Adding a LIbreELEC PC to a Windows 7 wired home network

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 12:00 PM

I've searched around for help with this but not found anything useful. If the information is out there somewhere I'd be grateful for a pointer in the right direction, or failing that, any thoughts and suggestions here would be very welcome.

I'm trying to set up a very basic wired home network, with only two components: one desktop PC running Windows 7 and another, used as an HTPC, running LibreELEC (version 9.0.0, recently clean installed). The connection is simply that both the Windows 7 PC and the HTPC are connected to the router.

The basic use for the network will be to transfer media files from the Windows 7 PC to the HTPC.

The problem is that although the LibreELEC machine reports the network as "Status: Online" it doesn't show up in the Network display on the Windows 7 machine. What's infuriating is that a previous network using the same hardware (but an earlier version of LibreELEC) did work perfectly: and as far as I'm aware I followed exactly the same setup procedures with this latest attempt. Since then, both machines have had their software reinstalled.

As I said, I'd be very grateful for any help. Many thanks.

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 12:05 PM

have you enabled samba on libreelec?

also, why not connect from libreelec to your windows machine, and stream the files from there without copying them to your htpc?

when entering the ip from your libreelec machine, don't the default folders show up?

like: \\<ip adress>\

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 12:18 PM

Thanks for the speedy reply. Yes, Samba is enabled, but checking the settings just now I noticed that they refer to "Workgroup". The Windows network is designated "Homegroup" - could that be the problem?

I could try connecting the HTPC directly to the main PC but wouldn't that still involve a network? The connection would have to be by Ethernet cable.

I don't quite understand your last question. Do you mean "when entering the IP from the LibreELEC macine into the network settings on the main PC?".

You'll gather from this that I'm not particularly technically savvy when it comes to networking, so I'm grateful for your help.

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 12:25 PM

the workgroup/homegroup shouldn't make a difference.
I am using a variety of these names at home and it works fine.

Both machines just have to be part of the same subnet.

Check on the HTPC what IP it has, and also on the windows machine.

on the HTPC it is in system information in LE. On windows, just open a command prompt and type ipconfig

you can also try to ping the htpc from windows with ping <ip address>

exampje:
windows pc: 172.16.1.1
htpc: 172.16.1.2

and then ping from the windows pc to htpc with: ping 172.16.1.2
If that gives a reply, than the connection between both are okay.

Next open in windows your windows explorer and type in the address bar \\<ip address>\
example: \\172.16.1.2\
that should show the default samba share folders from LE.

You don't need to connect the machines directly, as long as they are connected through switch or router it should be fine.
IF they are in the same subnet.
That means that the first three octects of the ip address are the same.
In my example that is "172.16.1." the last number after the dot can be different.

so:
- what happens when you ping to the htpc?
- what happens when you try to connect through \\<ip address\
- what are the ip address that you now have in use?

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 12:44 PM

Thanks for the detailed advice. The ping to the HTPC seemed to be wholly successful:

Packets: Sent = 4. Received = 4. Lost = 0 (0% loss).

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

Minimum = 0ms. Maximum = 0ms. Average = 0ms.

The \\<ip address>\ was also successful and brought up a list of the HTPC folders.

But despite all that, the LibreELEC machine still doesn't show up in the Window 7 Network list.

The ip address are:

192.168.1.64 (Windows 7 PC)

192.168.1.76 (HTPC)

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 12:51 PM

Okay that's good, so you can access and copy files over now.

For it to show up in the network list, the workgroup names do have to be the same.

That is only for it to show up.

It won't give you any further functionality though..

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 12:59 PM

It's a question of convenience really (or perhaps I'm just being lazy): transferring the files is just easier and quicker if both machines immediately show up when I go to Computer or Network on the Windows 7 PC.

There's also the point that I got it to work in the previous installation and it's annoying that I've not been able to do that again.

I can't see a way of changing the Samba designation to "Homegroup". Perhaps I'll try changing the Windows 7 group name to "Workgroup". Might that work?

But of course you're right: I can now transfer the files, albeit with a little bit of fiddling about. Thanks so much for that.

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 1:08 PM

computers are supposed to make things easier, so being lazy is a good thing

you should be able to change the workgroup name through the libreelec settings in the system menu.

the alternative is changing the workgroup name in windows. as long as they are both the same, should be good.

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 1:25 PM

I found the option to change the Workgroup name in LibreELEC settings. I made it Homegroup (which I assume is the name of the Windows network - I haven't yet found a way of confirming that it's the actual name but it's certainly described as a Homegroup.

I also rebooted both machines for good measure. And the HTPC still isn't there.

But I'm obviously close. I'll carry on experimenting. Thanks again.

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 1:36 PM

on the windows machine check the name in command prompt with:

Net Config Workstation

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 1:41 PM

Interesting:

Workstation domain: WORKGROUP

So LibreELEC was set up correctly. I think I'll change it back again...

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 1:45 PM

if they are both WORKGROUP, then yes.

is there no windows firewall or anything active?

also, can you ping the hostname of libreelec?

default: libreelec

so: ping libreelec

if not, then maybe also try adding the hostname to the hosts file

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 2:01 PM

Yes, both are set to Workgroup, at least as far as I can tell. And (ditto) there's no firewall.

The ping was successful.

But I did have one thought: I checked the Windows 7 network settings and discovered something I'd forgotten: I'd set a password. However, under Advanced sharing settings "password protected" is turned off.

LibreELEC settings has a Use Samba Password Authentication option, currently turned off. Is this the same thing as a network password?

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 2:08 PM

the password shouldn't be a problem. Even if you wouldn't have a password, you should be able to see the devices. You just won't be able to access them...

is your file and printer sharing enabled in the settings of your network adapter?

also, in your services.msc, is computer browser enabled?

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 2:54 PM

Yes, file and printer sharing are both enabled.

I checked services.msc. Computer Browser status is Started and Startup Type is Manual, with Log On As listed as Local System.

What's continuing to puzzle me is that, as I said, everything worked flawlessly in a previous installation (with the same hardware and also Windows 7 on the main PC) and I don't recall doing any particular deep-level configuration of the sort that I'm checking now.

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 3:18 PM

Yes, everything seems to be configured the way it should. Strange...

Maybe just add a shortcut to the network share to your desktop and use that as a workaround?

Bert Coules · February 14, 2019 at 4:13 PM

That sounds like an excellent idea but I'm afraid I don't know how to do it. I'll investigate.

LATER...

Ah, that was easier than I was expecting: I didn't know that you can use an IP address in a shortcut, nor that you can mix a numeric address with a written subdirectory. But giving \\192.168.1.76\<specific media location> as the target takes me straight there.

Brilliant, thank you.

But I'd still like to know why the network option is refusing to work...

tahPhallus · February 14, 2019 at 5:12 PM

Good to hear that the shortcut is working.

As far as the network option goes, I am not sure..

Maybe hook up another pc or raspberry pi or some thing and see if you can see that device, to make sure whether it is a libreelec thing or a Windows problem..?