Apollo Group TV on MAG box
MAG set-top boxes work differently from app-based devices. Instead of installing a player and typing a username, you enter a portal address on the box and we authorise its MAC address at our end. That means one extra step before it will work — send us the MAC.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-28
Before you start
- A MAG set-top box connected to your TV by HDMI and to the internet by Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
- The MAC address printed on the sticker underneath the box, in the form 00:1A:79:XX:XX:XX.
- Your MAC registered on your Apollo Group TV account — send it to support before you start, since the portal will not load until it is authorised.
- The portal URL supplied in your confirmation email.
Setting up on MAG box
- Find the MAC address. Turn the box over and read the MAC address from the sticker on the underside. It starts 00:1A:79 on genuine MAG hardware. You can also find it under Settings, then System Settings, then About.
- Send the MAC address to support. Give us the MAC address so it can be authorised on your account. This is required — MAG boxes are provisioned by MAC rather than by username and password, so the portal stays empty until this is done.
- Open the portal settings on the box. From the MAG main menu, go to Settings, then System Settings, then Servers, then Portals.
- Enter the portal address. Set Portal 1 Name to Apollo and Portal 1 URL to the portal address in your confirmation email. Type it exactly, including the http:// or https:// prefix and any trailing path — a single wrong character stops it loading.
- Save and restart the portal. Press OK to save, then exit to the main menu and choose Restart Portal. The box reloads and should show the channel list.
- Start watching. Once the portal loads, browse the channel list with the remote. The first load takes longer while the list downloads.
Keep your details private. Your login works on up to 5 devices. Sharing it beyond your own household can lock you out. Nobody from Apollo Group TV will ever ask for your password by message, or ask for remote access to this device.
Troubleshooting on MAG box
Portal shows a blank screen or "Portal not found"
Almost always either a typo in the portal URL or a MAC that has not been authorised yet. Re-check the URL character by character, then confirm with support that your MAC is active on the account.
The box shows "MAC address blocked" or similar
The MAC on the box does not match the one registered to your account. Read it again from the sticker or from Settings → System Settings → About, and send us the exact value.
The box hangs on the loading screen
Power the box off at the mains for thirty seconds, then on again. If it persists, check the date and time under System Settings — a wrong clock can break the secure connection to the portal.
I replaced my MAG box and nothing works
A new box has a different MAC address, so it must be re-authorised. Send us the new MAC and we will update your account.
MAG box questions
Why does a MAG box need my MAC address when other devices do not?
MAG boxes authenticate by hardware address rather than by a username and password typed into an app. We authorise the specific box on your account, which is why the portal will not load until you send us the MAC.
Do MAG emulators on other hardware work the same way?
Emulators that present a MAG-style portal generally follow the same MAC-based process. Send us the MAC address the emulator reports. We can only support genuine MAG hardware directly.
Can I use the same MAC on two boxes?
No. Each box has its own MAC and each must be authorised separately. Your plan allows several simultaneous streams, but each device still needs registering.