Sling Media Support - Networking Basics

Networking terms

What's a network?
Let's talk about networks. You might be asking yourself, "How do I know if I have a network in my home?" Good question!

What's a router?
It's a question you shouldn't feel embarrassed to ask! Many folks with home networks aren't sure, either.

What is a port?
A port is a way that your router can direct Internet traffic to a particular device within your home network.

What's an ethernet bridge?
Curious what an ethernet (or network) bridge is?

What's port forwarding/port mapping?
How does SlingPlayer connect with your Slingbox when you're out and about and you want to watch your TV? It uses a technique called port forwarding.

What does Video Bit Rate mean?
"Bit rate" is a common measure of the quantity of data, transmitted from one place to another, per a unit of time, usually one second. (Data are measured in "bits.")

Networking concepts

The Internet viewing experience
Some background about Slingbox Internet Viewing: using your Slingbox to watch your TV anywhere.

How does the Slingbox work?
Curious about how the Slingbox works? Take a look here.

A non-technical explanation of resolution
This article explains what resolution is using non-technical terms.

What is the difference between a public and private IP address?
Public and private IP (Internet Protocol) addresses ... sometimes called "external" and "internal" IP addresses ... both exist for the same reason: to provide unique identification to every device on a network.

What's a Slingbox ID? (Also known as "Finder ID" or "Slingbox Finder ID")
Here's what the Slingbox ID is, and how you can find yours.