Slingbox 500 Troubleshooting

The device will freeze when attempting to watch a show or browse.

A number of things could be occurring within the device that may cause the issue. There is a chance that the Slingbox may just need to be restarted or unplugged for a minute to reset itself. Make sure to first turn off the Slingbox fully, then unplug the power connector from the back for 30 seconds to a minute and let it reset. At this point replug and restart the Slingbox as normal to test if the issue persists.

If you are running the Slingbox on old software you could run into bugs causing your Slingbox to freeze or run slower than expected. It is recommended to always check for software updates and make sure they have been fully downloaded and have been installed.

The Slingbox will not turn on or show any signs of powering up.

Make sure the power adapter is fully plugged into the device and the other end is correctly plugged into an outlet. If the Slingbox still does not turn on, then the device's power cable or power input could be damaged. Check the cable itself for visible damage or tears which could cause this issue. If anything is seen, immediately replace the power cord.

If your Slingbox still does not turn on after checking the power connector there is a chance a capacitor could be blown coming from the power connector on the mainboard or going to another main component to allow the Slingbox to work correctly. This requires taking the Slingbox apart and checking for visible burns around the capacitor or a blown cap. It is recommended to replace these immediately as this can turn into a serious hazard if they were to short circuit the board further. You can see a teardown and how to check the capacitors from this guide.

While the capacitors may or may not be damaged after checking in the previous step, there could still be damage to the motherboard or a subsequent board. As the Slingbox is already apart, check the boards for burns, black marks, or any other signs of damage that may have occurred when shipping or moving the Slingbox around. If any damage is noticed, it’s recommended to immediately replace the board as it is a potential fire hazard. The motherboard teardown and replacement ++guide can be found here++.

This device will not connect to the user’s home wifi network.

If you cannot find your desired wifi network it is possible that the issue lies with your wifi router. Check to see if it’s on and if so turn it off, wait one minute and then start it. If it was not on, start it.

First, you should attempt to manually connect to the wifi network in question. To do this you should go to the Internet Settings screen and select the desired network. At this point, you should enter your password and once you’ve received confirmation you’ll know you’ve connected.

A number of things that could be occurring within the device that may cause the issue. If the above have all failed then another thing to attempt is restarting the Slingbox itself. To do this all you need to do is unplug the Slingbox in question, wait a few seconds for it to power down and then plug it back in again.

This device will not connect to a new wifi network.

Changing your provider or router can change both your WiFi’s name and password, not allowing your devices connected to your old network to function. Again, you should attempt to manually connect to the new wifi network in question. To do this you should go to the Internet Settings screen and select the desired network. At this point, you should enter your password and once you’ve received confirmation you’ll know you’ve connected to the new network. You can then safely forget the old network from the list of remembered networks by clicking on it and selecting forget.

If you have gotten a new router, your Slingbox will likely rely on the old router’s IP address to access the internet. To fix this, you should reset the Slingbox. To do this make sure the machine is on and hold the reset button on the back of the Slingbox, if done correctly the lights on the device will quickly flash left to right and then blink slowly. It will take 30 seconds to reset and once it has done so the power light will be solid. The network light will go on once it has connected to the new router.

The remote either does not work or some buttons may not function correctly/register.

There is a chance that the batteries could be dead or soon depleted, causing your remote to not function correctly or not work at all. You can remedy this by getting new batteries and putting them in the remote to see if that improves its functionality. If it doesn’t, it could be board or sensor damage inside the remote.

If the new batteries didn’t improve the functionality there could be major damage to the board or sensors inside the remote. To check this you must disassemble the remote and check if there are any cracks or burn marks on the board. If there are loose pieces inside the remote when it is opened there is a chance it could have lost a resistor or sensor from the board during shipping or moving.

The device does not appear in the software on your laptop/desktop computer or will not connect fully.

Ensure that the Slingbox is connected to a wireless network, this can be done by looking checking the status of the network light. If it is steadily glowing then it is. If it isn’t then it’s recommended you retry the internet connectivity troubleshooting section listed above.

When being set up the Slingbox and the computer you wish to link it to must be on the same wireless network. If you have multiple routers you must ensure they are both connecting to the same one and if there are multiple wifi networks in your vicinity, make sure you have connected both devices to the correct one.

If your computer has a firewall or other security features set up it may prevent the device from connecting to the Slingbox. If this is the case you should go into your security settings and either adjust them or give the computer permission to make an exception for the Slingbox. Never permanently disable your firewall in order to connect this device.