We recently found that the Slingbox SOLO -- when it's brand new, just out of the box -- can sometimes not show up on your home network, even when it's all plugged in and set up correctly.

If you have your Slingbox SOLO all hooked up and that Network light just keeps on blinking, this may be the issue. And there's no need to worry - we have a solution!

This article is set up in steps -- the simplest and most common solutions first.

Please Note: All the solutions below deal directly with your Slingbox SOLO. Sometimes this issue can happen because your router's firmware is out of date. In addition to the steps below, we highly recommend that you visit your router manufacturer's website and see if there is a new firmware update available.

The first thing is to try restarting both your Slingbox SOLO and your home router. Just follow these steps:

1. Unplug your Slingbox from the power outlet.
2. Unplug your router from the power outlet.
3. Wait about 5 seconds.
4. Plug the router back in.
5. Wait 30 seconds.
6. Plug the Slingbox back in.

If that doesn't work, move on to step 2.

Make sure that the cables connecting your Slingbox and your router are properly in place. To do this, disconnect, and then reconnect the ethernet cable between your Slingbox and your router.

Once done, restart your Slingbox. To restart your Slingbox, quickly press and release the reset button on the back (don't hold it in).

If your Slingbox is not near your router and you used a SlingLink or a wireless ethernet bridge to get them connected, the issue may be that this connection isn't working.

To check your SlingLink:

Check that the Link light is on for both SlingLink units: the one next to your Slingbox, as well as the SlingLink next to your router. If the Link light is not on, the two plugs 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 themselves.

Try plugging the SlingLinks into two outlets right near each other and see if this light comes on.

For more information on checking your SlingLinks, see the Troubleshooting section on the right side of this page.

To check your wireless bridge:

Verify that the wireless bridge is connected to your home wireless network. Check the documentation for your wireless bridge for troubleshooting steps.

If you know 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 about 5 seconds until the lights on the front flash alternately.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue with your Slingbox SOLO, there's a good chance that updating the firmware on the Slingbox will resolve the issue.

You may be asking yourself, "But if the Slingbox isn't showing up on the network, how can I update the firmware?"

The answer is simple - connect the Slingbox directly to your computer. We have outlined the steps below - they are pretty simple and once completed, your Slingbox SOLO should show up on your network.

1. Plug one end of an Ethernet cable to the Network port on your Slingbox SOLO.
2. Plug the other end into the Ethernet port on your computer.
3. Plug the Slingbox SOLO power adapter into an electrical outlet.
4. Hold down the RESET button on the back of the Slingbox SOLO for about 5 seconds (until the lights on the front start blinking).
5. Wait about 2 minutes while the Slingbox tries to get an IP address. When the network light starts blinking again, you are ready to go.
6. On your computer, open up the SlingPlayer application. (Download the latest version at http://downloads.slingmedia.com.)
7. If the SlingPlayer doesn't open directly into the Setup Wizard, select the Slingbox (called My Slingbox) from the Slingbox Directory and click watch.

From here, go through the Setup Wizard (or Setup Assistant if you're on a Mac) and update the firmware on the Slingbox. Once you have passed the firmware update stage, you can click the Cancel button to exit out of the setup process.

Now disconnect the Slingbox SOLO from your computer and power. Reconnect it to your router, like you had it before we started this firmware update process, and plug it back in to the electrical outlet. After it starts up, the Network light should stop blinking and you should be good to go. Open up SlingPlayer on your computer again and complete the setup process.