Android box won't see Windows shares

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linw

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#1895354 4-Nov-2017 22:17

I have app X-plore on my Android phone and it has a LAN option that sees all Windows shares.

MY Android TV Kodi happily uses my NAS files.

driller2000

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#1895386 4-Nov-2017 23:01

If you use Kodi can you ADD a folder:

Videos/Files/Add Videos/Browse/SMB/"Whatever PC you have shared"

Does it show any of your shared windows machines?

Oblivian

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#1895388 4-Nov-2017 23:09

Completely sure you havn't bunged the network settings on it in the meantime trying to fix the 3 other issues you keep raising (streaming services on Kodi)?...

richms

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#1895397 4-Nov-2017 23:44

Is this possibly a victum of SMB 1 going away in the last windows update (Only read about that so far, not seen any problems with it on my network yet)

Richard rich.ms

Rikkitic

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#1895428 5-Nov-2017 09:51

I have gone through all of the above, and as far as I can tell, none of it applies. But I can't be sure. My network know-how is limited and I am just feeling my way along.

I have found a couple of Android apps (Ping Tools and Network Analyser) that correctly show everything on the LAN from the Android device. The Android device also connects via the LAN to the router and the Internet without any issues. In other words, the Android box does see the LAN and everything on it, including the pc with the shared folder.

But every attempt to access the shared folder fails and I can't figure out why. I have tried it with File Explorer, ES File Explorer, and Solid Explorer. If I do a scan with any of these, or even try to directly contact the pc by manually typing in the IP address, nothing happens. They don't even see the LAN, let alone anything on it. For this reason, Kodi also doesn't work. The problem is with the Android device.

My understanding of SMB (admittedly imperfect) is that Windows 7, which I am using, only works with SMB 2. In any case, the shared folder is there if I try to view it from any other Windows computer on the LAN. Only the Android box has this issue.

No doubt I have done something that bunged the network settings to cause this. It wouldn't be the first time I shot myself in the foot. I just wish I could figure out what it is. This is slowly driving me to distraction.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Jase2985

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#1895472 5-Nov-2017 13:22

i have no issues seeing my shares with Win 10

when i first set them up i did and it was due to a permission issue

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Rikkitic

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#1895570 5-Nov-2017 18:19

I finally got around to trying something I should have tried at the beginning. Colour me stupid.

I set up a file share on a second Windows computer and that one works fine with Android! No problem at all. Then I went through the file share settings and compared them. No difference.

So I still don't know what is causing the issue, but at least I know that it is something in the Windows computer, not Android. Unfortunately, it is the Windows computer that I use for everything. I'm glad I can share files off the other one, but what I really want is to be able to share them from this one. I remember that I had a lot of trouble I shouldn't have had setting up this share in the first place, but it works fine now with other Windows machines, just not with Android. I would still really like to find the solution for this.

At least I'm making progress.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

Jase2985

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#1895572 5-Nov-2017 18:29

do the computers differ much? ie one has a windows login and the other doesnt or anything like that?

Rikkitic

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#1895608 5-Nov-2017 19:40

Not really. I tend to install my machines the same way. They are also both Win 7. I am going to go through everything step by step and compare, but not tonight.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

linw

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#1895660 5-Nov-2017 22:00

Which machine is the master browser? Try changing it to another machine.

Using File Explorer, click Network and display the Discovery Method column (rt click on top heading row and tick Discovery Method). Is there any difference in the discovery method being used between machines? (Hope win 7 has this feature!!).

These things won't fix it but may provide some troubleshooting info.

Rikkitic

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#1895845 6-Nov-2017 10:39

This morning I tried creating a new shared folder on the same Windows machine. The Android computer immediately saw it! So the problem, whatever it is, is specific to the folder I was trying to share. Gee, it only took me weeks and weeks to figure that one out.

Of course, I still can't access the bloody contents. Both Android and Kodi keep sending me around in circles. I have always hated networking and this kind of endless stupid crap is the reason why. It probably has something to do with the fact that I don't have a password login to my pc, which is sitting safely in my room in my house and doesn't goddamn need one!

Anyway, I will no doubt figure that one out eventually as well after wasting more frustrating days of my rapidly shortening life on it.

In the meantime, I am going to go hang my head in shame.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

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Oblivian

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#1895859 6-Nov-2017 10:53

Often NTFS vs anonymous sharing.

It's a read. But very valid. One can override the other.

https://www.howtogeek.com/72718/how-to-understand-those-confusing-windows-7-fileshare-permissions/

robjg63

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#1895869 6-Nov-2017 11:14

Don't worry - you arent the only person who goes quietly insane with this sort of issue.

Sounds like you are onto something now.

Simplest thing would just be to create that new folder and share it - and then copy the contents over to the new folder.

If the name is important, try creating a new folder - copy the contents, delete the old folder.

Rename the new folder to the name of the old folder, then enable the share.

EDIT: just re-read what you said and that you cant see content in the new folder.

I did have an issue with one version of Kodi a while back that didnt like accessing a publicly shared folder. Turned out it 'had to have' a username and password to access the folder properly - think it was a bug in Kodi that was cleared a while back - are you using the latest kodi?

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

Oblivian

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#1895928 6-Nov-2017 12:33

Forgot that.. the people suggesting accounts are kinda correct.

I have a user on all my PCs of Kodi funny enough, with their own PW but never login. Seamless browsing to most the drive however.

Or on the PC you host the stuff, put Kodi on and enable uPnP server. Minimise and just use the Pi Kodi as a browser to it as uPnP instead.

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