Hi,
I don't know about server vs service, but I have similarly had to deal with MMA suddenly not being able to find the MMW server. In my case the MMW server is running on Win10.
As described in the thread labeled "MMA Sync Help Wiki" in the MMA forum, I have been able to solve this issue by going to the MMW PC and using the Win10 Firewall > Advanced Settings to look at the firewall rules added by MMW when it installs. First time round I saw a plethora of both ingoing and outgoing firewall rules relating to multiple versions of MMW.
I solved the access problem by deleting all of the Mediamonkey firewall rules (incoming and outgoing) and then running MM again. With no firewall rules in place, MMW asked to "add an exception to Windows Firewall", and the concise set of firewall rules thus added back into the firewall then allowed MMA to see the MMW server and sync to happen.
Cheers
Matt

Okay many thanks, I'll go down that route. I did that before to fix the issue, just not sure why it has repeated. I agree though it is very likely a Windows issue. Many thanks for your help!

Then you may have named your server like that previously.

You can try disabling the firewall(s) on your PC temporarily to see if you can see the MediaMonkey Server that way on other devices (for safety you may want to disconnect internet during this time). If it works with the firewall disabled the problem is likely the firewall.

Yes changing the port to 4000 makes it appear under 'Devices and Services' but that instance is not attributed to my computer by name (whereas previously it was, when it worked).

The problem is almost always external to MediaMonkey.

Did you check that the Media Server is running in MediaMonkey itself (and set to port 4000 if you want to see it in the same installation of MediaMonkey)?

I've been through all of that, historically too. As I said, I had MMW and MMA syncing perfectly well for years without issue. I thought it might be a bug caused by a W11 update or something more subtle like that. Are there any logs/screenshots that would be useful to provide?

It seems odd that the instance of mediamonkey server is not showing up in both MMW itself and Windows as something even attempting to break the firewall.

If I hadn't managed to have it working consistently for an extended period of time before I would of course return back to the documentation, but given how it has suddenly occurred I sense it is a more fundamental issue.

If there is no advice or guidance beyond the wiki then so be it, I'll tinker.

Please start here: https://www.mediamonkey.com/support/kno ... ccessible/

Generally the problem is either the Firewall is blocking MediaMonkey or the wi-fi network is not allowed to see other devices on the network.

Okay that may be correct, I don't know. What I do know is the following:

1) The mediamonkey 'server' used to appear under devices and services.
2) I used to be able to sync with MMA routinely and without issue.
3) It suddenly stopped, which I was able to resove via fiddling with some Windows firewall priveleges.
4) It has resurfaced, and now the mediamonkey server is not even recognised at the Windows firewall apps list, so I cannot resolve it as per number 3. As far MMW is concerned, the mediamonkey 'server' is still running.

Any thoughts or guidance?

You may be mixing to terms. The MediaMonkey Server and MediaMonkey Service.

The MediaMonkey Server runs the DLNA capability (which includes Sync) of MediaMonkey and can run both in MediaMonkey itself as well as the MediaMonkey Service.
The MediaMonkey Server is hidden from the MediaMonkey it's running in unless you use port 4000.

The MediaMonkey Service is a Windows Service that runs (if installed) the MediaMonkey Server when MediaMonkey itself is not running. So when you start MediaMonkey itself the MediaMonkey Service is terminated. This is useful when you want the MediaMonker Server available before logging into Windows after the PC stars.

Hi,
I routinely sync MMA to MMW via the server but recently it hasn't worked. The server is 'running' according to MMW but not showing under Devices and Services (previously it was). I thought I had fixed it last week in Windows by updating (though not sure why it would have changed) the services that are allowed through the firewall.

However the issue returned, and now the server instance does not appear on the windows list of services at all. Very confusing.

Any help appreciated