This tutorial details how to create a DLNA server in Windows 10 to stream media to TV and other devices using built-in tools or software at no third-party costs. At the same time, how to use content playback functions from your computer or laptop without having to configure it.
What is it for? The most common use is to access a library of movies stored on the computer from a Smart TV connected to the same network. Despite this, the same goes for other types of content (song, photos) and other types of devices that support the DLNA standard.
Playback streaming video without adjustment
With Windows 10, you can use DLNA functions to stream content without setting up a DLNA server. The only requirement is that both the computer (portable) as the device to be played are on the same local network (connected to the same router or via Wi-Fi Direct).
For this case, in the network settings of the computer you can enable “public network” (respectively, network detection is disabled) and disable file sharing, playback will continue to work.
All you have to do is click the right mouse button, as an example, in a video file (or a folder with lots of multimedia files) and choose “Transfer to device …” (“Bring to device …”), then select the desired one from the list (must be enabled and online to appear in the list, also if you see two items with the same name, select the one with the icon like in the screenshot below).
This will start streaming the selected file or files in the window “Bring to device” Windows Media Player.
Creating a DLNA server with built-in Windows tools 10
for which windows 10 act as a DLNA server for devices with technology, just follow these simple steps:
- Abra “Media streaming settings” (via taskbar or control panel search).
- Click on “Enable streaming media” (the same action can be performed from Windows Media Player in the menu option “Transmission”).
- Give your DLNA server a name and, If you wish, exclude some devices from authorization (by default, all devices on the LAN will be able to receive content).
- At the same time, by choosing a device and clicking “Set up”, you can specify what types of media should be entered.
In other words, you don't have to create or connect to a startup group (in reality, in Windows 10 1803, starter groups have disappeared). After setup, you can enter and play content from your TV or other devices (including other computers on your network) in the Video folders, Song, Pictures on your computer or laptop (also there is information about how to add other folders in the instructions below).
Note: The steps above change the network type (if it was set to “public”) a “private network” (home) and enable network discovery (in my test, for some reason, network discovery is still disabled in “Advanced sharing settings ”, But it is enabled in the advanced connection settings in the new Windows settings interface 10).
Add folders for DLNA server
One of the things that are not obvious regarding enabling a DLNA server with the built-in Windows tools 10, as previously described, is how to add your folders (because not everyone stores movies and music in system folders, for that matter) to be visible from the TV, player, console, etc.
You can do it in the following way:
- Inicie Windows Media Player (as an example, searching the taskbar).
- Right click on the Music section, Videos or Images. Let's say we want to add a video folder: right click on the respective section and select "Manage Video Library" ("Manage Music Library" and "Manage Gallery", for music and photos, respectively).
- Add the desired folder to the list.
Done. Now, this folder is also enabled on DLNA compatible devices. The only nuance: Some televisions and other devices cache the list of available DLNA files and for “see them” restart may be required (turn on / delete) the television, in some cases – disconnect and reconnect to the network.
Note: You can also activate and deactivate the multimedia server in Windows Media Player itself, in the "Streaming" menu.
Setting up a DLNA server with third-party software
In a previous tutorial on the same topic: Creating a DLNA server on Windows 7 Y 8, several examples of third-party programs to create a media server on a Windows computer were discussed (at the same time of the method to create a “Start group” , which is also applicable in 10). Essentially, the utilities mentioned then are still relevant today. Here I would like to add just one more program of this type, that I recently discovered and that left the most positive impression on me: Service.
The program now in its free version (there is also a paid Pro version) gives the user the widest possibilities to create a DLNA server in Windows 10, and among the additional features we can mention:
- Use online streaming sources (some of them require plugins).
- Support for transcoding (transcoding to a compatible format) of almost all televisions, consoles, modern players and mobile devices.
- Supports subtitle transcoding, works with playlists and all common audio formats, video and photos (including RAW formats).
- Automatic content sorting by type, Author, Incorporation date (In other words, on the end device when browsing, a comfortable navigation is obtained taking into account the different categories of multimedia content).
Download Serviio Media Server for free from the official web portal http://serviio.org
After installation, run Serviio Console from the list of installed programs, change interface to russian (up to the right), add the must-have folders with videos and other content in the settings item “Multimedia library” Y, in reality, everything is ready: your server is up and available.
For the purpose of this post, I will not go into the Serviio configuration in detail, except to point out that the DLNA server can be disabled at any time in the setting item “Condition”.
That's it. I hope this post is useful for you and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask in the comments.
