Home Sharing - PLEASE HELP!!

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LM1975 Author

Level 1

0 points

Home Sharing - PLEASE HELP!!

Hi there,

I have just purchased the 2nd gen Apple TV and have spent the best part of the weekend banging my head against the wall trying to get home sharing to work.

If anyone can help I would be most grateful.

- ATV2 is connected to the internet and my Apple login as most of the content is showing up OK.
- I have iTunes setup with Home sharing turned on on both ATV2 and my PC, but I cannot see anything under "COMPUTERS" in the ATV2 menu - no library showing up at all.
- I am using McAfee security and have tried de-activating the firewall with no luck.
- I have tried connecting both my laptop and ATV2 to the router by ethernet to isolate whether there is a WiFi issue - no luck!
- I have read countless forums trying to find a solution and it seems that there are people out there who are having this issue but I havent seen a straight-forward solution yet.

I'm hoping there is someone out there who is way more tech-savvy than me and has an answer.

Thanks in anticipation.

Dell Inspiron 15R, Windows 7

Posted on Feb 13, 2011 2:01 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 13, 2011 2:54 PM in response to LM1975

Welcome to the Apple Communities.

Security software can be a bit of a night mare, I've seen many reports where simply turning it off isn't enough, I understand that some have needed to remove it or repair the damage the software has caused.

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Answer 2

Feb 13, 2011 3:07 PM in response to LM1975

Try the info here

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2972

Particularly with regard to ensuring TCP port 3689 and UDP port 5353 are not being blocked.

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Answer 3

LM1975 Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 15, 2011 12:57 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill wrote:
Welcome to the Apple Communities.

Security software can be a bit of a night mare, I've seen many reports where simply turning it off isn't enough, I understand that some have needed to remove it or repair the damage the software has caused.

I spent over two hours on the phone last night with Apple support and attempted a whole raft of potential fixes - including uninstalling and re-installing the iTunes suite; and uninstalling my McAfee software - to no avail.

The Apple techie was extremely helpful but unfortunately couldnt get it working, so we left it for the time being with him to liaise with colleagues to search for a solution.

WC - in your post you mentioned that some have had to "repair the damage the software has caused" in relation to their firewall. Do you mind elaborating on this. Can you recommend any steps to take to ascertain if there is "damage" and how it might be repaired?

The other odd thing that we found last night was that my iPhone remote app can control my iTunes on the PC via Home sharing, so there isnt any issues around homesharing working on the PC - the issue seems to be with the ATV2 "seeing" the Itunes library in the PC.

Thanks

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Answer 4

jaminhok

Level 1

0 points

Feb 15, 2011 10:08 PM in response to LM1975

Same for me it drives me crazy.
It's just a joke
I have macbook pro, apple tv 2 and airport extreme and it does not connect. It's ridiculous. I cannot find any posts useful on top of that.

I tried to deactivate the firewall, stop the antivirus, reset itunes settings...
Same story, I dont see my library into Computers.

I'm fed up with that...

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Answer 5

Feb 16, 2011 3:53 PM in response to LM1975

Just a suggestion out of left field. Try creating a new apple id and using it?

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Answer 6

Feb 18, 2011 2:36 AM in response to jaminhok

yeah this is extremely frustrating. i rang up my network provider and he suggested the old 'turn off , turn on' the internet connection. did that and hey presto my computers library was picked up on my apple tv. came back two hours later and it had gone again. extremely fed up. apple must be aware of this situation - lots of blog sites with people complaining of the same issue. what is the support number you rang?

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Answer 7

Feb 18, 2011 8:53 AM in response to LM1975

I'm yet another frustrated Apple TV user.... We used our iTunes library on Apple TV for a good month and now have the same problem as you all - Apple TV won't detect my iTunes library and access it. Yet we can access Netflix and other network access items with it. In fact, I have 2 Apple TVs in the house and neither of them are working properly.

You know when you're in iTunes on your computer and go to play a movie, you have the option of switching the play mode from Computer up to the Apple TV? Well the only option I have now is 'Computer'... it doesn't pick up the Apple TV in iTunes for me to send the playback there anymore. VERY Frustrating!! Why Why Why?? We were LOVING how everything worked so smoothly before it failed suddenly! APPLE - get this fixed!!

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Answer 8

shabol

Level 1

0 points

Feb 19, 2011 7:33 AM in response to LM1975

Exact same problem here with Apple TV2:

Internet connection works.

All other devices on the same network can perfectly access the iTunes library via home sharing (iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, other computers).

The library is SOMETIMES visible on the Apple TV2 and then works perfectly, but most of the time Apple TV2 cannot see the library.

There seems to be no reproducable way to make home sharing work with the Apple TV2. Sometimes resetting the router helps, sometimes restarting the computer. In most cases, however, nothing helps.

Message was edited by: shabol

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Answer 9

Feb 20, 2011 6:25 AM in response to LM1975

Just got apple tv 2 and was very pleased with it for a couple days. Today I wake up to find that the Apple tv cannot find my mac pro. Tried turning off home sharing on everything and then turning it on - no luck. Tried rebooting everything, still no luck.

What is going on? I think this whole "home sharing" thing is lame. Just let me enter IP's in apple tv of where it should be looking.

Severely disappointed.

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Answer 10

Bluesjam

Level 1

10 points

Feb 20, 2011 8:04 AM in response to LM1975

I have the exact same problem. I can watch a movie from my itunes library on my ATV2 if I select and start it from my computer or my iPad or iPhone. I can not see my library on my ATV2 nor will it display my photos for the screen saver. I can see everything on my iPad. I have an Airport Extreme Basestation, I spend the big bucks for it to make sure I wouldn't have any problems with all of this ATV stuff. I've called Apple Care, I turned off all firewalls and can't make it work. I physiologically have a problem with creating a new user name, I'm just not going to do it. Apple Care said that they think my problem is in my computer, if that's the case why can I see my library on my iPad. Should I get my ATV2 replaced under warranty?

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Answer 11

Bluesjam

Level 1

10 points

Feb 20, 2011 10:02 AM in response to LM1975

I was able to solve my problem. After I posted my problem I noticed that in iTunes I was logged on with the wrong email ID. So I logged out then logged back on with my apple ID. Then I turned off home sharing and turned it back on with my apple ID then my library showed up on my Apple TV and everything is working good and my photos are also showing up on ATV2.

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Answer 12

BamaBoy

Level 1

0 points

Feb 21, 2011 9:07 AM in response to LM1975

Me too! Same exact issue. Even tried earlier post recommendation to check user IDs, even logged out and re-eneter all info in both ATV2 and iTunes. Home sharing is turned on on both devices, connected to the same network with valid IP addresses.

I don't get it. Everything was working just fine a few days ago.

HEEEEEEELLLLLPPPPPP

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Answer 13

mdock

Level 1

0 points

Feb 21, 2011 12:27 PM in response to LM1975

Not that it will make anyone feel better the same home sharing issue [freeze and swirling icon] occurs with iphones and ipads. I dug out another wireless router; setup the AppleTV2 and PC Desktop to use that SSID for naught. This (sub)network was configured properly as Netflix worked. What is irksome is that even though you say 'No Thanks' to talking to Apple when you set your TV up, outgoing logs on the router shows packets sent to both Apple and Akamai when you try to access the/your library under the Computers tab.

Lastly, dropped a cable into the room for naught. Reason for the cable is we got a new TV which will soon be offering Netflix with no additional hardware. Can you say so long Apple be a long time before you get another hundred dollars.

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Answer 14

iainthg

Level 1

8 points

Feb 22, 2011 5:00 AM in response to mdock

Same problem here. I have two ATV's one will only see two of my computers and the new one will see all four. So it is not a router issue, security issue, home sharing issue or anything else. IT IS AN APPLE TV ISSUE and it is ******* me off. Apple needs to get this fixed ASAP!!!!

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Answer 15

tmartine

Level 3

995 points

Feb 22, 2011 6:05 AM in response to shabol

shabol - you probably know this, but just in case (some people didn't realize it).. your computer needs to be on with iTunes running for the appleTV to see it?

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