DLNA Again!

[David Wane]

Hi,

I have used Merlin firmware for several years now with no problems. I use the DLNA server to serve films etc. from USB drives attached to my RT-N66U running 380.57 firmware.

Just recently I have had the TV (LG) disconnect from the DLNA server and when I reconnect, the DLNA server is rebuilding the database - as I have a lot of files this takes a long time.
The last crash was more serious, the router rebooted, again resulting in a database re-build.

These problems only happen when I use the DLNA server. I have tried several different types of USB drives both powered and non-powered.

Any ideas?

D.

 

[The Chief]

Use minidlna from Entware-NG. "No-full-rebuild" patch is incorporated there.

 

[David Wane]

Use minidlna from Entware-NG. "No-full-rebuild" patch is incorporated there.

Although the re-build is annoying, I am trying to find out why the DLNA server has started to crash after years of faultless performance! I will certainly try minidlna from Entware-NG.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Have you recently added some new media? Perhaps one of those files has got some bad data in it which causes the DLNA server to crash when it scans it.

 

[David Wane]

I know this problem. I add and delete files all the time - so it is possible. At the moment I have over a thousand files on the USB drive. Logic says that minidlna would crash only when scanning, i.e. at any time whether the DNLA server is playing or not. With me it only crashes when a file is playing. This would be different file each time.
I am trying the Entware-NG minidlan at the moment.

Thanks D.

 

[David Wane]

Ok. Installed MiniDLNA-restore-thumbnails and all seemed well. I was impressed with the thumbnails etc. It took about an hour to index my files on the external USB drive without any problems. The first couple of programs played fine, halfway through the third I got "Device disconnected".
The router had crashed and rebooted. MiniDLNA was showing as available but when accessed all I got was "No File". After stopping and starting MiniDLNA through ssh the index re-build and the files were again visible.
At this point I gave up on the RT-N66U (I have been using it for a number of years) and went out and bought a RT-AC68U. After setting it up with Merlin's firmware all seems well.

Thanks for the comments D.