IPTV lines and logins, explained

When you subscribe to an IPTV service you're given an IPTV line — a personal account on the provider's servers. Everything else (the username, the password, the playlist link) is simply a different way of telling your app which line to connect to. Once you understand that, the rest falls into place.

What is an IPTV line?

An IPTV line is your subscription in technical form. It records:

• who you are — the username and password
• how long you've paid for — the expiry date of your plan
• how many streams you can play at once — your number of connections
• what you can access — the channel line-up and on-demand library

Resellers often talk about "creating lines" for customers, because each subscription they sell is a line on the provider's system. For a household subscriber, "my line" and "my subscription" mean the same thing.

What's in your ProTVHub login email

After payment, you receive your IPTV login details by email. They come in two formats so you can use almost any player:

Xtream-codes details

Most modern players, including TiviMate and IPTV Smarters, ask for three things:

Xtream logins are the easiest to live with: the player downloads live channels, films, series and the programme guide automatically, and keeps them up to date.

The M3U playlist link

An M3U link is a single web address that contains your username and password inside it. Playlist-based players such as Smart IPTV (SIPTV), Kodi and VLC use this format. It does the same job as the Xtream details, but some players need a separate guide (EPG) link for programme listings — ask support if you need one.

Our guide to M3U playlists and Xtream codes goes into the differences in more depth.

Portals and MAC addresses

Set-top boxes such as MAG and Formuler don't use a username at all. Instead, the box's MAC address is registered to your line and you enter a portal URL in the box's settings. If you're using one, tell the team the MAC address printed on the box when you order. The MAG box guide explains the steps.

Connections: how many devices can use one line?

A connection is one stream playing at one time. You can install your login on as many devices as you like, but only as many can play simultaneously as your plan allows:

If you try to start one stream too many, the extra stream won't play — close it on another device and try again. Our guide to using IPTV on multiple devices shows how to share one plan around the house.

Keeping your line secure

Your login is effectively a key to a paid service, so treat it like one:

• Don't post it publicly or share screenshots of your player settings.
• Only give it to people in your household — sharing beyond your connection limit simply means everyone gets interrupted.
• Install players from their official sources rather than modified "pre-loaded" apps.
• Tell support straight away if you think your details have been shared, so the line can be reset.

Troubleshooting common login problems

"Invalid username or password." Check for extra spaces and capital letters — copying and pasting from the email avoids most typos.

"Server not found" or nothing loads. Make sure the server URL is complete, including the port number if one was given.

Channels load but the guide is empty. Refresh the EPG in your player's settings, or add the guide link if your player needs one. See why IPTV guide listings go missing.

It worked yesterday and stopped today. Check whether your plan has reached its expiry date, then restart the device. If it still fails, message support with the name of your player.

Getting a line

Every plan on our IPTV UK service comes with its own line, sent by email within minutes of payment. Compare lengths and connection counts across the subscription options, or start with a free 24-hour trial line first.