How to do UPnP with the N95 and Window Media Player 11

Actually it is very simple. Windows Media Player 11 has UPnP support built in. So make sure you run Microsoft Windows XP or Vista with Windows Media Player 11 and have the N95 configured on your home network. Then only a few simple steps remain:

  1. Configure the N95 properly. Go to the icon with the little red house, called "own media" or something depending on the language. Select settings and select as the access point your home LAN where your Desktop PC is connected to. Choose a name for your N95. Set copying to memory card (best option). Exit the settings menu.
  2. Go into the 'content sharing'. Here you can select which data you want to share. You can also share nothing. I only share my music. The pictures are safely synced to the PC by cable ;-)
  3. Go in to the 'Search in own network' looking for UPnP devices to talk to.
  4. At this point boot the Desktop PC, start Windows Media Player 11, select Library in the top row where the alternate options are Ripping, Play Now, Burn and Sync. Then select in the vertical outliner list the item 'Library'. Right click on it and select 'Media sharing'. A window will open which, if everything is correct, will show several or one device. Select one of the 'unknow device'-s and right click for a popup menu. Click on properties and the MAC adres is show of that device. Have you found your N95? Select the device that has the mac-adres of your N95 and click enable.
  5. Now you can go in to the 'Search in own network' on the N95 and start looking for your Windows PC and browse all your music, pictures an video media. Simply hit the OK button to divert the media from the desktop PC to another device or click on 'Options' and select 'Play' and then 'In Player' to play the music on the N95.

It should work with most of the n-series devices with UPnP support ;-) Now you can play any music on your PC on your N95 or another UPnP device as long as you an they are connected to the home network ;-)

And don't forget to have actual music in your Windows Media Player 11 library!

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Horia
[this is good]

Very nice tutorial!

BTW, are u working for N?

snoyt

Nope. Although tecnical inclined I am more into the academic environment ;-)

saxen
[this is good]
amazing tutorial...well done!!!
Craig
[this is good]

Great instructions! I've always kinda wondered how to do this and, thanks to you, now I know.

Cheers!

snoyt
Thanks for the encoragement everyone
Bjorn
Is it possible to make windows media player play the media remotly like in SimpleCenter or is there an alternative to SimpleCenter as I find it slow to load and seems to crash alot speshly when trying to display images.

Even if there was a pluging for windows media player or winamp would be better that SimpleCenter.

Any Ideas?
snoyt
Hi Bjorn, I have not yet seen a uPnP server plugin for windows media player. I think you can use VLC and a recent version of Nero for this. Either one should be more stable. uPnP is gaining more and more ground each day I am sure plugins will appear. Also you could look at some HTPC (home theater pc) software that might support this. Many of them are free.
Jamel
I still cant see my device in windows media player. I am successfully connect to the network because I was able to browse the internet use my network connection. I'm using a linksys g wireless router and UPnP is turned on.

Can someone help me set up UPnP with my N95-3
snoyt
You can not. You can however see the windows pc as a server for your N95-3. Some other uPnP capable players however are able to see the N95 and stream music from it or copy files.
Jamel
Can you share with me some of the other players that will work. I'm interested in being able to see the N95-3 NAM and stream music,movies,and pics from it or copy files.

like this guy is doing on youtube video. Only I can't understand his language.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOgYHy6CXQs

Thanks for you quick response.

Also how can I see the Windows PC as a server.
snoyt
[this is good]
I don't use that functionality. But you could have a look at the homeserver that came with the N95 phone, the nero media player and vlc. I know pocket conduits for the Pocket PC can be used as a player. That one could do both. Access and play music from the N95 as a server and play music streamed controlled from the N95 to the Pocket PC as a client player.

If you have trouble with seeying your windows PC as a server there might be a firewall/router configuration problem.
Jamel
Well that's way above my level. I guess I'll have to forget about this feature.

Thanks for you time.
Jamel
Hello Snoyt,

I was able to find some software that allows me to sink with my home network. Its called simple center. It works pretty good with audio files. Wont let me stream movies. But I can tell them to play on my computer. I think I can transfer them from/to N95.
When I installed software, it configured Windows media to recognize my N95 also. I can transfer files but when I tried to play files on my pc thru windows media, my N95 prompt in the window that I need to select a device. And theres no device to select. Do you know what device software I'll need to install on my N95 that will allow me to use it with windows media. I can see all the files and transfer them. but I cant get my device to play thru Windows media like it does thru simple center.
Below is the link to simple center if you want to try it.
http://www.simplecenter.com/download.html
snoyt
[this is good]

The N95 comes with a program called Home Media Server, this is what you called Simple Center and can play music. Original I thought movies streaming is not supported by the N95. However V21 firmware version of the N95 firmware seems to support it at least. Make sure you are on the home network as configured in Tools->Connectivity->Home Media, make sure sharing video and pictures is switched on. Goto the gallery, select a movie, options-> Show via Home Network. Select the 'simple center' device. Select play icon. That's it.

Jamel
Thanks for your reply. I appologize for the length of this post. just want to be thorough.

Simple Center is PC software that was installed on my PC. It function is the same as Windows media player 11. Here the link if you want to check it out.
http://www.simplecenter.com/download.html

Before installing Simply Center, I tried to get Windows Media Player to recognize my N95. I was unsucessfull. I then did a google search and found
Simple Center.

After installing simple center, not only was my n95 viewable from using simple center, when I have simple center closed and windows media player open, Windows media now see's my N95 device. However it doesnt recognize the proper name of my device. Also I cant play the files while windows running
windows media alone. Only thing I'm able to do is transfer files from and to windows media library by using my n95.

What my first question was is there a way I can control windows media the same way i can control Simple Center. When I attempted to play the file
while using windows media, (which I did through utilizing the home server option
on my N95) it says that I need a device to run this with windows media.

When I use Simple Center I do connect using the home network option. and the device that I connect with says simple center(and my network computer name).
when I set that I see my files that are viewable thru simple center. when I click on a file to play it a windows appears that looks like a music player of some sort that allows me to play the files.

When I try this same process while using media player, I dont get that music player option. Seems like something is missing that get windows media player to be recognized properly. It ask me to select a device. below that says empty.

Last question. How do I get the new version of firm ware. I tried to go thru the normal firmware update process, that direct me to nokia's site to enter a product code. When I enter my product code, it tells me that theres no newer software versions available. I updated my firmware last month to version v11.00 etc...
will you send me the link to the site I can get the new firmware update?

Thanks again for all you help.
snoyt
Summarizing to be brief:
- Simple center is also called Home Media Server as I said earlier. It is on the cd that came with my N95 ;-)
- Simple center works independent from Windows Media player.
- True: You can not control windows media player like you can control simple center with the N95 (to my knowledge). Windows Media player has very limited uPnP support. It however allows you to access your windows music collection everywhere within wifi range on you N95.
- True: Windows Media player does not not recognize uPnP device names.
- Firmware: The N95-3 seems to have V11.2.009 as the latest. It is basically offers the same functionality that N95-1 finally got with the V21 firmware. Looks like you are up-to-date and have a simlock-free phone too! Congrats.

Note that if you have large comments to write, you could consider making it a post. This blog post started out as a reply-comment to a question from someone. Certainly your explorations of Simple Center seem worth a blog post by itself...

Updating your firmware can go through the Nokia PC suite (pick Nokia Software Updater). It checks if you have the latest and then updates if you have. Best to do after synchronization and backup of your phones content..

Share and enjoy!

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