Archived - iTunes: Music Sharing does not work if Firewall is on

Products Affected

iTunes 7 for Mac, iTunes 8 for Mac

This article has been archived and is no longer updated by Apple.

Symptoms

If Firewall is on, other iTunes users may be able to see your shared iTunes library name, but they cannot see its contents. The connection stops at a progress bar that says: "Loading <shared name>", or a message indicates "The Shared music library <shared name> is not accessible for an unknown reason (-3259)"

This happens with iTunes 4.0 or later with Mac OS X v10.1.5 through Mac OS X v10.5.

Resolution

Open the iTunes sharing port in Firewall (3689). The steps below explain how to do that in Mac OS X. If you are using iTunes for Windows, see iTunes for Windows: Music Sharing With Windows Internet Connection Firewall.

Tip: In Mac OS X v10.3, port 3689 is open by default in the Firewall settings.

For assistance with your Mac OS X v10.5 firewall see Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: About the Application Firewall.

For iTunes in Mac OS X v10.4:

  1. From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
  2. From the View menu, choose Sharing.
  3. Click the Firewall tab.
  4. Check the iTunes Music Sharing option.

For iTunes in Mac OS X v10.3 and earlier:

  1. From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
  2. From the View menu, choose Sharing.
  3. Click the Firewall tab.
  4. Click New.
  5. From the Port Name pop-up menu, choose Other.
  6. Type: 3689
  7. Press the Tab key.
  8. Type: iTunes Sharing
  9. Click OK.
Important: Information about products not manufactured by Apple is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute Apple’s recommendation or endorsement. Please contact the vendor for additional information.
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