP computers' shares), so I can't add them to xtreamer's favorites. Any ideas?
    Thanks, Noam.

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    Replies
    1. Hi I have the same problem exactly but in Win 8, in Win 7 it was working fine.

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  9. Hi!

    How do I connect my pc with the Xtreamer?, I have two dongles. One for PC and one for Xtreamer. Want to stream movies and other stuff!, Please help!

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  10. @Anonymous#1 - Yeah I think it only shows up in NET menu ; can't verify it right now. My remote stopped working and the Xtreamer is a rock without it. Good player.. but it should have had a power on hard button. Take care of your xtreamer remote.

    @Anon#2 - I've written down as much as I can. Did you try the steps in this post?

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  11. why is the transfer rate/streaming lags so slow on xtreamer using wired network transfer? barely gets 1mbps transfer rate on win7. thanks

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  12. @Anony-Nov1: This is a pretty popular topic (search for "Slow transfer rate wirless-n networks") - no global fix :( They recommend using the best devices and tweaking the router network config to perfection. I didn't manage to solve that problem - file transfer over a wifi network maxed out at 1 Mbps (which is pathetic ; mediocre USB 2.0 trumps this 10x). . That said, streaming worked smoothly for me (no lags or jitters; was able to fast fwd / back up instantaneously) back in the day.

    However I still use USB over streaming with the xtreamer because the process to get everything booted up wasn't repeatable/hassle free for me.

    Just eeking out the Xtreamer for as long as it will run... then buy a device that doesn't require this much babysitting/cajoling.

    OT: Also if your Xtreamer remote ever goes Kaput.. don't invest in a Xtreamer remote. For a few bucks more, I got a Logitech Harmony universal remote.. Couldn't be happier with my choice.

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  13. Hey!

    I just created a domain network at home for educational intentions. And before i did that, ive made a network-shortcut-unit on my client computers to my shared folders (which is located on the server). Now my xtreamer won't find those folders (obvious because the xtreamer isn't in the domain). Is there any way i can enter the domain with the xtreamer or make those network-shortcut-units on it?

    Thanks

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  14. Hello again. I did the previous post and i solved it. It had just changed from "network shares" to "NET".

    So you can ignore my other post :)

    Thanks

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  15. Hi I'm follwing it, but cant connect my xtreamer into the internet. It looks I need to configure the port into my router?
    I have a TPLINK Router and have connected the xtreamer into the router using ethernet cable

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  16. Thank you very much! "Network and Sharing Center link on the Sharing tab. Verify the following settings for the current (home or work) profile" saved my a**s

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