To get you started, on your windows machine - press the windows key + r and then enter \\192.168.0.1 (router ip address) as that should get you to the drive.

@WonFineDay 

 

The TL-WDR3600 should use a limited DLNA media server so if you enabled the media server. You can see if the Samsung TV is able to access DLNA content as well with your other devices.

@ArcherC8 I tried that before I even posted here :( 

@Tony my TV(s) can see the router but cannot see any of the content inside the hard disk. What am I missing? :-( 

@WonFineDay 

 

Try to access the media server on your Windows computer to see if that works. If it does you may need to have your computer display on your Samsung TV or turn your Windows into the DLNA streaming server.

I tried to access the network files from my Android phone and everything works - I can see all the files

@WonFineDay 

 

The good thing is that you at least know the router is working, but now you need to have something else to provide the media files to the TV since the Samsung is not able to do it on its own.

@Tony well what could that "something" else be?

 

Samsung has behaved in (what appears to be) VERY BIZZARE ways. I had exposed 2 directories: "VIDEOS" and another-one. Neither of which was vivible to Samsung. Changed it to "video" still nothing, then to "Videos" and now it shows both directories. I can see all the underlying content in the other directory but not inside of "Videos" I the shared one-more-dir and Samsung stopped seeing anything at all! Removed the 3rd-dir and it can again see "Videos" and another one but no content inside either of the directories now. Cray, cray :( 

 

Samsung support says to contact computer manufacturer - duh! There's not supposed to be a computer involved. Maybe router guys.. but even so... 

 

@WonFineDay 

 

In your case I would look at using a computer to display the media content on your TV. That "something" could be mirroring your computer to the TV, getting a device that you can broadcast to like a Firestick. If you look up a way to display video from a computer to a Samsung TV that maybe your best bet since Samsung doesn't have anything.

I had similar problem (with a different old Router). Windows 10 decided to turn of SMB1 by default for security reasons. If you router uses SMB1 (mine did) this will give problems. One solution, if you do not care about security issues, is to turn SMB1 back on. That fixed the problem for me (as well as usual file discovery, private network, etc stuff). Googling SMB 1 and Windows 10 shoud get you instructions and explanations. I used instructions from this link: https://www.tachytelic.net/2019/09/windows-10-enable-smb1/ Hope it helps you. JW