ChannelSurfWhat you need
Obtain both values from the portal operator or account you are authorized to use. The MAC address must already be recognized by that portal. ChannelSurf does not create portal access, register an unknown address, or bypass a provider’s device limits.
- Portal URL
- The full portal address, often ending in a path similar to
/stalker_portal/c/or/c/. - MAC address
- The portal-authorized device identity in six colon-separated pairs, such as the fictional form
00:1A:79:00:00:00.
Connect the portal
- Open ChannelSurf and choose Set up ChannelSurf or Add profile.
- Name the local profile, then continue to Connect provider.
- Select Stalker / MAG.
- Paste the complete provider endpoint into Portal URL.
- Enter the MAC address authorized for this portal into MAC address.
- Continue. ChannelSurf normalizes the address, performs the portal handshake, retrieves the profile, and begins loading live, movie and series sections exposed by the account.
Use the portal endpoint, not the provider’s public marketing homepage. If the operator gave you multiple paths, use the one specifically labeled for MAG, Ministra, Stalker Middleware, or portal clients.
What the portal connection can provide
A compatible portal can supply channel and category lists, VOD, episodic series, EPG data, catch-up commands and short-lived playback links. ChannelSurf requests fresh playable links when needed rather than assuming that a previously resolved address will remain valid.
Portal implementations vary substantially. Some return sparse metadata, use custom endpoint paths, limit categories, or require requests to look like a supported set-top box. A successful handshake does not guarantee that every optional catalog section is implemented.
Platform compatibility
Some portals block browser-origin requests and work only through a trusted proxy. ChannelSurf Desktop can proxy portal requests that a self-contained browser-based TV package cannot make. In particular, a proxy-only Stalker portal is not compatible with self-contained webOS mode.
If the same authorized details work on ChannelSurf Desktop but not on a self-contained TV edition, that can be a portal access-policy limitation rather than a bad MAC address.
Troubleshoot a portal connection
“Portal authentication failed”
Confirm the MAC is active on the provider account, has not been replaced by another device, and uses all six pairs. Ask the operator whether they must clear an old device session or rebind the address.
The portal URL opens a branded page in a browser
That does not prove it is the client endpoint. Check for the exact path supplied for MAG/Stalker apps. Avoid guessing private endpoint paths from examples found online.
Channels appear but will not start
The portal handshake and playback-link creation are separate operations. Try another channel, confirm the account is allowed an active stream, and check whether the provider has a temporary outage. Expiring links should be resolved again rather than copied into another player.
Movies or series are missing
The portal may not expose those sections, may use a nonstandard implementation, or may not entitle the account to them. Refresh the provider once before recreating the profile.
Protect the portal identity
A portal URL and MAC address together can act like account credentials. Do not publish either in screenshots, support threads or device listings. When asking for help, share only a redacted hostname, device type, error wording and whether the handshake ever reaches the channel list.