Technology
You may have the issue that surfaced recently (December 2010-January 2011) that the standard FAQ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977116 steps will not fix. First, you will need to change yours DNS servers to resolve the issue. The theory is that somewhere along the line, caching DNS/proxy servers have corrupt/bad information that impacts some users and/or that MS has some bad servers on their server farm).
Go to http://www.dnsserverlist.org/ which will automatically determine the best DNS servers based on your IP address. Pick two and carefully get the IP addresses. <- Apparently not available as of 3/28/2011.
Here are some sources for alternative DNS servers. Please note, I have not tested these.
http://theos.in/windows-xp/free-fast-public-dns-server-list/
http://www.tech-faq.com/public-dns-servers.html
Next, you will need to change your network settings on your Windows Media Center PC(s) to use these. This will override any settings on your router and/or the DNS settings provided by your ISP via DHCP:
1. Start Menu, Control Panel
2. Select "Network And Internet"
3. Select "Network and Sharing Center"
4. Select "Change adapter settings" on the left side of the screen
5. Right-click your network adapter and then select properties from the menu. (For example: "Wireless Network Connection" or "Local Area Connection")
6. On the Networking tab, double-click "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)"
7. Check "Use the following DNS server addresses"
8. Carefully type in the DNS Server IPs you want to use.
9. Click Ok and Ok again to exit.
After doing the above, open an administrative command prompt
1. Select start Menu, then Programs, then Accessories
2. Right click "command prompt" and select Run as Administrator
3. Type into the command window
ipconfig /flushdns
and then press [enter].
4. then type in:
cd \ [enter]
cd c:\Windows\ehome [enter]
start /wait mcupdate –uf [enter]
Wait a bit and Netflix and Internet TV menus should appear when you open Windows Media Center
If the above does not work, please post to http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/t/97522.aspx?
I suggest you watch this thread/subscribe to it via email in case a permanent solution is found so that you can revert your DNS to normal settings.
Some of you might be saying, “huh?” and wondering what I’m talking about. If you are a geek, you probably know that the IPv4 universe of addresses is shrinking and latest estimates are that the IPcalypse will occur in about 3 months. You can follow this on Facebook.
What does this mean? At some point in time, a new web site you want to visit or new web service you want to use may not have an assigned IPv4 address and be reachable over IPv6 only.
Is your ISP working towards insuring that you can connect to these sites? Mine sure is. Comcast has been working on this for a long time. Of the available technologies, 6 to 4 and native dual stack seem to me to be the most robust. But the catch is that in your home, you need equipment that has implemented one of these technologies, starting with the router at the edge of your network.
I look around and I see a sorry state of affairs for the home user, where there are so few capable devices (let alone firmware upgrades for top of the line dual band wireless routers) that it would appear that the router vendors are planning on forcing consumers to buy entirely new products, most likely to be announced at CES2011.
- Apple’s Dual Band N Airport Extreme seems the farthest along in out of the box features with firmware 7.5.1,and it is a great performer, provided you are willing to forego things like MAC address cloning, and can limit yourself to 50 clients and not being able to manage via a web browser.
- D-Link’s flagship DIR-855 has no apparent support for configuring IPv6 features (although their DIR-825 B2 hardware is rumored to have some IPv6 support, but I’ve ordered and returned 4 of them, having received the initial hardware version each time). Of all the top of the line routers, IMO, the DIR-855 has the best and largest set of features and options, and I’m disappointed at the lack of IPv6 features, to say the least.
- Netgear’s flagship WNDR3700 (I believe it has recently been rebadged with a new product number) also shows no sign of IPv6 support.
- Linksys’s E3000 (rebadged WRT610N) also shows no signs of official IPv6 support (and it is the worst performer of the bunch).
So, yes, there is open source firmware for some router lines, but the typical home user shouldn’t have to deal with a geeky upgrade and the quirks.
My advice if you are in the market for a new router? Don’t be pulled in by those door buster holiday specials.. You are going to need to purchase a new router in the next 18 months or so unless the vendors ante up and do the right thing.
Yes, you read that correctly. The iPxxx devices don’t natively support DLNA functionality, which rules out using Windows 7 Play To”, so I decided to see what could be done, at least as a proof of concept, to try to get this working.
The secret sauce was finding an app called PlugPlayer and installing it on my iPhone and iPad and seeing my iPxx devices show up in the Network Window .
I was intrigued, and not expecting much success, used Windows Explorer, right clicked a music file and saw not only my TV and Sonos Players listed, but my iPhone (via PlugPlayer) as well.
Then, the next task was finding which file formats would be supported.
I’m not easily impressed, but my jaw is hanging open today after installing two Sonos S5 Music Players to cover my home with end to end music. I’ve used computers, Media Center Extenders and all kinds of hardware and software in the past to move music around my home, but I always had to cobble together pieces and use separate devices and controllers to get what I wanted. What did I want? Well, everything imaginable. The list below is not in any particular order:
1. The ability to stream from ANY of my computers (using Play To or anything else) to more than one music player/renderer simultaneously.
2. To be able to control the volume above individually or together.
3. Play Pandora Radio and other Internet sourced digital music
4. Use existing/create new playlists
5. Use iPhones, iPads and iPxxx whatever to control and manage the device as a remote control (including graphical menus).
6. Use the system as an alarm clock with choices to wake from alarm, music, Internet music, whatever
7. Wireless connectivity in my Living Room
8. A system that was upgradeable.
9. Quality sound
10. Expandability
I’m still stunned that I found a system that does ALL of the above. (And I’m betting I discover more features – I’ve only had a few hours experience with this all, so my exploration and discovery has only just begun).