UMS sees our Smart TV but that only has wireless networking

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gorblimey
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 3:19 am

UMS sees our Smart TV but that only has wireless networking

Post by gorblimey »

If it matters, our UMS is v6.8.0, on Win7x64 Home Premium. The NIC is an Atheros AR8151 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (NDIS 6.20)

We recently upgraded the TV to current technology, which includes wireless networking. Our computer is CAT-5ed to our router, which has ethernet to the PS3 which is HDMAed to the TV. In UMS>General Config>Advanced HTTP and system settings>Enabled Renderers I have unchecked everything except the PS3, but that setting seems to be not yet fully documented; and in >>Network settings (advanced) I have specified the IP for the PS3.

The info log shows:

Code: Select all

...
20:33:08 INFO  Created socket: /192.168.1.4:5001
20:33:08 INFO  Starting DLNA Server on host 192.168.1.4 and port 5001...
20:33:08 INFO  WEB interface is available at: http://192.168.1.4:9001
20:33:08 INFO  A tiny cache admin interface is available at: http://192.168.1.4:5001/console/home
20:33:08 INFO  Checking shared folder: G:\Completed Downloads
20:33:09 INFO  IP Filter: Access denied to Ummmm
20:33:11 INFO  Universal Media Server is now available for renderers to find
20:33:38 INFO  IP Filter: Access denied to 192.168.1.7
Image

I would have thought that there is no way UMS can see the TV. However, when faced with the evidence, one of three things is happening:
Either our NIC has wireless capability, which is disturbing;
Or UMS is interrogating the router, which is disturbing;
Or UMS can see the TV through the HDMA from the PS3. Which is remarkably clever.

Unfortunately, Qualcomm does not publish proper datasheets for the NIC, and I cannot find any other info on the NIC's capabilities.

I would like for UMS to not see the TV, or (better) that the TV be invisible to the computer NIC. Does anybody have any clues (and no, we're NOT ditching the TV :D ) ?
Nadahar
Posts: 1990
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:57 pm

Re: UMS sees our Smart TV but that only has wireless networking

Post by Nadahar »

You should not specify the IP of the PS3 in the UMS configuration. That won't work, you only need to specify an IP address there if you have multiple configured on your computer and UMS picks the wrong one to use. The IP address you configure there is the one UMS should use as it's address, not the address of any renderer.

Disabling the renderers will only mean that UMS won't "recognize" other renderers in a detailed way. They will still be discovered, but UMS won't know the capabilities of the renderers.

The reason your TV is "detected" is that it's on the same local network as UMS. That's the way networks work, everything you connect to it can talk to each other. Technically your router forwards the packages, that's why it's called a "router".

If you want to prevent the TV from accessing UMS, you can either specify an IP filter in UMS or you can use the firewall on your computer to block access from the TV.
gorblimey
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 3:19 am

Re: UMS sees our Smart TV but that only has wireless networking

Post by gorblimey »

@squadjot - Thank you for that link. It is one that I will have to remember.

@Nadahar - I should have mentioned that UPnP is disabled on this box, it is a serious security risk. A bit of elbow-grease and proper port forwarding does it better with more security. All my IPs are assigned manually. And I also should have stated explicitly that in >>Network settings (advanced)>Use an IP filter (whitelist) I specified the PS3 IP.

Anyhoo, I'll go with your explanation that the TV and PS3 are on the same network. FWIW, checking my logs, I learn that Enabled Renderers stops UMS from loading unneeded renderers, taking a load off the system. I'll stop worrying now and learn to love the bomb.
Nadahar
Posts: 1990
Joined: Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:57 pm

Re: UMS sees our Smart TV but that only has wireless networking

Post by Nadahar »

"Loading the renderers" only means to read some small text files. I doubt you'll notice any difference in memory use or performance by disabling them.

When it comes to UPnP there's a misunderstanding. I know that a lot of people suffer from this misunderstanding. UPnP is a protocol that can do many different things. UPnP in itself is no "security risk", it all depends on what it's being used for.

What most people think of with UPnP is the automatic port forwarding in routers. I agree that is a terrible idea that makes it very easy for software running on your computer to open the firewall in your router for things you don't want to open. I highly recommend people to turn of this functionality in routers and make port forwardings manually if they want them. This particular "sub protocol" of UPnP is called Internet Gateway Device Protocol (IGD Protocol).

UPnP itself is so much more though, it's used by everything from media servers to "smart home" devices. UMS use DLNA, which is an extension of UPnP AV. You can't "turn off UPnP" in your router. The way to block UPnP would be to block TCP and UDP port 1900 (Simple Service Discovery Protocol) which would prevent UPnP devices to find eachother. If you do that, UMS or any other UPnP AV/DLNA server won't work though.

The reason your TV "can see" UMS is SSDP discovery and UPnP. This is completely normal.
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