The maximum potential of Information Technology (IT) allows us to extend without limits our capacity for communication and the transmission of knowledge and creation. Technological tools facilitate our learning and entertainment.
We share with the world through the network and the audiovisual media that it makes available to us. One of the technical supports that allows us to exchange multimedia content is a DLNA Server. Here we will explain what it is and how to take advantage of it on your computer, with the Windows operating system.
What is a DLNA Server and what is it used for?
The wonders of technology today allow you to obtain and share learning, work or entertainment content, which discovers an unexplored world of potential for human beings.
Even better, all that communication potential that IT offers you can activate it from the comfort of your home, installing and activating technical support programs such as a DLNA Server.
A DLNA Server is a standard technical support software for multimedia, between your different devices and electronic devices.
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DLNA technology is currently included in most of the electronic equipment in our home; televisions, smartphones, video game consoles such as Play Station and Xbox One (), computer hard drives, network hard drives (NAS) or tablets, allowing you to communicate and share multimedia content.
Digital Living Network Alliance – DLNA – is a server, which will allow you stream and share multimedia content, activating your PC, laptop or network hard drives (NAS), turning them into Home Network servers.
The DLNA Server allows access on the same Network to movies, series, images, photos and/or music files that are stored on a device that serves as a central server and shared between compatible devices.
It can be configured on a NAS network hard drive or on the Windows operating systemgiving you the experience of directly enjoying multimedia content, from any of your devices, without having to transport them on USB drives or external hard drives.
In the case of computers, desktops or laptops, it can be activated in Windows, as it is included in versions 7, 8 or 8.1 and with more extensive advantages in Windows 10.
You can also install the DLNA Server, using professional programs or software developed by third parties.
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In addition to enabling your computer as a home network server, the DNLA Server allows you to choose and establish which files to share and how they will be viewed on other devices.
How a DLNA server works on your computer. Operating requirements
A DLNA Server executes its function through a network that is configured in your home network, its action requires that all devices to join the network must join the same or Ethernet subnet.
One of the devices must be set as central server, from which the content is offered and the others will be the receiving devices, All of their technical characteristics must include compatibility with DLNA technology.
In turn, all devices, whether wired or wireless, must register on the home LAN and access the Internet through a .
Receiving devices will automatically detect files available for network sharing.
Technical requirements for the operation of a DLNA Server on your computer.
- That the exchange devices are compatible with each other and support the formats required by the DLNA Server for reading. (JPEG formats for images, LPCM for audio and MPEG2 for video, Other formats such as MP3, TIFF or MKV behave according to the factory characteristics of the devices).
- Registration of all devices on an enabled Home Network.
- Have active compatible programs with DLNA: Windows Media Player (on your computer) applications like Arkuda DMS (iOS devices), BubbleUPnP (iOS devices) ).
- Other electronic devices, smart televisions, sound systems, game consoles, etc., already have integrated functions under the technology.
How can you share multimedia files through a DLNA Server
Below we give you some examples of how a DLNA Server allows you to exchange multimedia data between different devices compatible with this technology, for example:
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View Movies from the hard drive to the Smart TV: The hard drive is configured as a central server and the folders are shared that you can choose yourself.
There is also a mobile phone application that helps you select the central server, the receiving TV and set the phone as a remote control.
Play the music files stored on your Smartphone on your sound system: You just have to install phone applications such as AirPlayer, to locate your multimedia library and share the musical songs that will be heard from your sound system.
Send photo files smart to a printer: In one simple step you can order the printing of your favorite photos, from your without connections or cables.
Types of DLNA devices, according to their functions
According to their functions we can establish a classification of three groups of devices which can be configured as a DLNA Server.
This is a schematic way of understanding how it works, but it does not imply that each device has an exclusive function as such. Some, as in the case of a cell phone, can be placed within the three groups that we will describe below:
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- Digital media servers: Computers, desktop or laptop computers, smart mobile phones, tablets or NAS disks are located in this group. They are teams of of files.
- Player/Renderer: The devices assigned to this group are Smart televisions, Blue-Ray equipment, that is, those that are responsible for the reproduction of shared multimedia content, after they locate the DLNA Server automatically.
- Drivers: This group includes equipment that can be used as remote controls, smartphones and tablets, which after locating the contents on the DLNA Server, allow you to assign how to share them on the receivers.
Common uses of a DLNA Server
A DLNA Server allows you to access multimedia content stored on computers connected to the same home network and play it.
It is generally used by configuring a desktop computer or from a network hard drive (NAS), such as central servers and from there the content exchange is extended.
WiFi is usually the Internet connection to execute this direct exchange between devices, which allows you to avoid storage on portable drives and their subsequent connection to the receiving devices.
For information purposes, we will mention how to use a DNLA Server on a NAS hard drive or network drive, in case you have availability of this type of equipment at home.
In more depth we will break down the important utility of the DNLA Server in the Windows operating system, for desktop or laptop personal computers.
Using DLNA with a network drive (NAS)
In a NAS server, a wide and varied multimedia content is usually stored on the network, for those who have chosen to use this type of device, The advantage is to keep them available safely in a particular “cloud” at home.
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If you have a NAS Drive compatible with a DLNA Server, most of them are, you will now be able to watch that content on a TV with a network connection that is also compatible with DLNA.
The Smart TV will simply recognize, when turned on, the DLNA Server that works on the NAS disk and through a menu you will be able to select the files you want to see and play.
The DLNA Server Enables the NAS drive to transfer files without requiring special hardware features. The exchange of content will also be possible with other electronic devices, as we have mentioned before. (Mobile phones, tablets, etc.).
Use of DLNA with computer equipment under Windows environment
Using a DLNA Server on your personal computer, desktop or laptop, to configure it as a server for a home network, is possible in two ways:
- Activate the DLNA Server integrated into Windows, a function that frees you from downloading and installing external applications. This option allows you to select the folders to share, which you only have to move to the receiving devices.
- Download and install automated DLNA server software, developed by third parties. Packages that allow the user a simple and direct execution of the DLNA Server.
The only limitation so far when using a DLNA Server is the compatibility between the file formats to be shared.
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Now keep reading, because we are going to explain how to activate this component integrated into the Windows operating system.
He includes the instructions for enabling it in Windows 10 and we include a guide for previous versions, still widely used such as Windows 7, 8 and 8.1.
At the end, as a bonus, we present some recommendations on automatic DLNA Server software for download and installation.
We present the available options, it is up to your discretion and needs to implement the most appropriate one.
Configure your computer as a DLNA Server in Windows 10
To configure a DLNA Server on your Windows 10 operating system you must do the following:
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- Go into Setting of Windows.
- Click on the option Internet network.
- In Internet network go to Statethis window describes your type of Network configuration. (Ethernet or WiFi does not matter).
- Make sure your profile is set to Privateto do this click on Cchange connection properties.
- The properties menu.
- Locate Network profilemust be configured as Publicby default, you must change it.
- Select the option Private.
- Return to the window and select again State the one you were in before.
- Locate the section Sharing optionsclick on Sharing options advanced and mark which elements you want to share with the receiving teams.
- In the new C windowAdvanced sharing settingsselect the option Turn on network discovery; This way, your device will automatically detect your home network and execute its configuration.
- Now, select the option Turn on file and printer sharing, With this you will also share your printer in use.
- Next go to the section All networks, here you will find a series of elements configured by default, leave them like this; When you finish the list, click on Choose media streaming options.
- In the pop-up information and confirmation box for the action, click Turn on media streaming to continue.
- In the transmission options…
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