DirecTV stream box - what does this setting do?

Location services use information from networks like GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular to determine your location. You can control which apps and websites have access to your location by turning location services on or off. 

Hi @T_M. Thank you for your feedback. Location Status will provide the correct local channels and services. If Location is OFF, the local channels are determined by the billing ZIP Code. Mohammad, DIRECTV Community Specialist

That's not really answering the question.  I'm asking what it actually does on the DirecTV box. As already noted, DirecTV already uses your IP address (which may or may not be your physical location) to determine if you are at your "home network". And under this setting it had DirecTV listed as using it. So what does toggling it off even do in regards to the box?

Side note: They really need to fix how they determine if you are on your home network. Many ISPs (including AT&T) change your IP frequently.  I have an AT&T air internet (5G) box and it can show my location (using IP) as Houston or Chicago depending what IP they decide to toss at you any given day. 

Your "home network" is actually a combination of your IP address and your CC billing address. 

@DIRECTVhelp

That is not how it is working on any of my 5 DirecTV stream boxes. Regardless of whether it is on or off, I get the locals that are in my billing address location (even when the IP address indicates I am many hundreds of miles away). 

But since you are here, how about answering why they don't fix the "home network" issue that plagues many people, especially Starlink users who's IP address (and IP location location) changes very often.  You can only change that home location 4 times a year and can run out in as little as a month. Many simple solutions have been suggested in other threads, but all we hear are crickets. 

@bcbsncjlj 

Actually the only thing that matters as far as "home network" (Home Location in the menu) goes is your IP address. Ask any Starlink user how often they get "too many streams" pop up because the IP changed and it thinks you are no longer at your "home network" (Home Location). 

It depends on the device you are using also. Not all devices have location services (Roku, Fire Sticks, etc). If the service can not detect your location, then the default is home base locals. I am a full-time RV traveler. I use Fire Sticks and Roku. Furthermore, I always get my home base locals where ever I travel. My phone, tablets, and PC (which have location services) receive my travelling locals. As for fixing the problem - there is no problem to fix. Your issue is with your IP provider.

All live services use some mechanism for determining your location. The service has always used IP address and CC billing details for determining location. Ir's possible they may change but I seriously doubt it.

@bcbsncjlj 

Yes, it can depend on the device. But the stream box is more or less designed for home use. 

It has been suggested that if they see all of your devices (stream boxes) are coming from the same WAN IP, that they are most likely all at your actual home. Or since they can detect a Starlink IP, just assume those will change very often.  This is 2025, there are way better ways to determine location other than just IP.  As I noted earlier, even AT&T doles out IP addresses that are nowhere near your physical location. My phone's (AT&T cellular) IP says I am in Houston. I am 300 miles from Houston and the cell tower is less than a mile from me.  And the AT&T air internet box (connected to that same tower) gives me a Chicago IP address (1100 miles away).  

@DIRECTVhelp 

How about chiming in on this "home network" (home location) issue. It's been a problem for years. 

It's not perfect, but the rules are as they are. Of course, no one here can resolve the issue. Suggest you confer with support. I have Spectrum and never had a location problem. I also subscribe to YouTube TV. Not only that, but I have had more location issues with them then DirecTV Stream.

What rules? It's DirecTV's poor implementation of location validation that can easily be resolved. Support? LOL All they will do is reset the counter (a very temporary fix) if you complain long enough (and if you can even get to someone who can do more than read off of a script). 

In any case, none of this has answered the original question, since it does not do what @DIRECTVhelp claims it does. 

It's working as designed. The flaw is in the IP address delivery of your provider. Simple solution - get a static IP address. You have options.

No, the flaw is that they are thinking it's still the 90s and how IPs pools used to be assigned. If AT&T (who owned DirecTV for many years) can't dole out IPs with correct location data, then who can??

And no, static IPs are not an option for anyone on Starlink. And for most other ISPs they are a costly option that often require a business to procure.

So no, there are not other options for many people. 

Why are people being such DirecTV fanboys and blaming the countless customers that are having the same issue?? (Starlink users alone are up to 1.4M in the US). That's a lot of people to push to another service because they can't get their act together. 

BTW, I have had DirecTV in some flavor since they launched their first satellites, so I am no stranger to seeing how customer service (listening to their issues) has gone down the toilet over the years.  After AT&T took over, I was even a beta tester for several years.  I (and many others) quit because they were not listening. Maybe now that AT&T has sold it's 70% share last year, things will change. 

Sorry. You can continue to rant, but it will get you nowhere here. You know how the service works. Perhaps a different service is what you need. Just be aware that you may still encounter problems with whoever you go with.

Who is ranting? I've just been stating the facts.

I asked a question (that still has not been correctly answered). DIRECTVhelp has not been back since being called out on the issue (no surprise there). You are the one (who apparently does not even have the box in question) that is suggesting options that are not possible. 

I have no issues with any other streaming services. So apparently they can figure out how to limit the number of streams at once without relying on IPs that change. 

The reason I keep the streaming box is because it has a full function remote and not a neutered one like Roku, Firestick etc.