I am a stream Customer and very frustrated with the service

Hi, @mgray3433 we want to clarify everything about our concurrent stream limits.

DIRECTV STREAM has the "in-home streaming" feature, which works by identifying your home network (this allows 20 in-home streams) through the internet IP address, reason why it's necessary to have a static IP address to have this feature functioning as expected.

As per company policy, you're allowed to change the main home network 4 times in a year. After this period of time, you will have again the option available to change it.

Juan, DIRECTV Community Specialist

I absolutely agree with the 20 home streams

but centurylink changes ip almost every night so I have no control of it

i can get a static but that is an extra 15 a month so it defeats the purpose of streaming cost so I am best to go away from direct tv stream and go with xfinity

i am not trying to defeat your system and understand how ip addresses work and why you do it that way

please answer this question do you look at century links router address or my wan ip address that is connected to my router?

again this is a reason to not go with direct tv as I have Ben a customer for 20 plus years. 

thanks

Better get a static IP if that's the case. 

Then I will just go away as we all know most have the same offering and it is down to only a few channels that differentiate each other

Of course you can go with a Roku or Fire Stick instead of the proprietary DirecTV Stream device. The DirecTV Stream device is the only device that uses the home location and limits your change per year.

We understand your point @mgray3433 About your question, the IP used to identify the home network, is the one your internet provider designates to your service (and it can be switched from dynamic to static).

Please check your DIRECTV Message Inbox (it's the chat icon next to the bell icon in the upper right corner of the Forums), you're a long time customer and we want to check on some personalized options for your account.

Juan, DIRECTV Community Specialist

Long time customer or a day old customer should be treated the same. If you really have some advise to resolve the issue then you should share the results to all subscribers not hiding solutions behind a closed door!

It's not just the DirecTV Stream devices. I have Roku devices on all 7 TV's in my home and I have run into this problem. My internet provider does not offer static IP - only dynamic. July 17, 2022 is when my 12 months is up. Until then, I guess my house can only use 3 devices at one more.

Any updates or solutions to the dynamic vs static IP address?  We are limited to 2 TVs in our house because we have dynamic IP and our "home" has already been reset 4 times this year.  Our current internet provider charges an extra $20 per month to have a static IP address and our other option doesn't offer static IP to residential customers.  Super frustrating to be paying for internet and streaming TV and not be able to watch on more than 2 TVs.

Blame your ISP for continuing to change your address. It's not the service. The other option is to go with a different streaming device like a  Roku or Fire Stick.

DirecTV Stream doesn't change the IP address, but DirecTV (or actually AT&T when they owned the service) chose to base things on IP address, when they should have known that some ISP do change the IP address frequently.  (AT&T doesn't, at least in my experience, but they can't design an OTT service to depend on that.)  And a @DIRECTVhelp help rep cavalierly suggesting "just get a static address", when (as @rajefamily00  notes) many ISPs don't even offer them to residential customers, and most that do change a hefty premium for them, isn't a helpful response.  I don't know of a good solution as long as they want to allow effectively unlimited devices (of random sorts, and that don't have reliable location services), but only on the "home" network.  But clearly the one they chose doesn't work for a lot of people.

And I'm not sure why you think a Roku or Fire Stick would solve the problem - they would still be impacted by the "home network" issue.

@rajefamily00 - you might check with your other option for an ISP to find out if they also change addresses frequently or if they maintain them.  Some do - my home net's external IP has stayed the same for at least 2 years even though I have a "dynamic" IP address:.  But you'd need to talk to someone technical at the ISP and explain the issue so they understand why it matters (and will hopefully give you a straight and correct answer).

Using Fire Sticks or Roku does resolve the issue. I have family members in other locations (both in-state and out-of-state) that have ways shared the service. All receive the current home based locals and have for years. I travel all the time, and always receive my home based locals on the east or west coast using both Roku or Fire Sticks. Just make sure that each device is configured at your home based. Currently in Alabama receiving home based locals from NC.

It is not the sticks you use it is the isp changing ip addresses 

the directtv app when installs registers to the IP address it is using at that time when the address changes that night it then becomes a remote device and will be needed to reboot then it will work

If you can not get a static ip then you most likely will have to reboot your device when the address changes and will work for the day

Yes, you can use the service when out of town - as long as there are no more than 2 (or 3, I can't remember the limit) "away from home" streams happening at the same time. My daughter uses a Roku stick away at college while logged into my DirecTv Stream service. I have a Roku on 7 TVs in my home (I know....overkill), but currently I am limited to 2 (or 3) TVs streaming on the service at the same time. July 17 is when I can reset my Home location. 

In the meantime, I can get around the limit by logging into a network's app using my DirecTv credentials. For example, instead of watching the Tour de France on DirecTv Stream, I have downloaded the USA Network Roku app and linked it to my DirecTv subscription. A little extra work, but I have not run into any stream limits doing it this way. That way, less tech-minded family members can continue using the DirecTv Stream service, which they're familiar with; and if I wanna watch something different, I'll use a network's app. Most of the networks' apps offer the live stream. Of course, when July 17 gets here, I'll reset the Home location and see how long it lasts. Sorry if this is confusing, but maybe this can help some of you get around the problem until your "reset date" arrives. But for the one whose IP resets every night, I don't know what to suggest, except maybe try one of the 5G cell providers, if available in your area.

Well want get into all the details but limits all depend on your devices (streaming devices or mobile devices) location, subscriptions (grandfathered, older, or new) accounts etc. There are specific restrictions or benefits based on all these conditions. There is just no simple answer.