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Troubleshooting

“Too many connections”: why it happens and how to fix it

Every IPTV account allows a set number of streams at the same time, usually called connections. When you see “too many connections” or “max connections reached”, the server believes that number is already in use. Sometimes it is. Often, an old session simply hasn’t closed yet.

Updated · 2 min read

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What a connection is

A connection is one stream playing at one time. Your account has a limit, and the server counts every stream that’s open. When the count reaches the limit, the next request is refused. Depending on the server and the app, the refusal shows as “too many connections”, “max connections reached”, a numbered error such as 458 on some platforms, or sometimes a vague login or playback error.

Free a connection now

  1. Stop playback on every other device that uses the same login, including phones, tablets and bedroom TVs.
  2. Close the app completely, not just back to the menu. On Android TV and Fire TV use Force stop in the app settings; on phones, close it from the app switcher.
  3. Wait five to ten minutes. Sessions left open by a dropped connection time out on the server by themselves.
  4. Start one channel on one device and check it plays.

If it still refuses after ten minutes with nothing else playing, ask your provider to reset the connections on your account.

Why sessions get stuck

  • Switching channels very quickly can leave the previous stream open for a moment, so the server briefly counts two.
  • Power cuts and Wi-Fi drops end a stream without telling the server, which waits for a timeout.
  • Two apps on the same device (for example, one player running in the background) can each hold a stream.
  • Recording while watching uses two streams in most apps.
  • Picture-in-picture and multiview play several channels at once, and each one counts.

Getting the number of connections right

If two people regularly watch at the same time, one connection isn’t enough, and you’ll keep hitting the limit. A plan with a second connection is the permanent fix. For our service, screens and connections explains how connections work and how to add one.

Sharing a login outside your home

Sharing a login with other households uses up connections unpredictably and usually breaks the provider’s terms. Many servers also lock or suspend accounts that are used from several different locations. That can show up as authorization errors rather than connection errors.

FAQ

Connection questions

How many devices can I use with one IPTV login?

Usually as many as you like for installing and signing in. The limit is on how many streams play at the same time. With one connection, you can have the app on five devices, but only one can play at a time.

Why do I get too many connections when nothing else is playing?

A previous stream probably hasn’t closed on the server. That happens when an app is closed abruptly, a device loses power or Wi-Fi drops mid-stream. The server keeps the session open until it times out, usually within a few minutes.

Does the TV guide use a connection?

Downloading the TV guide or the channel list doesn’t normally count as a stream. Playing a channel, film or recording does, and so can recording one channel while you watch another.

Where to go next

Start watching on your own screen

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