KODI: How to Add a Remote Server or Network Folder

We have recently retired the old TV we had in the living room and updated it with a smart TV which allows us to run Android applications directly. So one of the first things we did was install the KODI player.

Something that comes in handy to watch movies and series by plugging in a pendrive, but having all that content stored on the PC, wouldn't it be more comfortable broadcast it directly via wifi from a network folder? Can you do something like this on KODI, whether it's on a TV, a mobile or a tablet?

How to connect to a remote server on KODI

Although KODI has several add-ons such as Plex to establish a client-server routine between the PC and the application, the truth is that we can share content without having to install any extra add-ons.

It is enough that we share the folders that interest us on the computer and then add them to KODI as a common network drive.

Step 1 #: Share folders on PC

To share a folder in Windows and its content can be accessed from another device that is connected to the same Wi-Fi network, we must select the folder, right-click and select "Properties".

Next, we go to the tab "Share"And click on the button of the same name that says"Share”. In this new window we can determine which users have access to said folder and add new users.

We take note of a user who has (at least) read permissions on the folder and click on "Share”. This user will be the one that we will have to enter later in KODI to have remote access from the player.

Note: If we give the "Everyone" user permission to read the folder, it will not be necessary to add any username or password in KODI.

Now, if we go back to the properties of the "Share" tab we will see that it appears the network path assigned to the resource we just shared.

Step 2 #: Add the share to your KODI library

In the next step we will open the KODI app and go to “Videos -> Files -> Add Videos”.

Click on the "Search" button and select the option "Add website”.

In this window we will add the name of the server (we can enter the name of the machine or its IP address) and the access path. For example, if when sharing the folder in Windows we have obtained the path "\ computerXX \ aa 00 \", the name of the shared folder that we will indicate to KODI will be "\ aa 00 \".

In the next window we select the resource that we have just created and we click "OK".

Finally, we introduce an identifying name for this new network folder. We press "OK".

Finally, KODI will give us the possibility to indicate what type of content this folder incorporates (Movies, series, music) so that the corresponding covers and informative texts can be downloaded.

From here, when we want to access this folder we will only have to enter the videos section where we will locate it along with the rest of the pen drives and shared folders.