If you've just come home from the shops in Fish Hoek with a DStv WiFi Connector in a bag and no idea where to start, you're in good company. This page answers the beginner questions we hear most, in the order you'll probably ask them. No jargon, and nothing that needs a ladder.
Quick answer: A DStv WiFi Connector lets an earlier Explora decoder join your home WiFi, so you can stream Catch Up and set recordings from your phone. You need a working internet line, your WiFi password or a WPS button on the router, and about ten minutes. Explora Ultra owners don't need one at all.
Question 1: what is the WiFi connector DStv sells?
It's a small add-on that sits beside your decoder. The earlier Explora models can't pick up WiFi on their own, so the connector catches the signal from your router and passes it to the decoder.
It runs off the decoder's own power through one of its USB ports. You don't need another wall plug, which helps in older Fish Hoek flats where sockets are already scarce.
Many beginners ask us what does the DStv WiFi Connector do for live TV. The honest answer is nothing. Your channels still come from the dish, and the connector only adds the online extras.
Question 2: does my decoder actually need one?
As a team doing DStv installation in Fish Hoek, we'd rather you didn't spend money on something you can't use. Find your setup below.
| Your setup | Do you need a connector? |
|---|---|
| Earlier Explora, router in another room | Yes, this is what it's for |
| Earlier Explora, router right next to the TV | No, a network cable is simpler and steadier |
| Explora Ultra | No, WiFi is built in |
| Single-view HD decoder | Not listed in DStv's internet guides, so check first |
| Streama | No, it joins your WiFi by itself |
Thinking about upgrading instead? Our page on Explora vs Explora Ultra lays out the differences, and our older guide to connecting an Explora to WiFi covers the cable route too.
Question 3: what do I need before I start?
- An earlier Explora that already shows a good satellite picture.
- A router that's switched on and online. Test it on your phone first.
- The connector, its power cable and the docking station if one came in the box.
- Your WiFi name and password, or a router with a WPS button.
- Uncapped internet. DStv suggests at least 4Mbps for SD and 10Mbps for HD viewing.
On a capped data plan, streaming Catch Up can eat through your data quickly. Check with your internet provider before you switch everything on.
Question 4: how do I set up the DStv WiFi Connector with WPS?
WPS is the easiest route for beginners. Most routers have a small button marked WPS on the back or side. Then follow these steps:
- Put the connector next to the Explora. Not on top, as DStv's guide warns.
- Plug its power cable into either USB port on the back of the Explora, and the other end into the connector.
- Wait for the power light on the front to glow white.
- Press WPS on your router, then press WPS on the connector.
- Wait about two minutes while the WiFi light flashes. When it glows solid white, it's online.
- Plug the Ethernet cable from the connector into the green Ethernet port on the Explora.
DStv's own walkthrough on getting your Explora online has the same steps, if you'd like a second guide open on your phone.
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Call 079 754 5527WhatsApp usBook onlineQuestion 5: what if my router has no WPS button?
Don't worry. If your connector came with a docking station, the Explora opens a setup wizard once it's plugged in. Choose your network with the arrow keys and press OK.
Type the password with the number and letter pad on the remote, or press ALT for an on-screen keyboard. The decoder then tests the connection by itself.
Without a dock or WPS, DStv's method uses a laptop to set up the connector first, through a web page called dstvwifi.local. It works, but it's fiddly. This is where a lot of people simply ask us to do it as part of our WiFi and network installation service.
Question 6: how do I know DStv's WiFi Connector is working?
Press the Help button at the bottom right of the remote. Choose Tools, then Connectivity Checker, and press OK. Two green ticks mean the decoder can see both the router and the internet.
Next, switch the extras on, because they start off. Press the blue DStv button, go to Settings, then User Preferences, then Connected Services, and turn on the ones you want.
Technician tip: Write your WiFi name and password on a note inside the TV cabinet door. If you change routers or providers later, you'll need to run the setup again, and that note saves a lot of hunting.
Question 7: why does it keep dropping out?
Fish Hoek has plenty of older homes with thick walls, and flats where the router sits by the front door. The connector can only pass on the WiFi it hears, so distance and walls are the usual culprits. Try these safe checks first:
- Restart the router, then the decoder, and run the Connectivity Checker again.
- Move the connector a little away from the decoder and any metal cabinet.
- Check that nobody in the house changed the WiFi password.
- Test your phone's WiFi next to the TV. If it's slow there, the decoder will be slow too.
In sectional title blocks in Clovelly and Sun Valley, the satellite side often runs off a shared dish, which is a separate system. Our communal DStv installation team looks after that side.
After a power cut, our load shedding recovery guide is worth a look as well. If these checks don't fix it, call a technician rather than pulling cables out of walls.
Ready for a hand with it?
We help homes from Kalk Bay and Glencairn to Capri and Noordhoek get their decoders online. We quote first, set up the connector or a cable, and stay until Catch Up plays on your TV.
Book a Fish Hoek technician or WhatsApp 079 754 5527, and we'll often be with you the same or next day, depending on the schedule.
Talk to our Fish Hoek team
We work across Fish Hoek, Clovelly, Sun Valley, Kalk Bay, Sunnydale and nearby. Call or WhatsApp us and we will tell you the practical next step.
Call 079 754 5527WhatsApp usBook onlineDStv WiFi connector: FAQs
Can I connect the DStv WiFi Connector straight to my TV?
No. It connects to the Explora decoder, not to the TV. The decoder still plugs into the TV with its HDMI cable as normal, and the connector simply gives the decoder an internet link alongside that.
Is the DStv WiFi Connector a once-off cost?
Yes. You buy it once, and DStv doesn't add a monthly fee for it. You'll still pay your internet provider for data, and an Explora carries the Access Fee, R125 a month at the time of writing, with or without a connector. Ask our team for a current quote on setup.
What warranty does the connector come with?
DStv gives it a 12-month warranty from the date of purchase. Keep the till slip somewhere safe, along with the docking station and user guide that come in the box, in case you need to return it.
Will a WiFi connector help with signal problems in Fish Hoek?
No. Your satellite signal comes from the dish, so errors like E48-32 have nothing to do with WiFi. Here, salt air on connectors and the south-easter shifting a dish are far more common causes, and those need a technician, not a connector.
Do I need a technician to install the DStv WiFi Connector?
Not always. With a WPS button on your router, most people manage it in about ten minutes. If there's no WPS button, no docking station or weak WiFi at the TV, a technician will save you a frustrating afternoon.
