New to MAG devices — complete beginner setup guide

mark_wifi

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Aug 8, 2013

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54

• May 9, 2014

• #1

Starting this thread to share my experience and hear from others in the community. Happy to discuss in detail.

 

MAG_Mitch

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Sep 27, 2013

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1,270

• May 10, 2014

• #2

This guide is exactly what I needed when I first got my MAG box.

 

Moderator_Max

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Jan 2, 2010

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• May 11, 2014

• #2

What's the most confusing part of initial MAG setup for beginners?

 

sarah_tech

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Jan 9, 2011

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56

• May 12, 2014

• #3

Understanding what a 'portal URL' is and why it's different from an M3U URL.

 

mark_wifi

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Aug 8, 2013

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54

• May 10, 2014

• #4

Good point. MAG uses a portal URL — it's an endpoint that serves the Stalker Portal middleware.

 

JenStream

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Jan 17, 2013

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60

• May 11, 2014

• #5

The portal URL format is usually http://domainort/c/ for classic MAG portals.

 

Moderator_Max

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• May 12, 2014

• #6

Missing the trailing slash was my mistake on day one. Sat there confused for 20 minutes.

 

sarah_tech

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• May 13, 2014

• #6

The format has to be exact, including the trailing slash and lowercase 'c'.

 

STBsupport

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Aug 27, 2011

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1,256

• May 12, 2014

• #7

Small details matter a lot in MAG setup. Always copy-paste the URL rather than typing.

 

JenStream

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Jan 17, 2013

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• May 15, 2014

• #8

Copy-paste from a trusted source prevents typos completely.

 

MAGuser_Roy

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Apr 25, 2012

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607

• May 11, 2014

• #9

Where in MAG settings do you enter the portal URL?

 

MAG_Mitch

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Sep 27, 2013

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1,270

• May 15, 2014

• #10

Settings > System Settings > Servers > Portals. There are usually Portal 1 and Portal 2 slots.

 

BoxKing88

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Mar 1, 2014

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486

• May 11, 2014

• #11

Having two portal slots is useful — Portal 2 as backup if Portal 1 is down.

 

MAG_Mitch

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Sep 27, 2013

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1,270

• May 11, 2014

• #12

After saving the portal URL, restart the MAG box completely. Not just a soft restart.

 

TechMike88

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Jul 27, 2010

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75

• May 17, 2014

• #13

Always do a full power cycle — remove the power cable for 10 seconds.

 

MAGuser_Roy

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Apr 25, 2012

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607

• May 20, 2014

• #14

Welcome to the MAG community. The setup is a bit unusual but once you know it, it's reliable.