Setup
How to Set Up IPTV: From Order to First Channel
Setting up IPTV takes about fifteen minutes on most devices. The steps are the same in principle whatever you watch on; only the app store changes.
The three parts of any IPTV setup
- Your subscription details. After you order or request a trial, we send you the details that identify your account.
- A player app. This is the software that plays the streams. It is installed on your device from its app store.
- Your home network. The connection between your router and your device.
Setup means putting the first into the second, and making sure the third is up to the job.
Step 1: Check your connection
Run a speed test on a phone standing next to your television. As a rough guide you want at least 5–10 Mbps for each HD stream. If the result is much lower than the speed you pay for, the problem is Wi-Fi coverage in that room rather than your broadband, and it is worth fixing before you start. A cable from the router, or moving the router out from behind furniture, is often all it takes.
Step 2: Choose your device guide
Pick the guide that matches what you are watching on:
- Amazon Fire TV Stick: the most common choice.
- Android TV and Google TV: Sony, Philips, TCL, Chromecast with Google TV, NVIDIA Shield.
- Samsung and LG Smart TVs: using the television's own app store.
- Phones and tablets: install the player named in your setup instructions from your device's app store, then continue with step 3 below.
Every compatible device is listed on the devices page.
Step 3: Enter your details
Player apps accept subscription details in one of two forms. Your message from us includes what you need for the recommended player.
| Method | What you enter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Account login | Username, password and server address | The most common method. The guide usually loads automatically. |
| Playlist link | One long web address (an M3U link) | Some players ask for a second link for the TV guide. |
Whichever you use, copy the details exactly. They are case-sensitive. If your device has a clumsy on-screen keyboard, many players let you type on your phone instead by scanning a code or visiting a web page.
Keep your details private. Your login identifies your account and your connection allowance. If it is shared, other people's viewing will use up your simultaneous connections.
Step 4: Confirm everything works
- Open three or four channels and check picture and sound.
- Open the TV guide and confirm that programme names appear.
- Leave one channel running for ten minutes to check stability.
- If your plan has more than one connection, start a second device and confirm that both play together.
Step 5: Make it comfortable
- Create a favourites list so you are not scrolling through everything each time.
- Hide categories you will never use, if your player allows it.
- Put the player at the front of your device's home screen.
Setting up more than one device
Repeat steps 2 to 4 on each device using the same subscription details. You can set up as many devices as you like. The number that can stream at the same time is set by your plan: see how many devices can use IPTV at once.
If setup does not go to plan
Most first-day problems are a mistyped detail or weak Wi-Fi. The troubleshooting hub walks through each symptom. If you are still stuck, contact us and include your device model, the name of the player app and exactly what you see on screen.