Tips for network shares with Boxee

[gmd024]

I have different issue, I connect to my WHS share, but have to re enter password every time I restart boxee. With 12 shares that could get annoying fast. On PC version of boxee there is a setting to store password but not on the box. Real bumper.

I don't have this issue with my WHS - once I set up sharing in Boxees' Files and Network settings and turned on sharing in the WHS's 'settings' UI - see att'mt - it was a done deal

[gmd024]

no matter what I do, I can see computers on my network (all Win 7) from BB but I can't access their shared folders. When I try to see the shared folders BB asks for username and password and none seems to work (whether username on the Win computer, "guest" or nothing). This is strange because all win 7 computers on the network have no problem seeing and browsing one another's shared folder without the need to enter a password.

If you've done all the suggestions in the previous posts, you should be good to go -- maybe a double check of everything is in order -- sharing to everyone, advanced sharing to everyone, security to everyone, reboot the devices on your network after doing the settings (and maybe in the correct order/sequence also) - and check for the old demon 'Windows Live' lurking somewhere in a dark corner

I never once had the user/password pop up on me - using 3 W7 x64 PCs - a Windows Home Server and multiple USB HDDs storing 'many' Tbs of content and scattered all over the network

[RMS]

I don't have this issue with my WHS - once I set up sharing in Boxees' Files and Network settings and turned on sharing in the WHS's 'settings' UI - see att'mt - it was a done deal

Thanks for reply. I have it setup correctly on WHS. Shared with 5 other machines/tv/game consoles. However the boxee box is the only connection that constantly requires user name and password for each folder I connect to even though all my shared folders come from the same SMB master share.
I have video share with folders for movie types and I added each folder under that share as a different connected folder. On the software boxee you can save your passwords to smb but not here.
Did you first enter user name and password for your shares or did they not require it when you first connected? Also if your using dnla share and not smb then you don't need password either. My whs has no guest account, strictly username and passwords and I don't use the dnla windows media connect service from whs either.
I am 1000% sure as a product manager that many of these advanced user tweaks options have to make it's way back to the box or you might as well get an apple tv. I think boxee user experience should be balanced with simple "advanced" options to turn on GUI items grandma doesn't need but I do.
Thanks (at least I have until 31st of Jan to see it happen)

[RMS]

Thanks (at least I have until 31st of Jan to see it happen)

Oops that would be dec 31st..

[gmd024]

Thanks for reply. I have it setup correctly on WHS. Shared with 5 other machines/tv/game consoles. However the boxee box is the only connection that constantly requires user name and password for each folder I connect to even though all my shared folders come from the same SMB master share.
I have video share with folders for movie types and I added each folder under that share as a different connected folder. On the software boxee you can save your passwords to smb but not here.
Did you first enter user name and password for your shares or did they not require it when you first connected? Also if your using dnla share and not smb then you don't need password either. My whs has no guest account, strictly username and passwords and I don't use the dnla windows media connect service from whs either.
I am 1000% sure as a product manager that many of these advanced user tweaks options have to make it's way back to the box or you might as well get an apple tv. I think boxee user experience should be balanced with simple "advanced" options to turn on GUI items grandma doesn't need but I do.
Thanks (at least I have until 31st of Jan to see it happen)

No user/p-wrd was required - I'm using smb

"My whs has no guest account, strictly username and passwords and I don't use the dnla windows media connect service from whs either" -- Same Here

Yah - I don't understand why setting up local files shares is a piece of cake for some and a nightmare for others -- I've reviewed the tips in this thread and I don't see anything missing or omitted to the best of my knowledge

[dbretton]

This is the exact problem I have. I have 2 different shares, with the identical problem:
system A: Windows XP Pro x32
system B: Windows Vista Home
wireless router: Linksys WRT160N

Also, my home network's WORKGROUP name is "W0", if that makes any difference

Based upon some of the suggestions here, I have everything coming up fine on both boxes now.

Here are the changes I made to both my Windows Vista laptop and my Windows XP box to allow Boxee Box to work with the shares:

1) Created a new user account "shareguest", exclusively for accessing shared drives.
2) Added UDP ports 137,138,139 and TCP/IP ports 137,138,139 through Windows Firewall.
3) Turned on NetBios over TCP/IP.
4) Removed the existing shares on Boxee and reconnected to them as "shareguest".
5) Rebooted Boxee Box

Now everything is working ok. It wouldn't surprise me if only 1 or 2 of the above steps are what got things working for me. However, I don't have the time to sit down for several hours and do fault isolation, so I did everything at once.

YMMV!

[n3rdalert]

If you've done all the suggestions in the previous posts, you should be good to go -- maybe a double check of everything is in order -- sharing to everyone, advanced sharing to everyone, security to everyone, reboot the devices on your network after doing the settings (and maybe in the correct order/sequence also) - and check for the old demon 'Windows Live' lurking somewhere in a dark corner

I never once had the user/password pop up on me - using 3 W7 x64 PCs - a Windows Home Server and multiple USB HDDs storing 'many' Tbs of content and scattered all over the network

I almost have the same problem as you on my WHS. I can access d:\Videos, d:\Videos\Movies, d:\Videos\Movies\Romantic Comedy, but NOT d:\Videos\Movies\Romantic Comedy\Breakfast at Tiffany's...I get prompted for a un/pw and I don't even know which one to use. I clicked through each folder in that folder on boxee and they all asked for a password except one.

[vtxrider]

The other thing that really tied me up was that I had a firewall on my media source. The Boxee Box couldn't even see the media source until I resolved that.

Windows systems come with a firewall and it is necessary to configure it to allow local computers access. (btw, if you're a Comcast subscriber and you've installed Norton360, that includes a firewall as well).

As soon as I turned on the 'Box' my MAC just asked me if i wanted to allow sharing, said yes, and issue over.

[lazz3k]

This is funny, but oh well it works. Finally connected everything to my windows laptop, did everything as mentioned, and when i finally uninstalled the windows live, it suddenly appeared in my boxee box. OK, now everything is hooked up, added the media sources, but unfortunately, it all shows as disconnected as a source, so, it won't scan.

HOWEVER, and this is the funny part. If i go to my Files section of menu, and go to my network drive that way, i have full access to all the media, and just finished watching a full HD 1080p mkv file without a hitch.

SO, it's funny and weird that one section of boxee box (File Sources) says disconnected therefor no scans or scrapes, but the other side of boxee box (Menu --> files) gives me full access.

Oh well, guess I'll have to go through that route until all is better in a future update.

[clovis8]

This is funny, but oh well it works. Finally connected everything to my windows laptop, did everything as mentioned, and when i finally uninstalled the windows live, it suddenly appeared in my boxee box. OK, now everything is hooked up, added the media sources, but unfortunately, it all shows as disconnected as a source, so, it won't scan.

HOWEVER, and this is the funny part. If i go to my Files section of menu, and go to my network drive that way, i have full access to all the media, and just finished watching a full HD 1080p mkv file without a hitch.

SO, it's funny and weird that one section of boxee box (File Sources) says disconnected therefor no scans or scrapes, but the other side of boxee box (Menu --> files) gives me full access.

Oh well, guess I'll have to go through that route until all is better in a future update.

That is the exact issue many of us are having. I can watch all my video it just wont index.