Media Streaming keeps defaulting to Local

Question

Every few months Windows 11 stops recognising my 2 PCs on the network. This time I'm trying to reactivate Media Streaming from Local to All Networks. But immediately I do this it defaults back to Local.

Have been through various options including adjustments in services.msc but still the problem persists.

The only solution I can see, to avoid going into the Regedit (which I don't feel comfortable about) , is a clean install of Windows 11 as it will be quicker and solve this glitch in Windows 11.

However, I seem to be doing this regularly every 18 months or so to clear these bugs and errors. So is anyone else having these problems with MS Win 11?

***Moved from Windows / Windows 11 / Settings***

Answer 1

Hello Friends

It sounds like you're experiencing a recurring issue with Media Streaming defaulting to Local on Windows 11, causing your PCs to become unrecognizable on the network every few months. You've mentioned attempting various solutions, including adjusting settings in services.msc, without success. You're considering a clean install of Windows 11 as a quicker fix, despite this being a recurrent task every 18 months to clear bugs and errors.

While clean installs can indeed solve many issues, there might be a few steps you can take before going that route:

1. Check Network Discovery Settings:

• Ensure that Network Discovery and File Sharing are enabled in your network settings. Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.

2. Update Network Drivers:

• Outdated network drivers can cause connectivity issues. Check for updates through Device Manager.

3. Disable IPv6:

• Some users have found that disabling IPv6 can resolve network discovery problems. This can be done through Network Connections > Properties.

4. Restart Network Services:

• Ensure that the following services are running and set to automatic:
  • DNS Client
  • Function Discovery Provider Host
  • Function Discovery Resource Publication
  • SSDP Discovery
  • UPnP Device Host

5. Firewall Settings:

• Check your firewall settings to ensure that media streaming is not being blocked.

6. Windows Troubleshooter:

• Run the built-in Windows Network Troubleshooter to diagnose and fix issues.

If none of these solutions work, and you are uncomfortable with editing the registry, a clean install might indeed be the best option. However, frequent clean installs suggest there may be an underlying issue worth investigating, such as hardware compatibility or a persistent software conflict.

If anyone else in the community has encountered similar problems with Windows 11 and has found a long-term solution, please share your experience.

Best regards,

Rosy

Answer 2

Hello Friends

It sounds like you're experiencing a recurring issue with Media Streaming defaulting to Local on Windows 11, causing your PCs to become unrecognizable on the network every few months. You've mentioned attempting various solutions, including adjusting settings in services.msc, without success. You're considering a clean install of Windows 11 as a quicker fix, despite this being a recurrent task every 18 months to clear bugs and errors.

While clean installs can indeed solve many issues, there might be a few steps you can take before going that route:

1. Check Network Discovery Settings:

• Ensure that Network Discovery and File Sharing are enabled in your network settings. Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.

2. Update Network Drivers:

• Outdated network drivers can cause connectivity issues. Check for updates through Device Manager.

3. Disable IPv6:

• Some users have found that disabling IPv6 can resolve network discovery problems. This can be done through Network Connections > Properties.

4. Restart Network Services:

• Ensure that the following services are running and set to automatic:
• DNS Client
• Function Discovery Provider Host
• Function Discovery Resource Publication
• SSDP Discovery
• UPnP Device Host

5. Firewall Settings:

• Check your firewall settings to ensure that media streaming is not being blocked.

6. Windows Troubleshooter:

• Run the built-in Windows Network Troubleshooter to diagnose and fix issues.

If none of these solutions work, and you are uncomfortable with editing the registry, a clean install might indeed be the best option. However, frequent clean installs suggest there may be an underlying issue worth investigating, such as hardware compatibility or a persistent software conflict.

If anyone else in the community has encountered similar problems with Windows 11 and has found a long-term solution, please share your experience.

Best regards,

Rosy

Hi Rosy,

Many thanks for your reply. I've worked through your suggestions several times but to no avail. My time is precious and after a week, there appears to be no solution.

I'm thinking at this stage that a clean install is probably the best option. OR to use a network cable splitter, or a network crossover cable to allow networking of the 2 PCs.

Interestingly, both machines are identical Lenovo PCs bought at the same time, connected to a new BT router.

Furthermore, and I say this without prejudice, that there are definitely issues with Windows 11 and networking. After renaming the PCs I even got asked to enter a 'user name' & 'password' something I believed that had disappeared with Windows 10.

Thanks again.

MH

Answer 3

Hi Michele,

Thank you for your response. I understand your frustration, and I appreciate your patience. Given that you've already spent considerable time troubleshooting without success, here are some additional suggestions and considerations:

Additional Suggestions

1. Clean Install:
   • Performing a clean install of the operating system can sometimes be the most straightforward solution to resolve persistent issues.
   • Before proceeding, ensure you have backups of all important data.
2. Use a Network Cable Splitter or Crossover Cable:
   • Using a network cable splitter or a crossover cable can help in directly connecting the two PCs for networking purposes. This setup bypasses some potential issues with network configuration.

Addressing Windows 11 Networking Issues

It’s worth noting that there have been some reported issues with Windows 11 and networking. Here are a few steps specific to Windows 11 that might help:

1. Network Reset:qqqqq
   • Open Settings -> Network & Internet -> Status.
   • Scroll down and click on Network reset, then follow the prompts to reset your network settings.

2. Credential Manager:
   • If prompted for a username and password, you can store these credentials in the Windows Credential Manager to avoid repeated prompts.
   • Open Control Panel -> Credential Manager, and add a new Windows credential for the network path you are trying to access.

Consideration for Identical PCs and New Router

Given that both PCs are identical and connected to a new BT router, here are a few additional checks:

1. Router Configuration:
   • Ensure that the router’s firmware is up-to-date.
   • Check for any security settings or firewall rules in the router that might be affecting network connectivity.
2. PC Names and IP Addresses:
   • Ensure that the PCs have unique names and IP addresses to avoid any conflicts.
   • You can check and configure this under Settings -> Network & Internet -> Ethernet (or Wi-Fi) -> Edit IP settings.

Next Steps

If these steps still do not resolve the issue, a clean install or using a direct network cable connection as you mentioned might indeed be the next best steps.

Please let me know if you need further assistance or if there are any specific details you would like to discuss.

Best regards,

Rosy

Answer 4

hello ive had the similar problem every 3 or 4 days windows media network sharing service will go from 0% to start using 10-20% cpu until I stop it, meanwhile i can see folders im sharing on my home network but they show up as empty on my connected devices until I restart the pc few time and it stops and once again I can see the contents. This all started when i went from win 10 to win 11 and ive tried all the suggested options all of them so my conclusion is theres a problem in win 11 with the new media player being which they made for win 11 and still needing the old 1 (legacy) for sharing thats what needs to be fixed not reinstalls etc they don't solve it. its a win 11 problem