Bravia DLNA to Vaio

[Fireblader]

Hi,

I own a Bravia KDL-46EX711 since this weekend. I'm trying to connect this TV using DLNA to

my Vaio laptop. The laptop is running Vaio Media Plus.

When I update the server list on the Bravia, it doesn't find any media servers.

The network connection is fine on the Bravia, as I can stream video from i.e. YouTube.

Both the Vaio and Bravia are connected to the same router, so they are part of the same network.

Any ideas?

[Fireblader]

Had some 'fun' again yesterday evening (NOT).

My network setup is as follows:

ISP Internet Switch --- Router ---------- Bravia TV
                                            |
                                            -------- Vaio UTP connection (Win7)
                                            |
                                            -------- (free connection)
                                            |
                                            -------- 4 port switch/wifi access point ------- HP printer
                                                                                                  |
                                                                                                  ------ Destop (WinXP)
                                                                                                  |
                                                                                                  ------ (free connection)
                                                                                                  |
                                                                                                  ------ (free connection)

The router is a Linksys BEFSR41, running the latest firmware, with DHCP enabled.

The Bravia EX711 is also running the latest firmware.

The 4 port switch is infact an old ADSL router that I use as a switch (DHCP disabled and nothing connected on its WAN port).

Yesterday I discovered that uPnp was also enable in the 4 port switch. After I disabled it, the network became unstable.

I decided to disconnect everything, turn off the 4-port switch, and reset the Linksys router.

Restarted the router and first connected my Vaio (-> IP 192.168.1.100 = first addres in DHCP range).

The connected the Bravia (-> IP 192.168.1.101).

The I enabled uPnp in the router. Immediatly the network became unstable (duplicate IP adress errors, the laptop constantly connecting/disconnecting).

Again did a reset of everything. Only connected the Vaio, enabled uPnp -> unstable network.

I discovered this was actually caused by Windows Live Messenger on my Vaio. After I killed this, the

network all of a sudden became stable again. Reason ?????

Again did a reset of everything. Connected the Vaio. Connected the Bravia.

Killed Live Messenger and enabled uPnp in the router.

Bravia could not see Vaoi.

The disabled uPnp again (so I could start messenger again).

All of a sudden the Bravia saw the Vaio and I was able to stream pictures.

Restarted the Vaio. Bravia can't connect to the Vaio anymore. GRRRRR

Anyway, I don't understand why uPnp should be enabled in the router at all. uPnp has to do with applications

dynamically opening/closing ports in a firewall. The network traffic between the bravia and vaoi

doesn't pass thru any firewall. The firewall is only to the ISP switch.

I have an IT background and work in an industrial IT environement. But this really puzzles me.

[Catmambo]

This is more gut instinct but I think the problem may lie in the router. Networks shouldn't become unstable if you switch on UPnP. I've been running a Linksys WAG160G I think until recently and just switched to a classic Netgear DG834 (modem that most of the ISP's use) in the office and I have a stack of BRAVIA Internet Video devices hanging off that as well as numerous smart phones etc and that works perfectly.

Have you tried running the network without the second router/switch in case that could be causing a problem.

I don't understand why you would be able to view phots but not movies or music. Sure you are aware already but you need to browse video via the video tab, music via music etc. Despite all folders being visible in all tabs, you can only see actual files under the relevant tab.

It is odd though indeed. I'd look at trying a totally different router if possible.?

thanks

[Fireblader]

I will investigate this evening whether the problem is caused by the second switch (although I doubt this can be the cause).

Also I will add a simple 8 port switch, from work, between the router and bravia/laptop.

That way there should be no traffic at all going over the Linksys router.

Next step will be to lend my neighbour's router. He uses a DLNA application over it (NAS media server).

Can you explain why you mention to enable uPnp in the router? Like I said, uPnp is a Firewall feature, and

there is no traffic at all going over a hardware firewall in this network setup.

[Catmambo]

I don't profess to be a network expert by any stretch - but my understanding of UPnP in the consumer environment has always been as a series of protocols which allow different branded network devices to discover one another and share content. Thus enabling UPnP on the router is basically then allowing this discovery process to take place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Plug_and_Play

Indeed the list of UPnP AV media Servers on Wikipedia makes frequent mention to them supporting UPnP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UPnP_AV_media_servers_and_clients

thanks

[Fireblader]

Hello,

I did some more playing around this morning ;-).... and the conclusion is.... that there is something wrong

with the Linksys router.

I changed the netwerk setup to this this morning:

Linksys router -----  simple 8-port switch -------------- Bravia

                                                                   |

                                                                   ----------- Vaio

And... tata.... it worked perfectly. Connecting/disconnecting the Vaoi, and Bravia always rediscovered the media server.

I reconfigered my old ADSL router that I use as a switch / wifi access point, to act as a router again (just enabled DHCP again)

ADSL router ------------------- Bravia

                      |

                      ------------------ Vaio

Also worked perfectly.

In fact when I let the bravia discover the media server using the first setup.

Disconnect the Vaio and reconnect it to the Linksys router, it still works!

So there is something wrong with the uPnp discovery over the Linksys router.

Also, all this time I had uPnp disabled in all routers. Like a said, the uPnp setting in a router is just a firewall

feature. Which is not needed for DLNA. DLNA can only transmit over the same subnet, hence no routing, but only switching is needed.

Remember that a router is just a network switch with some added features (DHCP, Firewall, network routing between subnets).

Anyway thanks a lot for your support. This was alot more helpfull than the response I got from Sony support.

No the only problem I have is finding a router that supports DLNA/uPnp correctly.

On the DLNA website only one router is mentioned.

[sletonqu]

I suggest you to have a look on www.serviio.com

Could be install to Windows/Linux/Mac/NAS, and could remux/transcode on the fly a lot of media format to Sony compatible DLNA profile

[Fireblader]

Thanks for your response, but this was not a Media server problem.

I found that the cause is my Linksys router.

When I connect the Bravia and Vaio to a switch, so no netwerk traffic passes the router, it works

perfectly.