Need to allow only certain devices or IP addresses in UMS? Here’s a simple way to whitelist IP address in Universal Media Server in Windows.
To stream media over the local network, there are several different options. One of the popular options is to use the Universal Media Server. Though it is not as feature-rich as the Plex or Emby, it gets the job done and has a ton of customization options all the while being pretty small, lightweight and free. One of the best things about the Universal Media Server is that it is just so easy to use. Open the application, add the folders you want to scan and stream and you are good to go. Any DLAN or steaming device on the local network can pickup UMS and stream content without any additional steps. For example, I regularly use this approach to steam content to my phone and tv.
Out of the box, Universal Media Server allows any device on the local network to access the content and stream. This is good for the most part. However, there might be times when you want to allow only certain devices. For example, maybe you don’t want guests connecting to your WiFi network accessing and streaming your content without permission.
In those cases, you can whitelist IP address in Universal Media Server (UMS). Once you whitelist an IP address in UMS, it will only allow that specific IP address and block all others. That way, you will have tighter control over who is accessing your media server.
Note: Before moving forward, I assume you already know the IP addresses of all the devices you want to whitelist. If you don’t, either take a look at the client list in your router or network settings in the respective device.
Whitelist IP Address in Universal Media Server (UMS)
1. First, open Universal Media Server from the Start menu or by double-clicking on the desktop icon.
2. After opening the UMS application, go to the “General Settings” tab.
3. In this tab, enter all the IP addresses by comma separating each one in the “Use an IP filter (whitelist)” field.
Important note: don’t forget to enter the IP address of the current device too. i.e, the IP address of the device that is running the UMS server.
For example, I want to allow only two devices. So, I entered those IP addresses (192.168.0.100, 192.168.0.101) along with the IP address of the device that is running UMS (192.168.0.102). So, in total three IP addresses.
3. The changes are saved automatically. Restart UMS or close and re-open the application to apply the changes.
If everything goes rights, only the devices that are whitelisted will be able to access and stream media. All the other devices are automatically denied access.
A Small Note
As you can guess already, though this approach is pretty easy and gives you some control over who can access the media server, it is not foolproof. For instance, if a device you don’t want to access UMS is using a whitelisted IP address, it can access the media server. To avoid that, bind IP addresses to MAC addresses in your router settings page. That way, your router will assign the same IP addresses to your devices.
I hope that helps. If you are stuck or need some help, comment below and I will try to help as much as possible. If you like this article, do check out how to change public network to private in Windows.
