WD TV Live keeps losing network shares

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live Streaming
1

I’ve been having this problem for a while and it’s really getting to be a pain in the butt, since I can’t really fix it. I’ll leave my comments on the WD TV Live itself for the spoiler tag below so I can get right into my issue.

So I used to stream through my Xbox 360, which meant that I would encode all my video files to WMV. WMV is a pain to encode to, and I inevitably ran up a stack of unconvertable files. Frustrating. The Xbox couldn’t stream MKV and couldn’t stream 5.1 audio in an MP4 container, so I just stuck with WMV, which was actually an awesome container, just too proprietary. So one day I get the brilliant idea to build an HTPC, except I don’t have the cash. Back burner. Later, I get another great idea to get a WD TV Live in the meantime. I bought one for each of my parents and they have never really had any issues that I know of (don’t live with 'em, so I can’t tell really). This will also let me encode to MKV instead, and give me better compression and quality options. Pretty excited. So I pick up a WD TV Live and it starts out pretty well. However, I’ve got a crappy surround sound setup right now that will only accept the stereo audio out from the WD TV Live. Except when I use that, it has this loud hum-hiss that makes it unusable. The surround will get upgraded, but it’s last on the list as it’s a luxury item. I wanted to use my crappy free surround sound because it was better than the TV audio, but not this time I guess. Unfortunate. So then, out of the blue, my WD TV Live decides it doesn’t like staying connected to my network shares. This means that I have to toss whatever I feel like watching on a USB, which is annoying when it should work and when you have 10 minutes to watch something (and have to spend half that transferring). All little problems which, in the end, have soured me on this device. I’m a big WD fan, hence the purchase (and I’ll still continue to purchase the hard drives regardless), but this product is pretty bad. I’ve noticed even the general use of it is slow and clunky. I can’t wait to get my HTPC and replace this thing, but in the meantime it was $100 so I’m not complaining. Just disappointed in WD with this one.

So a little while ago, the WD TV decided it did not like to stay connected to my network shares. Now, I’ve tried everything I could find to troubleshoot. I tried this but it says that none of my machines are the master browser, apparently. I don’t think it gets at my issue, though.

The main problem, and it’s illustrated best by the latest mishap, is this: I had the box on, connected to my stuff via network shares. I was watching something. I turned it off when I got up, even though I planned to return in a couple minutes. I remember saying “that was stupid! You’re coming right back!” So I came back, fired it up, tried to open my videos, and got the spinning arrow thing. Spin spin spin. So I’m impatient, so I turn it off and back on. It tells me my last share or whatever is gone and to pick a new one. I go to network shares, and there’s nothing. I can go to the media server option and it sees everything on the network. The box is connected to the network and internet. No connections issues. I go to network share/Windows share and the arrow just spins. I let it spin overnight, and nothing.

Now, I have no idea what triggers this. My computer is on all the time. No changes or surprise restarts. I’ve tried restarting my computer and nothing. Tried hard restarting the box, nothing. Tried both, nothing. Tried clear the saved network share info, nothing. I have no idea how this problem resolves itself when it does (I usually ignore it for weeks and then it decides to work; I sense the cause is magic). 

So in short, the box just randomly loses my network shares for no reason and I can’t figure out why or how to get them back. Hoping someone can help.

Thanks!

2

Need lots more info.  What firmware version on your WD TV?  Where are your network shares, on a Mac, Windows 7 PC, Windows 8 PC, Linux, NAS?  WD connected to your network via wired or wireless?

3

Latest firmware. Windows 8.1 PC. Wired.

Interestingly enough, I got everything working again last night. I threw a bevy of attempts at the box, but I think what got it working was disabling Windows network shares (turning them off, or something similar), then clearing the info, then doing a hard reset. I can’t confirm if that worked or if it was just “its time” to work again, but it’s good to go again.

Still, though, I’d like to try and figure out what the issue is to prevent it from happening again.

4

I think it is a master browser issue, so read this and use the free program to detect your master browser at any time.

http://scottiestech.info/2009/02/14/how-to-determine-the-master-browser-in-a-windows-workgroup/

1 Like
5

Casanova

I’d strongly suggest rolling back your firmware from 2.01.86 to 1.6.13.  I had the same issues with network shares until I did a rollback.   Many people have complained about network shares issues with 2.01.86

Here is a link on rollback firmware sources.  

http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5860/

I am running windows 7 but I think you’ll be more successful with that

Also consider stop using network shares and use media servers such as Plex. 

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6

JRFishman wrote:

Casanova

 

I’d strongly suggest rolling back your firmware from 2.01.86 to 1.6.13.  I had the same issues with network shares until I did a rollback.   Many people have complained about network shares issues with 2.01.86

 

While 1.6.13 improves the situation there is a fundamental flaw in how this device’s networking functions.  What that flaw is, I don’t know, but I can reproduce the fix and it’s nothing to do with my network.  I have 6 or 7 PCs with 4 different operating systems and all connect to each other’s shares 24/7/365 without issue.  It’s only the WD SMP that has a problem.

Even with 1.6.13 I’ll get the invalid username/password prompt and an inability to browse for network shares (with 2.01 that happens almost daily, with 1.6.13 it happens once about every two weeks).  When this happens the WD can’t see anything on my network.  The solution is simple but a huge pain in the butt.  I have to reboot my server (which is the master browser).  Once it’s rebooted the WD find all my network shares.

I’ll wait for the next firmware release and if that doesn’t fix this issue I’ll replace it with something else.   I bought it so my wife could sit down and watch stuff using a simple interface.  She doesn’t understand how to troubleshoot these things.  At this point it’s worth the extra cost to build a HTPC with an Intel NUC, show her how to use XBMC and be done with this WD headache.

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7

@adiabatic 

First of all make sure you have set up your Network shares password setting correctly:

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

The “flaw” you mention is really a Windows flaw in my opinion; the master browser thing is it’s problem.  With all those PCs going on and off, no wonder the master browser situation get bunged.  You likely have a PC you consider your “main” one.  So, turn all off except that one, and reboot the router.  After a while you can check that the main PC is the master brower (using the tool mentioned above).  Now, don’t turn this PC off  – ever, and if you do, then you need to reboot the router again as described.

If you have a fairly new router, it might have a setting to make the router the master browser.  I do with mine.  If the router can be the permanent MB (because one hardly ever turns off a router), your problems are basically solved in that dept.

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8

adiabatic wrote:

While 1.6.13 improves the situation there is a fundamental flaw in how this device’s networking functions. 

So how come I don’t have any network issues in two different networks on 2.01.86?

9

It is not a Windows-flaw. It might not be the most handy thing in the world but it functions fine with all other stuff. The implementation is flawed. I have other media players which do not suffer from these problems. This needs to be fixed. Permanently.

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10

That response is a logical fallacy, Techflaws. Lots of people have issues with accessing shares. I for example, run all my shares from a Windows 2008R2 Server with a WINS server to prevent problems exactly like this with other stupid clients like older Samba versions. DHCP gives out the correct WINS server address but packet traces don’t see any queries by the WD devices. This one is even worse than my old version.

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11

deadlock wrote:

It is not a Windows-flaw. It might not be the most handy thing in the world but it functions fine with all other stuff. The implementation is flawed. I have other media players which do not suffer from these problems. This needs to be fixed. Permanently.

The ONLY times I have lost WDTV Network shares is when my (Windows) master browser function failed/disappeared.  Once I learned it was a master browser issue, I permanently solved the problem – a few years ago.  Since my router (and not a PC or WDTV) serves as a permanent master browser  my MB problems are a thing of the past.  If one cannot use a router for this purpose, the only other solution I know of is to keep a “main” PC running all the time as the master browser.

12

mike27oct wrote:

The ONLY times I have lost WDTV Network shares is when my (Windows) master browser function failed/disappeared.  Once I learned it was a master browser issue, I permanently solved the problem – a few years ago.  Since my router (and not a PC or WDTV) serves as a permanent master browser  my MB problems are a thing of the past.  If one cannot use a router for this purpose, the only other solution I know of is to keep a “main” PC running all the time as the master browser.

I really could not care less if you just had a master browser problem once. I have them plenty of times, other users have them too. It also does not negate my comments that the implementation in the WD software is inherently flawed. If you’ve ever done a packet trace on a hub (not switch) you’ll see that as well if you understand the protocols that is. They need to fix it. Besides that I want the option to manually mount a share to be done with this nonsense. I only have 1 server with a little over 40TB’s of data on one share which I need to use. Now of course I can use Plex or TVersity but the quality and performance is just idiotic compared to native CIFS, let alone the adding of a single media file. It’s too much hassle. Give me what I paid for.

The fact that users report it gets worse with firmware 2.x compared to 1.6 is proof enough that something is wrong and that other fixes or a workaround are needed.

Also, I have a server running that currently is the master browser and all other machines are able to browse other computers fine. Mac, Samba on SLES and Windows 7 and 8. Now even if I disable the computer browser service on all connected machines, I’m still able to connect to shares on other machines. Thát is the functionality that will be easy for WD to implement and a quick fix for everyone who is currently in trouble. So stop whining about how your setup functions properly, there are a lot of people where it doesn’t work.

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13

    So stop whining about how your setup functions properly, there are a lot of people where it doesn’t work.

Huh?  Nobody is whining except you and others who can’t get it working.  I was just affirming that it CAN work under conditions I described.   I am real tired of all the whiners about this issue myself.  Call WD and COMPLAIN if it bothers you or others.  I sure as heck would.

14

deadlock wrote:

That response is a logical fallacy, Techflaws. Lots of people have issues with accessing shares.

It’s a logical fallacy to assume there’s something fundamentally wrong when the majority of users does have no problems with their network.

15

Techflaws wrote:

It’s a logical fallacy to assume there’s something fundamentally wrong when the majority of users does have no problems with their network.

I see you’re not well versed in the art of debating. You assume that the majority of users do not have problems. Most of my colleagues, nearly the entire IT department however, have this issue as well and a bunch of our teachers who I’ve recommended the product to and my neighbours ever since they switched off their last XP machine. However most of them use USB-connected storage and don’t really care about the networking side. The assumption you make is that everyone who has trouble will report it somehow. They have all found workarounds that are viable to them.

As I’ve said before; know your protocols, take packet dumps of what is happening and you’ll see that the implementation is broken. This is what I do all day, provide 100’s of TB’s of file services to thousands of users in a couple of dozen ways.

16

Why are those like Deadlock or myself considered argumentative when we respectfully discuss concerns with the level of reliabiltiy of WDTV networking.  For full disclosure  I’ve gone to a Media Server software solution (Plex) along with WDTV for the short term until these networking concerns with Network Shares can be addressed.  

Some on this forum and seem to get very upset at me when I express these concerns about the somewhat unreliable networking capabilities (unreliable for me) of the WDTV device.

as I said in another forum topic I also have a Linux Laptop, 4 Windows Boxes, a Droid tablet and a smartphone that have no problem with accessing the Windows share on my file server.  The Droid Tablet, the smartphone and the Linux use Samba Shares. The only problem platform for me is the WDTV.  Why does every other platform and every other device function trouble free?  

that alone tells me that WDTV has some issues with Windows networking.  I’ve heard some suggestions on moving to NAS and dump Windows shares.  All of these solutions might be valid, but I’m a looking for a cost free solution at this point. 

When I hear that nobody else has problems, I should say that I have recommended the device to 2 friends who no longer use it because of their network share issues.  I have tried to convince them to stay with the device (because of its amazing codec support), but they won’t.  So I guess the moral of the story is that just because you don’t hear the tree fall in the forest doesn’t mean the tree hasn’t fallen. 

17

JRFisman, I too have gone with Plex. However, Plex has drawbacks. If I drop something in a folder monitored by Plex it notices but it starts rescanning the entire library. I’ve got 10TB of TV Shows in that library, also the quality isn’t as good as native quality in some cases. And what if I want to play 4K material? Just let it downscale? The scan-partial-feature is only available to people who have a paid subscription to Plex. And Plex is just about the only sane media server out there.

The quickest fix would be to allow us to mount network shares manually on a permanent basis. Just give me that advanced option and I’m done with the complaining. Honestly.

18

deadlock wrote:

The quickest fix would be to allow us to mount network shares manually on a permanent basis. Just give me that advanced option and I’m done with the complaining. Honestly.

While I believe people like you vastly overestimate the fraction of people having troubles with this, there is no doubt that a sufficient number of people do have problems to warrant WD “improving” their “Windows shares” functionality.  It is absolutely a fact that the majority of people running WIndows do not understand its file sharing configuration, plus this configuration is vastly more complicated than it needs to be (IMO).

I absolutely agree that the current requirement of using SMB browsing to find shares is annoying and unnecessary, and the source of many Windows shares problems.  I certainly never use browsing when I am working from a computer, I simply specify the share server directly.  So has adding manual server selection been submitted as a suggestion?  I would certainly support that (despite never having encountered a single networking problem of any kind with my two SMPs).  Having manual configuration options is always desirable!

19

CasanovaFly wrote:

I’ve been having this problem for a while and it’s really getting to be a pain in the butt, since I can’t really fix it. I’ll leave my comments on the WD TV Live itself for the spoiler tag below so I can get right into my issue.

 

So I used to stream through my Xbox 360, which meant that I would encode all my video files to WMV. WMV is a pain to encode to, and I inevitably ran up a stack of unconvertable files. Frustrating. The Xbox couldn’t stream MKV and couldn’t stream 5.1 audio in an MP4 container, so I just stuck with WMV, which was actually an awesome container, just too proprietary. So one day I get the brilliant idea to build an HTPC, except I don’t have the cash. Back burner. Later, I get another great idea to get a WD TV Live in the meantime. I bought one for each of my parents and they have never really had any issues that I know of (don’t live with 'em, so I can’t tell really). This will also let me encode to MKV instead, and give me better compression and quality options. Pretty excited. So I pick up a WD TV Live and it starts out pretty well. However, I’ve got a crappy surround sound setup right now that will only accept the stereo audio out from the WD TV Live. Except when I use that, it has this loud hum-hiss that makes it unusable. The surround will get upgraded, but it’s last on the list as it’s a luxury item. I wanted to use my crappy free surround sound because it was better than the TV audio, but not this time I guess. Unfortunate. So then, out of the blue, my WD TV Live decides it doesn’t like staying connected to my network shares. This means that I have to toss whatever I feel like watching on a USB, which is annoying when it should work and when you have 10 minutes to watch something (and have to spend half that transferring). All little problems which, in the end, have soured me on this device. I’m a big WD fan, hence the purchase (and I’ll still continue to purchase the hard drives regardless), but this product is pretty bad. I’ve noticed even the general use of it is slow and clunky. I can’t wait to get my HTPC and replace this thing, but in the meantime it was $100 so I’m not complaining. Just disappointed in WD with this one.

 

So a little while ago, the WD TV decided it did not like to stay connected to my network shares. Now, I’ve tried everything I could find to troubleshoot. I tried this but it says that none of my machines are the master browser, apparently. I don’t think it gets at my issue, though.

 

The main problem, and it’s illustrated best by the latest mishap, is this: I had the box on, connected to my stuff via network shares. I was watching something. I turned it off when I got up, even though I planned to return in a couple minutes. I remember saying “that was stupid! You’re coming right back!” So I came back, fired it up, tried to open my videos, and got the spinning arrow thing. Spin spin spin. So I’m impatient, so I turn it off and back on. It tells me my last share or whatever is gone and to pick a new one. I go to network shares, and there’s nothing. I can go to the media server option and it sees everything on the network. The box is connected to the network and internet. No connections issues. I go to network share/Windows share and the arrow just spins. I let it spin overnight, and nothing.

 

Now, I have no idea what triggers this. My computer is on all the time. No changes or surprise restarts. I’ve tried restarting my computer and nothing. Tried hard restarting the box, nothing. Tried both, nothing. Tried clear the saved network share info, nothing. I have no idea how this problem resolves itself when it does (I usually ignore it for weeks and then it decides to work; I sense the cause is magic). 

 

So in short, the box just randomly loses my network shares for no reason and I can’t figure out why or how to get them back. Hoping someone can help.

 

 

Thanks!

Hi guys, this issue is under investigation. 

1 Like
20

I can confirm that the latest firmware for the classic WD HD TV Live suffers from the same problem. I’d love to see an update for that as well. I would understand if that wouldn’t be the case but hey, it’s still in my bedroom :wink:

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