Unable to play to Sonos using MM5 ... works OK from MM4

[Ludek]

I see, there were simply too many coincidenes together resulting in your described frustration, mainly:
1) you disabled the default media server
2) you turned off Sonos between MM restart
3) you are using third party firewall (not the Windows Deffender default firewall)

OK, I'll give the temporal server a fixed port.

[Barry4679]

OK, I'll give the temporal server a fixed port.

That's good, thanks.

I think that your auto fall back temporal server is really good, and it think that it is better great now that the UI will have indication that it exists ... it makes the scope of what you have created, easier to discover and to understand.

3) you are using third party firewall (not the Windows Deffender default firewall)

If I had been using Defender you would have punched a hole in the PC's firewall?
Is this change to the Firewall temporary, or was repeated use of this facility punching multiple holes in the PC's firewall, until it resembles swiss cheese?
If that is the case should the new fixed port completely replace the random port, rather than be a configuration option?

[Peke]

If I had been using Defender you would have punched a hole in the PC's firewall?
Is this change to the Firewall temporary, or was repeated use of this facility punching multiple holes in the PC's firewall, until it resembles swiss cheese?
If that is the case should the new fixed port completely replace the random port, rather than be a configuration option?

, I do not like full fledged firewalls as they tend work worse than making it good. For years I have used free and small ZoneAlarm Firewall till it got bloated, and have switched to https://www.binisoft.org/wfc.php as soon as I have found about it. Windows firewall is as good as others if you have tools to set it up. It is almost same product as in Server editions of windows, but lacking GUI Settings and better documentation. WFC is small, transparent and accurate for me. Then there is hardware firewall and port forward on routers.

[Barry4679]

I do not like full fledged firewalls as they tend work worse than making it good. ...

Interesting. McAfee is not really a "fully fledged firewall", it is just a me-to component of their antivirus app.
I suspect that a commercial antivirus system is probably a waste of money that does not much more than slow my PC down.
But is just like taking fish oil capsules or vitamin supplements or taking long walks ... the $cost is tolerable, the evidence is disputed, and the potential for benefit is major.

I don't know enough to break a long term habit to get rid of these things, including anti-virus.

Windows firewall is as good as others if you have tools to set it up. It is almost same product as in Server editions of windows, but lacking GUI Settings and better documentation.

I know almost zero about networking & security, and actually have an active aversion for the subject. ... and we have interacted together enough on this forum for you to know that I am highly sensitive to poor GUIs or documentation.

[Peke]

Hi,
Try WFC it is great and its UI and notification is clear and useful.

EDIT: I totally agree, the simplest solution is usually the best one. WFC simple note you on access tries and what app tries so you have 3 options Allow, Block, BLOCK this call, where Allow and Block have option to do that only till Windows restart and then it will ask you again. Can nag you at start till you set filters correctly.