When you power up your Slingbox, does the Network light on the front blink for 30 seconds, then turn off? If so, here are a few tips and tricks to help get you watching TV anywhere!
It's normal for the light to blink for as long as 30 seconds (maybe a minute in some cases) immediately after plugging in the Slingbox. During this time, your Slingbox is communicating with your router. Technically, it's getting an IP address (a unique network ID number) from your home router.
If the Network light turns off after this start up period, then your Slingbox wasn't able to communicate with your router. Below are some of the most common reasons why this might be happening, along with some solutions. You may have to do some detective work to find the cause of the problem but we'll guide you step-by-step.
1) Make sure that your router is powered on |
Most routers don't have power switches but sometimes the power cable to your router may not be solidly connected. Double-check that the cable is OK and that the router is on.
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2) Restart your Slingbox and router
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The next thing to try is restarting both your Slingbox and your home router. Just follow these steps:
- Unplug your Slingbox from the power outlet.
- Unplug your router from the power outlet.
- Wait about 5 seconds.
- Plug the router back in.
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Plug the Slingbox back in.
If that doesn't work, move on to step 3.
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3) Check the physical connections
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Make sure that the physical connections from your Slingbox to your router are good. Here's how: - Disconnect both ends of the ethernet cable between your Slingbox and your router.
- Reconnect both ends of this ethernet cable, making sure that the cables are firmly connected to your Slingbox and your router.
- Once that's done, restart your Slingbox. To restart your Slingbox, quickly press and release the reset button on the back (don't hold it in).
If that doesn't fix the problem, continue to the next step.
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4) Check your SlingLinks, SlingLink Turbos or wireless bridge
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If your Slingbox is not near your router, and you used SlingLinks, SlingLink Turbos or a wireless ethernet bridge to get them connected, the issue may be that this connection isn't working.
SlingLinks or SlingLink Turbos
- Make sure that they're are not plugged into power strips, or into outlets that have power strips plugged into them.
- Check that the Link light is on (both on the SlingLink or SlingLink Turbo connected to your Slingbox and the one connected to your router). If the Link light is not on, the two outlets may be on different circuits in your home (not uncommon when you have done major remodeling) or there may be an issue with the SlingLinks or SlingLink Turbos themselves.
- Try plugging the SlingLinks or SlingLink Turbos into two outlets right near each other and see if this light comes on. If they don't come on, they could be malfunctioning. If the Link light does come on, then the solution is going to be trying different outlets until you find a pair that works for both your SlingLinks or SlingLink Turbos and your router.
Wireless bridge
Verify that the wireless bridge is connected to your home wireless network. The documentation for your wireless bridge should have troubleshooting steps.
If SlingLinks or a wireless bridge are not the problem, try resetting your Slingbox, as explained below.
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5) Reset your Slingbox
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If you're sure that the connections are good and that there are no problems with the network, the final step is to reset the Slingbox. Resetting the Slingbox restores the Slingbox back to its original factory settings. You will lose all of your customization and configuration, but the Slingbox will probably start working again.
To reset your Slingbox:
- Hold down the Reset button on the back of the Slingbox for 5 seconds.
- When you go to your computer and launch SlingPlayer, you'll be prompted to run the Setup Assistant to configure your Slingbox again.
- The Setup Assistant might also need to update the software in the Slingbox (also called "firmware"). If the Slingbox Software needs to be updated, just follow the onscreen prompts.
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