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mcloaked

Member

From: Yorkshire, UK

Registered: 2012-02-02

Posts: 1,238

[SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

I have recently set up a small minidlna server with a set of videos (arch linux).  The vlc application on my phone sees the server without any problems at all, and will play the videos contained in the directories on the server.  However on my laptop running VLC, and going to Local Network and clicking on Universal PlugnPlay gices a 4-segment icon that looks like it is discovering upnp servers but after a minute or so disappears to leave a blank window with no server and no files listed.  I have a firewall with port 1900 open for both udp and tcp, but turning off the firewall makes no difference. This issue was seen with vlc some time ago and there are posts in other forums where users reported this in the past with earlier versions of VLC. 

Has anyone else seen this issue with the current version of VLC 3.0.16-2 ?  If so is there a workaround?   The minidlna server is certainly working since the files are playable on android devices in the local network, and also on a browser on the laptop I can open a tab on server-name:8200 and the available files are listed as well as currently connected devices.

It would be nice if this issue could be resolved.

Last edited by mcloaked (2021-08-08 14:22:37)

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Mike C

mcloaked

Member

From: Yorkshire, UK

Registered: 2012-02-02

Posts: 1,238

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

I also posted at https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=157905

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Mike C

NoSavvy

Member

From: Dorchester, Dorset, UK

Registered: 2013-01-23

Posts: 97

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

I can confirm. Just downloaded Ver.3.0.16.3 and tried it (also tried 16.2). No connections visible under Local Network. Pasting in the web address of my minidlna server (into the Zeroconfig/media/network choice)  gives me a complete list of all music available in the playlist. And all playable.
Perhaps downgrade to 3.0.16.1 in the meantime.

Last edited by NoSavvy (2021-08-07 14:53:54)

mcloaked

Member

From: Yorkshire, UK

Registered: 2012-02-02

Posts: 1,238

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

I just tried that under zero conf and open advanced - and tried the http://10.0.0.xx format, 10.0.0.xx:8200 and other combinations but I can't get that to open anything or give a list.  Can you detail how you put the web address of your minidlna server into vlc to get the list of all your music?  In my case it is only video files but if yours can do it I should be able to also - but maybe I am not doing the same as you did? In my case under zeroconf network services I right click within the blank window and select "advanced open" which offers options that include a network tab. Is that what you did, or something different? Also do you have any avahi daemon running, or other mDns services?

Last edited by mcloaked (2021-08-07 17:58:21)

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Mike C

NoSavvy

Member

From: Dorchester, Dorset, UK

Registered: 2013-01-23

Posts: 97

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

Well I admit That I cheated a bit and got the address from another program. Opened "zeroconf/open media/ open network/netwok" then pasted this address of my minidlna server:- upnp://http://192.168.2.5:8200/ctl/ContentDir&ObjectID=0    Yours ought to be the same, apart from the http address part. Best of luck.
Time for more wine now, and they definitely don't go together.

mcloaked

Member

From: Yorkshire, UK

Registered: 2012-02-02

Posts: 1,238

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

Well I admit That I cheated a bit and got the address from another program. Opened "zeroconf/open media/ open network/netwok" then pasted this address of my minidlna server:- upnp://http://192.168.2.5:8200/ctl/ContentDir&ObjectID=0    Yours ought to be the same, apart from the http address part. Best of luck.
Time for more wine now, and they definitely don't go together.

Yes that worked!  It initially opened one of the videos on the server but I was able to go to the full file structure and play other files - so it is not the network but the upnp discovery that is where there is a bug presumably either in the vlc application or the libupnp package.

Edit: Thanks for that tip and enjoy your wine!

Last edited by mcloaked (2021-08-07 20:27:36)

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Mike C

mcloaked

Member

From: Yorkshire, UK

Registered: 2012-02-02

Posts: 1,238

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

I have found the solution to this issue, which was due to my not understanding how to stop the firewall on my vlc client machine.  The problem was that the nftables firewall did not flush the firewall rules when the nftables service was stopped. So the firewall was blocking required ports and multicast packets for the vlc client.  A recent change to nft meant that previous behaviour that stopping the nftables firewall service would flush the ruleset was changed, and it is now necessary to manually flush the ruleset for the firewall.  Once the nft rules are flushed vlc works perfectly.  So this is resolved.

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Mike C

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 19,772

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

Interesting. nftables seems to have hosed you pretty well causing multiple issues.  I'll use this as a touchstone.

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How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

mcloaked

Member

From: Yorkshire, UK

Registered: 2012-02-02

Posts: 1,238

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

Interesting. nftables seems to have hosed you pretty well causing multiple issues.  I'll use this as a touchstone.

It did!  But knowing that simply running 'sudo nft flush ruleset' to get things working is the starting point. Then working out what particular firewall rules are needed to service open required ports for vlc at least gives me a way forward to getting vlc working and seeing the dlna server whilst the firewall is running! Now all I need to do is try to understand how dlna actually works in terms of ports used for the client!

By the way iptables would likely still have killed vlc but at least stopping it would have got to the solution a bit quicker!

Last edited by mcloaked (2021-08-08 14:35:20)

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Mike C

NoSavvy

Member

From: Dorchester, Dorset, UK

Registered: 2013-01-23

Posts: 97

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

#mcloaked.

Thanks for the feedback. I was trying to help with your problem and was using arch in a "vbox" with the minidlna server being on another arch. After playing with firewall rules etc. and not having any success, I then changed the network settings on the arch guest from "NAT to Bridged" and all works OK now.
Cheers.

mcloaked

Member

From: Yorkshire, UK

Registered: 2012-02-02

Posts: 1,238

Re: [SOLVED] VLC 3.0.16-2 does not display local dlna server files

It is good that solutions are now found!

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Mike C