DirecTV Stream / Local Channels / Cellular based ISP

evenout

SatelliteGuys Family
Original poster
Aug 22, 2014
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I know a lot of times, the GeoIP location of assigned cellular IPs can be way off. You might live in Georgia and your cellular IP would say you live in Dallas. How does this relate to local channels with DirecTV Stream? Are your local channels tied to your billing address? Or are they tied to the IP address of your Internet connection?
 
I would guess it goes by your cell phone location

Example when I travel and use the directv app, I'm able to see some local channels depending on where I (the physical phone is) .

For example when I was in DC has access to local FOX and NBC in the D* app .

If i were to guess its only O&O stations...

Not sure about D*Stream but I would guess something similar...

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It would be either Verizon Home LTE Internet or AT&T Fixed Wireless - currently weighing the pros and cons for each and trying to figure out what might work best at that location.

But it would be a "fixed" wireless setting as opposed to a mobile cellular signal (phone), although I don't know if that really makes that much difference.

Perhaps these services register your IP address as being at within your DMA? Probably a question more suited to those individual services.

But if DirecTV Stream uses your billing address to define your locals, then the IP address wouldn't really matter.
 
I can't speak for the DirecTV Stream service but the web based DirecTV access that comes with the satellite DirecTV does use your IP to determine the locals.
 
I can't speak for the DirecTV Stream service but the web based DirecTV access that comes with the satellite DirecTV does use your IP to determine the locals.
This is probably true for DirecTV Stream as well. But I thought since DirecTV Stream is marketed more as a DirecTV Satellite replacement with the added benefit of being able to be viewed on a cellular device, it MIGHT stick more to the billing location locals.
 
I can't speak for the DirecTV Stream service but the web based DirecTV access that comes with the satellite DirecTV does use your IP to determine the locals.
I thought it was GPS location??

If I turn off GPS on my android and try the directv app it ask me to turn on location.

I tried with a VPN on and no locals showed up.. (in my home market the locals only show up at home)

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I thought it was GPS location??

If I turn off GPS on my android and try the directv app it ask me to turn on location.

I tried with a VPN on and no locals showed up.. (in my home market the locals only show up at home)

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Only on devices with a GPS using the app. Desktop computers and most laptops do not have GPS and use the browser and not the app. I've been able to switch markets across the whole US by using VPN's in those areas.
 
Perhaps these services register your IP address as being at within your DMA? Probably a question more suited to those individual services.
Highly unlikely. It's not that simple, they can't just register you an IP address, because they have no real public IPv4 addresses. The root of the issue is cell based services, just like satellite internet use Carrier Grade NAT for IPv4 addresses. When I'm on HughesNet my IP geolocates to somewhere in Kansas, a guy I work with has Verizon Wireless' home internet and his IP geolocates to Jacksonville and we're in Update NY.

For someone like me who relies on having a having a dedicated IP, being behind CG-NAT is a huge disadvantage and totally destroys how I function .
 
I asked Directv Stream this very question via chat, and they assured me that the locals were selected for you based on your Zip Code. I use both Starlink, (who gives me a New York public IP) and USCellular fixed cellular, (who gives me a Wisconsin IP). I'm in Eastern Maine. My Smart TV has no GPS, so my present streaming service (Fubo) uses the IP to determine which Local package to send me. The only way I can get the correct locals is to stream on my IPad with location "on" and mirror to the TV. I seriously doubt that Directv Stream will send me my correct locals based on Zip Code. I elected not to switch to Directv for other reasons.
 
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Highly unlikely. It's not that simple, they can't just register you an IP address, because they have no real public IPv4 addresses. The root of the issue is cell based services, just like satellite internet use Carrier Grade NAT for IPv4 addresses. When I'm on HughesNet my IP geolocates to somewhere in Kansas, a guy I work with has Verizon Wireless' home internet and his IP geolocates to Jacksonville and we're in Update NY.

For someone like me who relies on having a having a dedicated IP, being behind CG-NAT is a huge disadvantage and totally destroys how I function .

Most cellular is IPV6 these days.
 
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I asked Directv Stream this very question via chat, and they assured me that the locals were selected for you based on your Zip Code. I use both Starlink, (who gives me a New York public IP) and USCellular fixed cellular, (who gives me a Wisconsin IP). I'm in Eastern Maine. My Smart TV has no GPS, so my present streaming service (Fubo) uses the IP to determine which Local package to send me. The only way I can get the correct locals is to stream on my IPad with location "on" and mirror to the TV. I seriously doubt that Directv Stream will send me my correct locals based on Zip Code. I elected not to switch to Directv for other reasons.
With DirecTV Stream, I'm pretty sure that you set your home's LAN (ethernet/wifi) as your home network. This gives you the ability to stream on up to 20 devices at the same time connected to that network. All devices that connect to that network should receive the local stations served by the zip code you have on file for your DTV Stream account. I don't think the IP address assigned to you by your ISP plays any role at all (as long as it's a US-based IP address -- can't access the service outside the US).

Now, if you're using a mobile device away from your home network, you'll need to have iOS or Android location services turned on. Then DTV Stream will show you the live local channels available in the area where you're currently located. But you can still watch cloud DVR recordings from your local channels back home. You can stream on 2 or 3 devices NOT connected to your home network at the same time, in addition to however many are being used back home.
 
With DirecTV Stream, I'm pretty sure that you set your home's LAN (ethernet/wifi) as your home network. This gives you the ability to stream on up to 20 devices at the same time connected to that network. All devices that connect to that network should receive the local stations served by the zip code you have on file for your DTV Stream account. I don't think the IP address assigned to you by your ISP plays any role at all (as long as it's a US-based IP address -- can't access the service outside the US).

Now, if you're using a mobile device away from your home network, you'll need to have iOS or Android location services turned on. Then DTV Stream will show you the live local channels available in the area where you're currently located. But you can still watch cloud DVR recordings from your local channels back home. You can stream on 2 or 3 devices NOT connected to your home network at the same time, in addition to however many are being used back home.

You didn't address a laptop or other non-gps device being used away from home...
 
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