Does your receiver need to be online to stream directv on a computer or mobile device?

streaming requires an internet connection, its like trying to drive a car without gas, it wont go anywhere

You can go onto the website or mobile app for streaming. Full content is not available. Does not matter if receiver itself is connected to internet.

I think I need to clarify, at least based on @Constructive response. I am attempting to stream with internet - I'm actually doing this from another location, which has high quality internet. But the equipment resides at my parent's place with no wifi - just hard wired I guess from the satellite or however that works.

I know that I'm not describing this that well, as I don't completely know how DirecTV feeds the TV signal. But I know from past research that I couldn't access the DVR remotely because of the lack of internet associated with the equipment. What I am trying to determine now is whether that also prevents access to viewing (streaming) content when somewhere with an internet connection.

When I log in at directv.com, I see options to "watch directv", a guide, and other options. There is an option to "stream Live tv" but it only shows three channels and if I click on the current TV show for any of them I see "watch is unavailable". Am I doing something wrong here or am I not supposed to be able to stream with my current configuration?

Thanks

WiFi is not needed if the receiver is hard wired to the internet.  You can no longer stream from the Genie once you are outside of your home network, DTV dropped support for that last year.

DTV doesn't provide internet service and doesn't need it to work.

Stream Live TV requires the receiver to be connected to internet and the streaming device to be on the same network. It is not an out-of-home streaming option.

There is content you can watch out-of-home, which does not require the boxes being connected to internet. But it is only what the channels choose to make available as it is a secondary perk.