Identify which device owns the catalogue
If Kodi can browse a media server but cannot add that view to its own movie library, identify the source protocol. UPnP presents a server-provided browse tree rather than direct file access. The server can decide how that tree is organized, so its visible categories need not match Kodi’s own local-library categories.
Choose one known authorized video and note which device actually stores it. Keep the source server and Kodi client names distinct. A poster visible on the client can have come from the server’s catalogue; it does not prove the client has independently scanned the original file.
Use the documented UPnP browsing route
Kodi’s UPnP guide documents adding a source through Videos, Files, Add videos, Browse and UPnP Devices. Enable the relevant local support and select the real server. Use the settings for the server and client roles deliberately rather than turning on every related service.
Browse to the known item and open it. Record discovery, browse-tree access and playback separately. If no server appears, inspect the authorized local network and the server’s own sharing state. A missing icon is an earlier problem than an item that is visible but cannot be played.
Choose direct file access for an independent library
The Kodi guide explicitly says UPnP file sharing cannot create a Kodi library on the client. If the goal is a locally scraped collection, obtain a separately supported direct-file route from the storage administrator, such as an appropriate file share. Preserve the working UPnP route while assessing that separate arrangement.
Do not copy a server’s administration-page URL into a file-source field and assume it describes the media directory. A direct share has its own path and permissions. Keep reading originals separate from permission to modify them, and use one known folder before exposing a large personal collection.
Verify the chosen ownership model
If you keep UPnP, assess the server’s browse tree and updates through that server’s workflow. If you configure a direct source, verify Kodi’s own scan and matching on the client. These are two legitimate but different catalogue arrangements.
The expected outcome is an understood source role and a working chosen route. It does not synchronize every library feature across players or make a local share available on the public internet. Retain the actual protocol in support notes so later advice is not based on a different kind of source.
Questions answered
Why can I play an item through UPnP but not scrape that tree into Kodi?
Kodi documents UPnP as browse-and-play rather than a source for creating the client’s own library. Use a supported direct-file route for that separate goal.
Does the client control how the server’s categories are arranged?
The UPnP server supplies its browse tree. Identify the catalogue owner before changing client metadata settings.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.