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Home sharing not working between itunes and apple tv, I've read all help articles I could find... still nothing

Hey there!


Here's every detail of the problem:


1- My iTunes (10.5.2) doesn't give me any options for apple tv in any menu. Some troubleshooting article I remember said something like «go to Settings - Apple TV - Always Search for Apple TVs» or something like that, yet my itunes settings have NOTHING for Apple TV.


2- Following all setup instructions and usual troubleshooting solutions, i KNOW that all options and settings available to me are set correctly and everything should work normally, yet my iTunes shows no recognition of my Apple TV AND my Apple TV «Computers» menu is nothing but a «Home Sharing is turned on, make sure that all Home Sharing devices are using the same Apple ID account» message.


3- Of course, yes, all my devices ARE setup with the same Apple ID account, with Home Sharing turned on everywhere. Also I'm not using a Firewall, and none of my devices have any trouble connecting to my one and only router, all at once.


So I figure the main problem is my itunes acting like Apple TV doesn't exist. Any ideas/solutions?


Thanks in advance.

AppleTV 2, Mac OS X (10.5.8), iTunes 10.5.2

Posted on Dec 28, 2011 7:14 AM

Reply
13 replies

Dec 28, 2011 7:48 AM in response to sephiroth_ultima

Welcome to the Apple Community.


You seem to be mixing instructions up for the Apple TV 1 and the Apple TV 2. The Apple TV 2 isn't supposed to show up in iTunes like the Apple TV 1 did.


Your iTunes library should show up on the Apple TV 2 under the computers menu after enabling homesharing on the Apple TV from settings > computers.

Dec 28, 2011 10:44 AM in response to sephiroth_ultima

Similar problem with the shared library. While connected with WiFi I see my computers library. I select it and the loading screen appears then it errors out and cannot access the library. I plugged the Ethernet cable in and I'm able to select the library and it opens just fine. I'm able to view movies play music. The gotcha is on the Main screen I only see Itunes, Computer, and Settings.

Dec 29, 2011 9:25 AM in response to sephiroth_ultima

I'm having a simular problem, at midnight I was watching video's on my iPad2, in the morning I went to fire up my new Apple TV2, and my iTunes Library was missing.


iTunes 10.5.2 (current) was showing HomeSharing on, when i checked my iPad2 & iPhone 3GS, Shared was not showing up.


I searched the user forums and found a hint, and only a hint, no one whom mentioned this could explain why it worked, but seing I re-set up my Apple TV2 (Which was just set up for the first time 2 days earlier) and I could wirelessly sync my iPad 2 and iPhone 3GS with out a problem, I did the following.


Unplugged my brand new Router, and powered it back up. Now Home Sharing is working.


I'm truly confused by this, because if my iPad and iPhone are able to show and experience an internet connection through my wireless router, one would think a connection to my intranet would be good.


😕

Dec 29, 2011 10:47 AM in response to sephiroth_ultima

I've had the same issue with the new iTunes 10.5.2 and my 2nd gen Apple TV and tried to remedy via forums to no avail. Applecare initially rebuffed me as out of warranty, I called back today and complained - finally getting an advisor who would listen and agreed to help with no additional cost. Through the advisors help it immediately fixed the issue of iTunes Library recognition. Side note: A few months back I had to set up a new Apple account to purchase apps through my iPhone, software updates by Apple now required this for whatever reason, so I set one up not realizing that it meant across the board for all of my devices with Apple.


1. Turn homesharing off and turn it back on


2. When you are prompted for you Apple ID, make sure it is the most current ID that you have (as in the one

I most recently created), mine is my email accout address associated with my Apple account. As a default my previous account name was auto filling and I didn't change it the the new ID profile name when signing in to approve homesharing. This was the error!


3. Once I changed that auto filled former account name to the current account name and entered my password - Voila! It solved the recognition issue for both of my Apple computers and the Apple TV.


My advisor admitted that this is due to the most recent software upgrade for iTunes. It is not obvious to we the users, if you had changed your Apple ID recently when prompted too. Unfortunately, it has vexed many of us when the fix is a simple as it acutally was... at least it was for me, and I hope that this helps someone else out with this Apple TV/Itunes 10.5.2 Library recognition issue. I've wasted hours sifting through forums with no success. It is now working as it should once again.

Dec 30, 2011 7:43 AM in response to sephiroth_ultima

Sharing Stopped working again over night.

I went to Apple Support Artical TS2972

As soon as I did this Home Sharing started working


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

Firewall Section

5. Check Firewall Settings

If you have a firewall enabled in your router or computer, make sure that the firewall is not blocking communication between your computers. Home Sharing uses TCP port 3689 and UDP port 5353 to communicate with shared iTunes libraries.

In addition, Apple TV and Mac computers will use port 123 to set the time automatically. Incorrect date and time on either the computer or Apple TV can cause errors for Home Sharing and connections in general.

If you are unsure whether your router has a firewall or the required ports open, test additional devices or another network to help isolate the issue. If the devices tested work on another home network, it is your router or network configuration.

For Mac OS X, you don't have to edit the port addresses, but make sure the firewall in Apple () menu > System Preferences > Security > Firewall are not set to:

  • Block all incoming connections
  • Allow only essential services

If you use another security/firewall software on your computer or router, follow this article or contact the manufacturer or check the documentation on how to open TCP ports 123 and 3689 as well as UDP ports 123 and 5353.

It made sense to me, but its still puzzling me after restarting a router would (in my first attempt) resolve the issue for a day. This this time I applied the port forwarding TCP and UDP ports and saved the settings in the DLink DIR-655 and both my iPad2 and iPhone 3GS were now again finding the share. My ATV2 is also now accepting the Share.


Tommorrow will be the true test.

Jan 3, 2012 4:13 AM in response to BugsMI

I'm back to report my findings:

The next morning Home Sharing was again absent from all of my Apple devices.

However when I logged into my iMac, Home Sharing was now available.


Reviewing the affect of adding Port Forwarding

  • While the iMac is awake, and iTunes is operating in the back ground. Home Sharing works
  • When the iMac goes to sleep "Energy Saver" Network activity & "Home Sharing" goes off line.
  • When I change check the box in Energy Saver" "Wake on Network Activity" I've noticed once the iMac "Computer Sleep" Timer expires, Network Activity doesn't appear to work. But again, once I wake the iMac and log in, Home Sharing is back active on all my devices.

    When I change the "Computer Sleep" setting to Never, Home Sharing is always available.

    • Recap of my working configuration:
    • iTunes Home Sharing - On
    • Router Port Forwarding - Set and Activated
    • iMac "Energy Saver" modes set: Computer Sleep - Never, Check Box's Put HDD to sleep when possible, Wake for network activity


The only testing I have not done is; if Port Forwarding is configured and iMac sleep setting is set to "Never" would Home Sharing remain online and ready.


I hope this information is helpful

Oct 17, 2013 6:55 AM in response to sephiroth_ultima

I'm having the same issue. When I have iTunes open on my Air, no problem. When I try to access my linked/shared media via Apple TV without opening iTunes on my laptop, Apple TV prompts me to enable sharing in my preferences. No amount of troubleshooting has helped me with this issue. My only work around is to open iTunes on the laptop whenever I want to use shared media from my computer. Incidentally, all other shared media does work fairly consistently.


I have not tried setting the Air to 'never sleep', but it will do that automatically when I close the screen/lid -- so, I'm not sure this solution will help. Why would my laptop need to be running for this feature to work anyway? My content is in the cloud . . .

Home sharing not working between itunes and apple tv, I've read all help articles I could find... still nothing

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