Setup My Digital Home Via DLNA
DLNA Certified logo depicting interconnected digital devices in a circular flow.
Story:
Now, an increased number of customers have many digital devices in their homes. Maybe you have a router and it offers good performance, NAS storage for storing files, SMART TV to view photos, play music or play video files, and a smart phone that offers many features. However, do you know how to use these devices to share your files? How to watch my NSA's video with my SMART TV? How to play NSA's music with my smart phone? DLNA lets you enjoy your music, photos and videos, anywhere, anytime.
Topology
The network topology includes the following devices:
- Internet ☁️
- Router: NBG5715 (IP: 192.168.2.1) ?
- Phone ? (IP: 192.168.2.59) ?
- PC ? (IP: 192.168.2.47) ?
- SMART TV ? (IP: 192.168.2.33)
- NSA325 ?️ (IP: 192.168.2.41)
Setup my NSA325:
1. Install the ZyXEL NSA Starter Utility to a PC.
The ZyXEL NAS Starter Utility helps manage your NAS. The 'NAS Discovery' feature shows your NAS in the network and allows you to diagnose connection status.
The utility provides several actions:
- Import files or folders with zPilot
- Add a network drive to My Computer
- Manage the device (Create Shares, assign users' privileges, set up network applications)
- Play media files from Home screen
- Show the directory of the NAS
- Run the Initialization Wizard
- Configure network setting
Device Information displayed:
- Storage: 0.76 / 228.75 GB
- Name: NSA325
- Firmware: NSA325_4.40(AAAJ)
- IP address: 192.168.2.41
- Status: Online ✔️
2. Login to the NSA325 web GUI.
Access the NSA325 via its web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) by entering the administrator username and password.
3. Check the NSA325's status in the GUI.
Navigate to the 'Status' tab in the ZyXEL GUI to view system and volume information.
System Information:
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Server Name | NSA325 |
| Model Name | NSA325 |
| Firmware Version | NSA325_4.40(AAAJ.0) |
| MAC Address | C8:6C:87:6F:5A:E4 |
| Media Server Status | Enabled ✔️ |
| FTP Server Status | Enabled ✔️ |
| Web Publishing Status | Disabled ❌ |
| UPS | N/A |
| CPU Usage | 2% |
| CPU Temperature | 38.00°C (100.40°F) |
| FAN Speed | 3000 RPM |
| Memory Usage | 8% Used, 42MB/498MB |
Volume Status:
| Volume Type | Status | Name | Configuration | Disk(s) | Disk Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Volume | Healthy ✔️ | Test | JBOD | disk1 | 0.76/228.75 GB Total, 0.33% Used, 99.67% Free |
4. Select disks and RAID type to create a volume via the GUI.
In the 'Disk Configuration' dialog, you can set the 'Volume Name' (e.g., 'Test') and select the RAID type. For JBOD, a single disk or multiple disks can be spanned into a larger volume without fault tolerance.
Options include creating the volume on 'disk1' and/or 'disk2'.
5. Check the volume information in the GUI.
After creating the volume, verify its status and details in the 'Status' tab of the ZyXEL GUI, confirming the 'Internal Volume' is healthy and configured as expected.
6. Upload media files via CIFS, FTP or Playzone.
The following demonstrates uploading media files using CIFS (Common Internet File System) via Windows Explorer.
Network shares on the NSA325 (e.g., 192.168.2.41) are accessible, typically including folders for music ?, photos ?, and videos ?.
- Video Share: Contains files like 'A kiss.asf' and 'Wildlife in HD.wmv'.
- Photo Share: Contains image files such as 'IMG_5961.JPG', 'IMG_5957.JPG', and 'IMG_5970.JPG'.
- Music Share: Contains audio files like 'Forever.mp3', 'Are you the one.mp3', and 'think_twice.mp3'.
7. Check whether the Media Server has already published the media file in the GUI.
In the ZyXEL GUI, navigate to 'Applications' > 'Media Server'. The 'Status' section shows the number of music tracks, photos, and videos published. The 'Settings' allow enabling the Media Server, choosing display options (e.g., Home Screen and DLNA/UPnP Media Players), enabling auto-scan, and generating thumbnails. A 'Rebuild Database' button is available.
Note: Disabling thumbnail generation can speed up scanning but may cause problems on some DLNA media players.
8. Play media files via your SMART TV.
Once media is uploaded and the Media Server is configured, you can play your music, photos, and videos on a DLNA-compatible SMART TV.
9. Play media files via Phone.
You can also play media files on your smartphone using a DLNA client application.
Here is a sample using the MediaHous APP:
- Install the MediaHous APP (or another DLNA client app) on your phone.
- Start the APP and select the DLNA server.
b1. Select Media Server via Media Hous.
The app displays available media servers, including 'NSA325:NSA325 (ZyXEL Media Server NSA325)'.
b2. Select 'Browse'.
The app interface provides options like 'Browse', 'Favorites', 'Play Lists', and 'Devices'.
b3. Select 'All Music' ?.
Navigate through categories such as 'Album', 'All Music', 'Artist', 'Folders' ?, 'Genre', and 'Playlist'.
b4. Displays all music files.
The selected music files are listed, for example: 'IMG_5957', 'IMG_5961', 'IMG_5970'.
b5. Select 'All Video' ?.
Navigate through video categories such as 'Actor', 'All Video', 'Folders' ?, 'Genre', 'Popular', and 'Recently Added'.
b6. Display all video files.
The selected video files are listed, for example: 'kiss' (video/x-ms-asf) and 'Wildlife in HD' (video/x-ms-wmv).
Conclusion
DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) aims to enhance convenience, choice, and enjoyment of digital content through DLNA Certified® devices. Alliance members are committed to using standards-based technology to simplify how consumers use and share their digital photos, music, and videos. With an estimated over 440 million DLNA-certified devices installed globally, from digital cameras to game consoles and TVs, users can easily share files and build a connected digital home environment via DLNA.
