DLNA

[Ninko]

Hi,
I would like to disable UPNP as I've heard it's a security risk, but to my understanding UPNP is required for DLNA to work, which I do want to use.
Is there any way round this?

Thanks

Ninko

 

[ColinTaylor]

It depends on what equipment you have, which you don't mention. UPnP can be used for multiple things. Routers that also have built-in media servers usually have separate options for port forwarding and DLNA (although sometimes they're not obviously named).

 

[Ninko]

Hi,
I have my main router (ASUS RT-AC87U) and a secondary router running as an AP (D-Link DIR-655).
Does that help?
Thanks

Ninko

 

[ColinTaylor]

UPnP can be turned off on the RT-AC87U by going to WAN > Internet Connection > Basic Config > Enable UPnP

This setting effects the firewall and has nothing to do with DLNA.

 

[Ninko]

It's needed on the DIR-655 then, I'm assuming?

Ninko

 

[ColinTaylor]

I don't know anything about the D-Link but you said it was running as an access point so any firewall related settings are irrelevant.

 

[Ninko]

I only bring it up because when I had UPnP disabled on the DIR-655 my NAS which is connected to it and is also the DLNA server kept disappearing from the network.

Ninko

 

[thiggins]

This can be confusing, as the terms are often used interchangeably.

UPnP came first. As the Wikipedia entry describes, it is a set of protocols that help networked devices discover each other and establish network connections. The largest security risk in UPnP is the NAT Traversal feature that automatically opens ports in a router's firewall. I wrote about the risks of this awhile ago.

So UPnP is what you want to disable for security purposes. Some routers allow you to disable the ability to open router ports automatically. Others will show you ports automatically opened. But most do neither.

DLNA incorporates UPnP. DLNA is a little harder to understand. But it has more to do with Digital Rights Management, media formats and content discovery and indexing. The rule of thumb I use here is that if your device provides the ability to browse your network to select content, you probably don't need DLNA enabled.

 

[Ninko]

I think DLNA is required.
I have a Synology NAS running the media server and a Samsung Smart Blu-ray player and to my understanding DLNA is how they talk to each other.
So there's no way to use DLNA without having UPnP enabled?

Ninko

 

[ColinTaylor]

So there's no way to use DLNA without having UPnP enabled?

I think you are misunderstanding. DLNA uses one form of the UPnP protocol for discovering and sending/receiving media across your LAN. Nothing needs to be "enabled" for this to happen.

What specific UPnP option are you referring to and on which device (include model numbers).

 

[thiggins]

I think DLNA is required.
I have a Synology NAS running the media server and a Samsung Smart Blu-ray player and to my understanding DLNA is how they talk to each other.
So there's no way to use DLNA without having UPnP enabled?

If the Blu-ray player has a web interface that allows you to browse to the Synology share holding the content and you can play the content, then you don't need DLNA.
The only way to know for sure is to shut off the DLNA server (and UPnP) and try.