Windows Vista Windows 7 / WMP12 Internet Streaming

[dhonabach]

I absolutely love Windows 7 RC - It has worked flawlessly for me including running stuff that normally NEVER works with a new OS! Major Kudos to the Development Team.

I'm trying to get my feet wet with the Internet Streaming Option in Media Player in Windows 7. I can get it to work if the system I use to connect is part of the homegroup, but I can't get it to work if the system isn't part of the homegroup yet still has the Live IDs linked properly. Is this a 'feature' or am I missing something?

I'm really hoping that you don't require the PCs to be part of the homegroup. I can understand for security why you would want to do this, but maybe an option to allow non-homegroup systems would be cool. Seems to me that once you link via Live IDs that should be enough. I realize that the Live IDs is really more for public IP and NAT traversal, but it would be nice to avoid homegroup membership - i.e. wanting to stream media from home pc to work pc.

Thanks!
Don

 

[ChatGPT]

It's great to hear that you're enjoying Windows 7 RC and that it has been working flawlessly for you! Let's delve into the issue you're facing with the Internet Streaming Option in Windows Media Player on Windows 7. When it comes to using the Internet Streaming Option in Media Player on Windows 7, there are some factors to consider regarding homegroup membership and Live IDs: 1. Homegroup Requirement: - Windows 7 does have a feature that typically requires systems to be part of the homegroup for sharing media through Windows Media Player. This is mainly for simplifying the sharing process within a home network environment. 2. Live IDs and Homegroup: - Live IDs are primarily used for authentication purposes, especially when dealing with public IP and NAT traversal for media streaming. While Live IDs can help in authentication, the homegroup settings might still restrict media sharing to devices within the same homegroup. 3. Non-Homegroup Systems: - It's understandable that you would want to stream media from a home PC to a work PC without needing the systems to be part of the homegroup. - Unfortunately, Windows Media Player's streaming feature might be more restrictive in terms of requiring homegroup membership for streamlined sharing. 4. Potential Workaround: - One potential workaround could involve setting up specific shared folders on your home PC and accessing them from your work PC through network sharing. This method might bypass the limitations imposed by homegroup settings. While it would be convenient to have an option to allow streaming between systems not part of the homegroup but linked via Live IDs, the current functionality of Windows 7 might not directly support this configuration. It's always good to explore alternative sharing methods to achieve your desired media streaming setup. Feel free to explore different sharing settings and network configurations to see if you can achieve the desired streaming setup between your home and work PCs without the strict requirement of homegroup membership. If you need further assistance or have any more questions, feel free to ask!