WMP Network sharing service missing

Hello,
I am running Windows Vista Home Premium 64, and have recently encountered a
problem with sharing media in WMP with my Xbox 360 (media sharing worked
without problems in the past).  Whenever I try to share media, I get a
message stating that  "Media sharing has been turned off because a required
Windows setting or component has changed. For additional assistance, click
Web Help".  Clicking on Web Help leads to instructions that include making
certain that WMP Network Sharing Services is turned on.  However, when I go
to Services, WMP Network Sharing does not even appear in that list.  I suspect
that may be my problem, but I do not know how to restore that Service so I can
make sure it is turned on.  Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Bill Cowan

First of all, could you check you are not connected to a "PublicNetwork"

First of all, could you check you are not connected to a "Public
Network" according to Vista ? The image below shows where to check for
that : You want this to show "Private Network"

http://i.technet.microsoft.com/Bb727037.vistafp04(en-us,TechNet.10).gif

Vistas media sharing (unlike Windows 7 / WMP12) will be turned off if
it does not think your network is a home/private network, to prevent
you sharing your media outside of your home network.

Another place to check if you use the PC for work as well - if you use
a VPN to access work locations, IPSEC could be switched on.

This will also prevent network sharing from working :

See "What are the network requirements? "
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/faq/sharing.mspx#q20_6

HTH
Cheers - Neil
------------------------------------------------
Digital Media MVP : 2004-2010
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs