How to resolve Network shares access problems

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live Streaming
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This post addresses one of the most-asked questions in the forum regarding how to login to Network shares without problems, error messages and hassles.  Two ways of accessing Network shares are described below.

The author of this post has re-posted the revised comments of this helpful tip at at this location, because much of this thread has been fouled with many off topic and off-hand comments.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  So, go here:

http://community.wd.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Streaming/How-to-resolve-Network-shares-access-problems-with-WDTV-media/td-p/671513

1 Like
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Did #1 Mike and it works fine. Dante

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mike27oct wrote:

This post addresses one of the most-asked questions in the forum regarding how to login to Network shares without problems, error messages and hassles.  Two ways of accessing Network shares are described below.

 

 

HOW TO SET UP ACCESS FOR NETWORK SHARES ON A WDTV USING PASSWORDS OR NOT

  

 

Method 1: IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO USE PASSWORDS FOR WDTV NETWORK SHARES

  

  1. In the WDTV Settings/Network settings, select auto logon (if your model WDTV has this option; otherwise ignore)

 

  1. Click on “Clear login info for network share” and select to clear it.

 

  1. On your PC, in the Windows Network and Sharing Center/Advanced sharing settings, select it to “Turn OFF password protected sharing”.

 

 

End of access problems, and no more being asked for account names and passwords to access Network shares.

 

 

 

Method 2: IF YOU WANT TO USE PASSWORDS FOR WDTV NETWORK SHARES

 

  1. In the WDTV Settings/Network settings, DO NOT select auto logon (if your model WDTV has this option; otherwise ignore)

 

  1. Click on “Clear login info for network share” and select to clear it.

 

  1. On your PC, in the Windows Network and Sharing Center/Advanced sharing settings, select it to “Turn ON password protected sharing”.

  

 

Now, (back at the WDTV menu when you access Network shares) you will be prompted to provide your Account name (your name on the shared PC you are accessing; if you log in as Bob, put in Bob).

 

You also will be asked for your password for the PC you are accessing.  If your password is “hello”, put in hello and now you can login to Network shares.

 

 

Select which method is best for you.  I prefer Method 1.

 

Really admirable for you to quote the manual here so often. Seriously. But unfortunately WESTERN DIGITAL SUPPORT  will even tell you these simple steps will not always work depending on your set-up. So if it doesn’t work, don’t pull your hair out and keep clunking through the WDTV remote menus. Put your time towards another solution, namely a NAS. Or install a media server (even faster than setting up shares) like TVersity or Plex. Plex is free and there are a bunch of other free ones. Wish Western Digital would just print what support tells you in the manual about it not working much of the time. Save a few million folks a ton of time and headaches. A lot of people waste a lot of time trying to make this work.

If you follow mike’s steps and it doesn’t work, maybe give it one more try. After that, don’t assume you did something wrong. The reality is you just need to go with a media server if you absolutely need to stream from your PC. And if you’re serious about network streaming, you already own a NAS or HTPC and you probably aren’t having this problem anyway.

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@roscolo

 No comment.

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roscolo wrote:
Save a few million folks a ton of time and headaches.

 Millions, my a ss!

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I don’t know what NAS stands for but for my purposes downloading to a flash or hard drive and using the usb connection works fine. I am truly grateful for all the support. I will continue to read the user manuals and share my experiences with other Cherry’s (forgive my digression to Vietnam). Thanx again and I am off to find out what a HUB is :).

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NAS = Network Attached Storage.

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how to do this via linux? I am trying to use cifs and it keeps asking me for a password.  I’ve tried to specify the username as guest.

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netskink wrote:

how to do this via linux? I am trying to use cifs and it keeps asking me for a password.  I’ve tried to specify the username as guest.

Precisely what are you trying to do and how are you trying to do it?  Your question is too vague to provide much help.

If you mean you are trying to mount a CIFS/SMB share, you should read the mount.cifs man page (“man mount.cifs”).  For one thing, there is a guest option you might want to look at.  Of course how the share is set up determines what info must be given to mount it (and whether it is even possible to mount it).

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Hello,

My WDLIve always connected to my laptop before I did a total restore. Now I keep getting the message “Failed to connect to file server, the account/password maybe changed, please check it.” I have “Turn off password protected sharing” checked in both Home or Work and Public with all the appropriate setting checked to allow access. No Luck. it connects to one other laptop and Desktop. I have carefully followed your instructions including clearing login.

Thanks,

Casper

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I have a WDTVLive its a mth old  fimeware 1.15.10

PC setup with Windows 7 64bit

Network : homegroup NO password  ( have tried with password as well )

I can see the PC on the WDtvlive but cannot get passed the Password **bleep**

I also have an old Astone Media box which when i connect it I do not have to input a password which indicates the problem is with the WDLIVE and not the windows set up.

Mike27oct has written what is in the manual but this does not apply to this issue and does help me connect the WDLIVE as i still asks for a password regardless of whether the password is on or off the network.

I have spent two days trying to troubleshoot this by going through the settings etc I can now see the network and the pc i am trying to connect to but connection stil fails.   Because the old ASTONE gave me access immeduately with the password off i tend to think this is a firmware issue with WDLIVE

Please help

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Homegroup is irrelevant. Read up on password protected sharing.

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thx for your feedback but i only put that info in to cover all that i was doing 

I know the homegroup workgroup has nothing to do with it

 My Problem is the WDtvlive wants a password regardless of whether  I have one on the network or not

and even when i set the network password ON  the WDtvlive still will not accept it.

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Well looks like i have this thing sorted out.

I’ll just take the WDTVLive back for a refund and stick with my Astone  it may be old But it works

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Hey redadare, just thought I’d throw in my 2 cents worth.  It may just be your terminology, but you do realise its not asking for your network password right?  It wants the name and password for the user account on your PC.  I just wanted to clarify that with you.  When you turn on your PC, do you have to input a password before your desktop displays?

In Control-Panel select User Accounts.  Does your account show as password protected?

If yes, then that is the password that the WDTV live wants.

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thx Ronmaz

u hit the nail on the head  

all fixed now

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That’s what I meant when I wrote homgroups were irrelevant. All that counts is workgroup and the user account’s password.

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redadare wrote:

thx Ronmaz

 

u hit the nail on the head  

all fixed now

It is pretty obvious that you did not read carefully what I carefully wrote at the beginning of this thread  (and it is not directly from the manual):

I wrote: 

Now, (back at the WDTV menu when you access Network shares) you will be prompted to provide your Account name ( your name on the shared PC you are accessing; if you log in as Bob, put in Bob).

 

You also will be asked for your password for the PC you are accessing.

Now, did I say to use your network name/password or your computer login name/password?

Read, and comprehend, people!  :confounded:

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Can I ask what in the world is being meant by “network name/password”?  Is this some odd (IMO) WIndows terminology?  The basic network (IP) protocols do not in any way involve usernames or passwords to gain access to “the network” to send data.

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This I know, and my question to you is:  To whom are you asking this question to?  Hopefully, not to me.

When I used that expression, I was referring to what ronmaz said above:  “you do realise its not asking for your network password right?”  I read his comment to mean logging into one’s router (i.e. network) and giving the router login name and password.   When I used the expression, “network name/password”? I should have said “router login name and password.” This is what my router calls it.

And, of course, that’s not one does to access the WD Network shares:  The “name” to log into with is one’s user name on the computer that is shared and being accessed, and the password is what one uses to log in as that user.