Windows 7: iPad / iPhone home networking problem

cruk76 · 15 Oct 2012

Hi there

I have been struggling with this problem for the last week and it’s driving me mad!

Several months ago I installed Serviio on my PC and the Airplayer app on my iPad. They immediately and successfully talked to each other and I could access moview, music and photo files over my wifi network on my iPad, from my PC's hard drive.

However when I last went to use it, Airplayer had been updated and the information about my PC had disappeared from its list of devices. I now can’t access my PC's media files on the iPad because the iPad can’t see the PC and vice versa.

My PC doesn't recognise the iPad or iPhone as being on the same wifi network. (not that I can remember whether the PC even knew that iPad was on the same network in the past, sorry).

I’m fairly proficient with computers, but my understanding of networks, routers and how devices communicate with each other is limited.

After some research, I identified that the iPad (and iPhone) need a static ip if they are to connect directly to the home network (home sharing is on). I have given both these devices static ip’s within the acceptable ip range.

The router now sees that the two devices are attached to it, but the computer does not.

The pc operating system is windows 7, 32 bit home premium.
I have AVG Internet Protection installed, so this acts as my firewall.
The router is Netgear DGN 2200
The server on my computer is Serviio (I have also used twonky over the last few days in an effort to resolve the problem, to no avail)
The app on the iPad is Airplayer

Yesterday I disabled the firewall and my PC's name together with a strange number came up in the iPad wifi selection (something like CHRIS PC 3029). I tried connecting to this network but the device asked me for a password. I tried all the different passwords I could think of, (router, computer, wifi password) but none of them worked.

Giving up, I restarted the AVG firewall and the network disappeared.

So problem 1 – how do I get round AVG preventing my devices from accessing the network? (the devices can connect to the internet through the wifi ok, that's not a problem).

The second problem I have (though I'm not sure if it is actually is a problem or not) is, again after trying various attempts yesterday, an additional network on the PC appeared – WiFi Network 5 (my home wifi network is 4 for some reason). I believe is the same network that appeared on the iphone and ipad, but I accidentally disabled it trying to figure out what the password was and now can’t reproduce it. So I have just the one network again – wifi 4.

I have enabled the PC to be seen by other devices, although this seems to constantly revert to the disabled state.

To be honest, I’m fumbling around in the dark. I’ve learnt a lot about dynamic and static ip addresses, but I’m still unsure about ports (opening and forwarding) and I’ll be completely honest and say I don’t really know what I’m doing!

I hope there is someone out there who can help, as I have spent hours and hours reading forums and am struggling to resolve the issue, because I'm unclear as to what the root of the problem is.

All the best

Chris

Windows 7: iPad / iPhone home networking problem

iPad / iPhone home networking problem problems?