Can I stream my music collection over the internet?

I've researched this a fair amount and can't get a clear answer. I want to be able to access my library of mp3 files over the internet via my phone. I don't want to copy the files to the cloud.

I'm running WIndows on my home computer and have an Android phone.

It seems that a solution involving port forwarding might possibly work but I'm not sure.

Anybody ever done this?

bump?

I think I have a friend doing something similar to this:  Always sounded too complicated for me.  This is mainly over a network, but you may be able to set up some remote configuration.

(From ChatGPT)

Using an external hard drive as a server involves setting up the necessary software to turn your hard drive into a file storage and sharing system accessible over a network. One common approach is to create a Network Attached Storage (NAS) setup. Here's a general outline of the process:

1. Choose a NAS Operating System: There are several NAS-focused operating systems you can use to set up your external hard drive as a server. Some popular options include FreeNAS, OpenMediaVault, and NAS4Free (now called XigmaNAS). These operating systems provide a user-friendly interface for managing your NAS.
2. Prepare Your External Hard Drive: Make sure your external hard drive is properly formatted and ready to use. Most NAS operating systems support various file system formats, but check the documentation for the recommended format.
3. Install NAS Operating System: Download the ISO or installation package for the chosen NAS operating system and follow the installation instructions. This might involve creating a bootable USB drive or CD/DVD to install the system on your external hard drive.
4. Configure Network Settings: During the installation process, you'll need to configure network settings such as IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS servers. Make sure your NAS is connected to your network properly.
5. Access Web Interface: Once the installation is complete, access the web-based interface of your NAS operating system using a web browser. You'll typically need to enter the IP address of your NAS in the browser's address bar.
6. Set Up Shares: Configure the shares (folders) on your external hard drive that you want to make accessible over the network. You can set different access permissions for different users or groups.
7. User Management: Create user accounts with appropriate permissions for accessing the shares. This allows you to control who can access and modify the files on your hard drive.
8. Remote Access (Optional): Some NAS operating systems offer remote access features, allowing you to access your files from outside your local network. This often involves setting up port forwarding on your router and configuring secure remote access methods like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
9. Backup and Redundancy (Optional): Consider implementing backup and redundancy solutions to protect your data. This might involve setting up RAID configurations or using the external hard drive as a backup destination for other devices.
10. Security and Updates: Regularly update the NAS operating system and any installed applications to ensure security and stability. Implement best practices for securing your NAS, such as using strong passwords and enabling firewall features.

Remember that setting up a NAS system can vary based on the operating system you choose and your technical expertise. Make sure to refer to the documentation and user guides provided by the chosen NAS operating system for specific instructions and troubleshooting assistance.

Short answer - yes, you can do this, but it can be risky.

The cloud, after all, is just other people's computers -- no reason it can't be yours. The trickiness comes with the fact that by exposing your computer to the internet you've, well, exposed your computer to the internet. So security will become a very high priority, making sure you've set up proper permissions so that only what you want exposed is exposed and nothing you don't want exposed isn't.

If you're connecting a machine running an OS geared toward personal, consumer use that gets more complicated as a lot of the settings and assumptions baked in will not make it easy to expose what you want, and to do it safely -- as opposed, to, for instance, a linux machine set up specifically as a web server.

And then on the other side, once you have the files you want exposed, how are you planning on accessing them? Whatever program you use to listen to your music probably isn't configured by default to just play an mp3 file listed at a URL and port.

Anyway, yes, it's absolutely technically feasible to do what you're asking, but it's going to be a lot of hassle and has a good chance of exposing a lot more of your system to the outside world than you probably meant to.

You could maybe try putting the mp3 files on Google Docs or Dropbox, and seeing if you can access and play them from your Android device that way.

PVW said:

You could maybe try putting the mp3 files on Google Docs or Dropbox, and seeing if you can access and play them from your Android device that way.

nah

What about plugging a flash drive into your phone?

DanDietrich said:

What about plugging a flash drive into your phone?

then I have to decide what music to copy. nah. stream the whole library or nuthin.

I haven't tried this myself, but friend has built a home server with a ton of media on it that I can access and stream using an app called Jellyfin.

I don't know if you can use this to simply catalog the media on your PC then stream using the app, but it definitely works for me. 

https://jellyfin.org/

ridski said:

I haven't tried this myself, but friend has built a home server with a ton of media on it that I can access and stream using an app called Jellyfin.

I don't know if you can use this to simply catalog the media on your PC then stream using the app, but it definitely works for me. 

https://jellyfin.org/

yeah, I've installed jellyfin but I haven't figured out the network configuration yet. At least I'm on the right track 

drummerboy said:

then I have to decide what music to copy. nah. stream the whole library or nuthin.

i don't know how big your library is, but you can get 1tb flash drives. A typical mp3 is 10 mb.  

DanDietrich said:

i don't know how big your library is, 

I remember he took a Uhaul to drop off his vinyl collection at Scotty…

drummerboy said:

yeah, I've installed jellyfin but I haven't figured out the network configuration yet. At least I'm on the right track 

can you access the jellyfin service on your computer (http://localhost:8096/)?

the next step would be to use it on your local network (replace “localhost” with the ip address of your computer).

If that works you probably want to lockdown the jellyfin configuration (it should have a password, and read-only access) and switch to https (I believe this can all no done within jellyfin)

Now you’re ready to enable port forwarding on your router: traffic on port 8096/tcp should be forwarded to your computer. You will need to know the public ip address of your router (which may change every so often - you could get a static one from your provider, or use a “dynamic dns service”, but if the address doesn’t change often that may not be necessary).

Good luck!

tpb said:

drummerboy said:

yeah, I've installed jellyfin but I haven't figured out the network configuration yet. At least I'm on the right track 

can you access the jellyfin service on your computer (http://localhost:8096/)?

the next step would be to use it on your local network (replace “localhost” with the ip address of your computer).

If that works you probably want to lockdown the jellyfin configuration (it should have a password, and read-only access) and switch to https (I believe this can all no done within jellyfin)

Now you’re ready to enable port forwarding on your router: traffic on port 8096/tcp should be forwarded to your computer. You will need to know the public ip address of your router (which may change every so often - you could get a static one from your provider, or use a “dynamic dns service”, but if the address doesn’t change often that may not be necessary).

Good luck!

Thank you!

well, I skipped the https part because I figure I can add that later. I can access the jellyfin server from my phone on the local network. I forwarded port 8096 but when I try to connect to the public ip of the router it fails. bummer.

Omitting the https part (which encrypts your stream) is probably important.

Also, if your ISP is blocking transfer over certain ports, it's because they might know some things.  Get a VPN like NordVPN maybe? At that point it's paying about the same as joining Spotify and making shareable playlists.

dave said:

Omitting the https part (which encrypts your stream) is probably important.

actually all I do is enter the IP address and the client tries 5 variations using http and https and 2 different ports.

dave said:

Also, if your ISP is blocking transfer over certain ports, it's because they might know some things.  Get a VPN like NordVPN maybe? At that point it's paying about the same as joining Spotify and making shareable playlists.

I already have a VPN (though not running on the jellyfin server) but I'm not clear on how would I would leverage it in this situation.

ChatGPT, is Jellyfin legal?

Jellyfin itself is a legal software project. It is an open-source media server that allows you to organize, stream, and access your personal media files. It is designed to be a self-hosted alternative to proprietary media streaming platforms.

However, it is important to note that the legality of using Jellyfin to stream specific content depends on the source and ownership of that content. Jellyfin does not provide any content itself; it simply serves as a platform to manage and stream your own media files.

If you own the rights to the media files you are streaming through Jellyfin, or if you are streaming content that is freely available and authorized for distribution, then using Jellyfin to stream such content would generally be legal.

On the other hand, if you are using Jellyfin to stream copyrighted content without permission from the copyright holder, or if you are accessing unauthorized streams or pirated content, then that would be illegal.

It's always important to respect copyright laws and use media streaming platforms in accordance with applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.

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So it's all about your ownership or rights to the content.

dave said:

ChatGPT, is Jellyfin legal?

Jellyfin itself is a legal software project. It is an open-source media server that allows you to organize, stream, and access your personal media files. It is designed to be a self-hosted alternative to proprietary media streaming platforms.

However, it is important to note that the legality of using Jellyfin to stream specific content depends on the source and ownership of that content. Jellyfin does not provide any content itself; it simply serves as a platform to manage and stream your own media files.

If you own the rights to the media files you are streaming through Jellyfin, or if you are streaming content that is freely available and authorized for distribution, then using Jellyfin to stream such content would generally be legal.

On the other hand, if you are using Jellyfin to stream copyrighted content without permission from the copyright holder, or if you are accessing unauthorized streams or pirated content, then that would be illegal.

It's always important to respect copyright laws and use media streaming platforms in accordance with applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction.

---

So it's all about your ownership or rights to the content.

thank you mr. obvious

welcome

Were you able to fix the port forwarding issue? “It fails” is not a very precise error description ;-)  can you enable logging on your router to see what traffic you are receiving (and which may be blocked, or not forwarded correctly)?

As this can very technical, and you may need to share private information, feel free to PM me.

the failure message doesn't give any other info other than "failed to connect". yes, that doesn't tell me much.

Unfortunately I'll be away from home for a week or two so I won't have access to the router til I get back.

Well I'll be darned! It works!

When I tried to connect yesterday, I was on my wifi network, which I assume is why it failed. Now that I'm away from home it connected just fine.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

drummerboy said:

Well I'll be darned! It works!

When I tried to connect yesterday, I was on my wifi network, which I assume is why it failed. Now that I'm away from home it connected just fine.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Happy to see my pessimism misplaced

drummerboy said:

Well I'll be darned! It works!

When I tried to connect yesterday, I was on my wifi network, which I assume is why it failed. Now that I'm away from home it connected just fine.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

glad to hear that, and yes it would work “from the inside”.

since you haven’t enabled https yet you may want to change your password after you get back home.  Somebody on the same network in your location could intercept it

I would need to get an SSL certificate to enable https, yes?

drummerboy said:

I would need to get an SSL certificate to enable https, yes?

yes, but you can make one yourself (“self signed“) and then trust it on you phone of other devices