Accessing Your Library Over The Internet

sunspot · Post by **sunspot** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:20 pm

I searched around the forum, and couldn't find a way to do this. I'd like to be able to access my music library at home in Media Monkey while I'm at the office. I suppose I could open up Windows file sharing on my network, but I'd rather not go there to be honest - too many security holes. It would be great if Media Monkey could access remote libraries and stream tunes off of my home PC. Any way to do this?

Post by **Lowlander** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:32 pm

This is a difficult thing as bandwidth will always be an issue. You can't remotely connect to another library thru MediaMonkey. I assume that you have the internet between home and work and are not on the same local network.

You could check out WebMonkey as it emulates MediaMonkey online. It supports browsing your library, but also supports downloading and playback. It does require IIS to run.

sunspot · Post by **sunspot** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 2:56 pm

Lowlander wrote:You could check out WebMonkey as it emulates MediaMonkey online. It supports browsing your library, but also supports downloading and playback. It does require IIS to run.

Thanks, but I really don't want to be running a collection of security holes like IIS just in order to stream music remotely.

The new Yahoo Music Jukebox supports sharing music with friends via Yahoo! Messenger, so clearly it's possible to stream music over the Internet from your home PC. I should think whatever they're doing MediaMonkey could also do. It would be a great feature, and give MM a leg up on packages like iTunes and Winamp.

psyXonova · Post by **psyXonova** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 3:09 pm

sunspot wrote: Thanks, but I really don't want to be running a collection of security holes like IIS just in order to stream music remotely.

I am running several win2003 servers with latest IIS (with many extensions enabled). Never had any problems nor holes. I just make sure to keep my babes updated and properly configured.

For an IIS to crack an administrator must have done a poor job setting it up.
So yes, unless you feel confident enough to administer a web server dont install IIS or any other Webserver (Apache included)....

sunspot · Post by **sunspot** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:21 pm

psyxonova wrote:
sunspot wrote: Thanks, but I really don't want to be running a collection of security holes like IIS just in order to stream music remotely.
I am running several win2003 servers with latest IIS (with many extensions enabled). Never had any problems nor holes. I just make sure to keep my babes updated and properly configured.

I have no desire to maintain a server just so I can stream audio files to myself. It would be easier to just lug a hard drive around everywhere I go.

It seems like this should be a fairly simple thing to implement, as network things go. MM would just need some way to share its database with another copy of MM running on a remote machine. Audio streaming could be handled with a plugin, something like the Winamp/Media Monkey plugin that streams Apple Lossless audio to the AirPort Express, only this would would transmit a FLAC-compressed stream played on the host machine to another copy of MediaMonkey instead of to an AirPort.

Post by **Lowlander** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:22 pm

IIS used to have a lot of issues. I haven't seen any issues for a while now. And any form of streaming will open a point of attack. There are many applications that can support streaming. Another option would be setting up an ftp server (don't know how well that streams) but wouldn't require IIS.

sunspot · Post by **sunspot** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:29 pm

Lowlander wrote:Another option would be setting up an ftp server (don't know how well that streams) but wouldn't require IIS.

I thought about that, but again, seems like overkill to support one dedicated function.

You can control MediaMonkey over the web with a web-based interface, correct? If that's the case, maybe all that's required is a Winamp plugin that can stream to a given address.

Post by **Lowlander** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:29 pm

You have shoutcast that you could look into. And FTP wouldn't be overkill, it's to serve documents, exactly the thing that you are trying to achieve.

Anyway using something simpler like a USB memory or small USB harddrive might work better. First of all your not opening any security holes. And you won't have any bandwidth issues either. Streaming isn't as easy as it seems to be. There is a free stream service, it's space limited and I forgot it's name. This service requires uploading of your songs which than can be streamed to any location that can connect to the internet.

sunspot · Post by **sunspot** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:26 pm

Lowlander wrote:You have shoutcast that you could look into.

I hadn't thought about that. Shoutcast just might work.

spikegms · Post by **spikegms** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:10 pm

Or you can use a program like Easy File Sharing Web Server. With that you can set a virtual folder to your music folder, so when you log-in with it, you have access to all your mp3.[/url]

geek · Post by **geek** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 11:17 am

sunspot wrote:
Lowlander wrote:Another option would be setting up an ftp server (don't know how well that streams) but wouldn't require IIS.
I thought about that, but again, seems like overkill to support one dedicated function.

You can control MediaMonkey over the web with a web-based interface, correct? If that's the case, maybe all that's required is a Winamp plugin that can stream to a given address.

What's the problem with IIS? I a 300+ IIS server farm for a multi-billion dollar company and (with proper patching and configuration (as with any product)) we've never had any security problems in 7+ years.

You ask for a product that in essence requires a web server, and -- guess what -- IIS is a web server! I suppose you want someone to take the time to write their own web server and (presumably) it will be security-hole-free ?

sunspot · Post by **sunspot** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:08 pm

geek wrote:What's the problem with IIS? I a 300+ IIS server farm for a multi-billion dollar company and (with proper patching and configuration (as with any product)) we've never had any security problems in 7+ years.

If someone wants to pay me to run IIS on my home PC I'll do it

, but otherwise I'd prefer a solution that doesn't require proper patching or configuration. I already have one full time job.

I did briefly consider running Apache, but dismissed it for the same reason. Seems like overkill, opens lots of potential security holes, requires maintenance. Technically this doesn't even need to be a fileserver - it just needs to deliver an audio stream, and offer access to MediaMonkey's database. In theory, that should limit the potential for any mischief.

Teknojnky · Post by **Teknojnky** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:36 pm

UPNP streaming server/client features have been requested numerous times, this would be able to stream to/from MM to anywhere thats accessable.

Something like itunes shared libraries would rock (haven't used them but have heard good things about it).

Post by **Lowlander** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:39 pm

In any case you will be opening up something that can serve as a point of attack. Anyway you will need to be on top of patching as this is a serious threat to a machine. I personally feel that Apache and IIS might be safer to use as any exploits are discussed in length online, so at least you know there is an issue. If you use another solution it might be harder to track issues.
And patching is just running Microsoft update, I hope you already do so. Add a decent firewall and you will be pretty safe.

As for the iTunes solution I assume that only works over the LAN. I also think that UPNP streaming would be LAN only. For a LAN solution you can just share the music on the network and the MM DB, no need for difficult solutions.

As for internet streaming you might want to search streaming solutions. Streaming solutions often have the benefit that the can format audio for streaming, like lowering bitrate for better streaming experience.

NotEnough · Post by **NotEnough** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:40 pm

And running an IM didn't open up a security hole?

IIS is easy to config for a web server but I found that configuring for a FTP server kinda sucks. I installed FileZilla as a FTP server and found it SUPER easy to configure and setup different people to have access to different folders as needed. Now, no matter where I am, I have access to all of my files while others have access to just my music files.