If you stream from your WHS to any media player via smb (such at the Popcorn Hour or Myka) you know that one of the biggest PITAs is that you can only mount 1 share at a time. What this means is that if you store all your media in the respective WHS shared folders (Videos, Music, Photos) you will need to create a separate smb share for each shared folder and can only access one share at a time on your media player. Well, forum member Specter over at Networked Media Tank has come up with a solution to allow all your WHS shared folders to appear under one smb share.
- Enable Guest Account in WHS – best practice is to keep Shared Folder Access at Read only. Any shared folder set to Full could result in files being deleted accidentally (you could do this through the PCH by simply pressing the delete key on the remote)
The rest of the steps can be done by remoting in to the WHS. However, since I have Advanced Admin Console I will do everything through the WHS console.
- Share ”shares” folder – go into your Data (D:) drive, right click on the “shares” folder, go to the Sharing tab, and enable sharing of this folder.
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Add User/Group – right click on the “shares” folder in the D: drive, select Properties, go to the Security tab, and click Add. A box should now pop up. We are going to want to add two new User/Groups (RO_X and RW_X where X represents a letter used by your system). For Specter’s EX485 the letter G was used (i.e RO_G) but for my WHS build the letter I was used (i.e. RO_I). Type in RO_X and hit the “Check Names” names button. You will now be taken back to the Security tab and should see “RO_X (ServerName\RO_X)” in the list of User/Group names. With this selected make sure that “Read & Execute”, “List Folder Contents” and “Read” are Allowed in the Permissions section and hit “Apply”. Follow the same steps again for RW_X, but make sure all permissions except “Special Permissions” are allowed.
RO_X screenshot
RW_X screenshot
You can now go to your media player and set up a new smb share (smb://ServerName/shares). All you media will now show up under one share, no need to mess around with maintaining multiple shares (sorry for the hack job on the last screenshot!!!).
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Article by Damian
Hi, my name is Damian, and I'm tech gadget addict! Although I always had some interest in technology, it wasn't until I got my EX470 and more importantly found Mediasmartserver.net, that my interest became an addiction. My goal, aside from world domination and to see the Mets/Broncos win another championship, is to set up the perfect digital home where all my media is available at the click of a button. When I am not writing for Mediasmartserver.net you can find me over at my blog at http://dbone1026.blogspot.com or follow me on twitter
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Nice username on that last screenshot, Damian
Yeah, he was nice enough to let me test this out on his server. Unfortunately Clubber Lang wasn’t available at the time
I’ve had a single SMB share on my MSS since I started using it at the begnning of this year but I did something by far more simple. All I did was remote desktop and turn sharing on the shares folder. I don’t see why people haven’t done this earlier if this is such a problem. Seems to work just fine on everything in my home network.
I’m trying to connect PC3 to my HomeServer EX485 and network drives from Buffalo Tech (Network Storage – LinkStation)
but PC3 is no see this network drive
I ‘m looking for option get share drive from Home Server
(If mount my Network drive to Home Server and looking then share media content using home server – this is possible?)
What is a process
I try to install PS3 Media Server (I can’t)
http://ps3mediaserver.blogspot.com/ (it is java apps)
Why?
Thanks
“where X represents a letter used by your system.”
How do I know what letter is used by my system?
thanks
I figured out the “letter” issue. However, despite what appears to be a correctly configured WHS I cannot get the NMT to “browse” and locate the WHS share under the “network share” tab. Very frustrating.
However, the NMT is, in fact, seeing my WHS. For example on the NMT’s opening screen where you can “circle” scroll —>under the three boxes it sees the WHS and when selected I can browse the selected files. So I’m close here.
Do you need the NMT apps to be installed for this to work? Because I removed the installed HD in the NMT and thus the apps are not installed.
@ Jason,
An internal HDD is not needed. So when you try to Network Browse you cannot see your WHS (I think under workgroup) or you see it but cannot connect?
What is the “letter” issue? Is this a system generated letter or can one use any letter?
Harry
@ Harry,
Right click on one of the folders that is shared by default such as Videos, Music or Pictures. Access the security tab and make note of the names listed RO_X (SERVERNAME\RO_X) and RO_X (SERVERNAME\RO_X). X is a varible letter that can be anything, for my guide I was the letter
Damian – all OK!
Thanks
Harry
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