SlingTV is one of the most reputable TV streaming services. It provides an impressive selection of live TV shows and video on demand. But because SlingTV is a US-based service, it only has the rights to broadcast from within the United States.
You won’t be able to access SlingTV from outside the US, even with a valid subscription. But don’t despair; there are ways around that limitation. Many people circumvent the restriction with a VPN. Not all VPN providers can do this, but CyberGhost is one of those that can. There are a few things you’ll need to check, but you should be able to get it working.
So, if you’re unable to access SlingTV with CyberGhost, don’t fret; we can fix that. This post explains how to get SlingTV working with CyberGhost.
Why isn’t CyberGhost working with SlingTV?
Because SlingTV is based in the US, its broadcast rights are limited to that country. So it has a legal obligation to make its content inaccessible to anyone outside the US (geo-blocking).
When you connect to a CyberGhost VPN server that’s located in the US, you’ll be connecting to SlingTV with a US IP address. That should enable you to stream Sling TV from anywhere. But accessing streaming sites over VPN can be hit and miss.
If you’re having trouble with CyberGhost and SlingTV, it’s probably for one of the reasons below:
- The CyberGhost server you’re connected to is not located in the United States. It’s absolutely essential that you connect to a VPN server within the United States to access SlingTV. And you may need to try more than one US server to get SlingTV working. Some trial and error are usually involved when trying to access streaming sites over VPN.
- Sling TV recognized the IP address you’re using as belonging to a VPN server and blocked your connection.
- There’s also the possibility that SlingTV dropped a cookie in your app or browser. These cookies can reveal your original location. If that’s the case, SlingTV can obtain your location and block your connection.
- Your DNS might be leaking, exposing your original (i.e., non-US) DNS servers’ IP address(es). ISPs usually assign their own DNS servers to their customers by default. And if they’re located outside the US, SlingTV will be unavailable.
These issues can be easily fixed.
How to fix CyberGhost not working with SlingTV
Here’s how to fix CyberGhost not working with SlingTV:
- The first thing you should do is to ensure you’re connected to a CyberGhost VPN server located inside the United States. If you know you’re connected to a US server, try a different one (still US-based). It could be that the US IP address of the server you’re currently connected to is already blocked.
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies.
- Try enabling private/incognito mode in your browser, or simply use a different browser.
- You can run a DNS leak test to ensure you’re not leaking DNS. Follow the link to learn how to do this – it’s pretty straightforward.
- Cyberghost supports split tunneling through its “Exceptions” feature. The feature allows you to define which URLs go through the VPN tunnel and which go through your ISP gateway. The feature is only available when using the OpenVPN protocol. So, if you’re using OpenVPN, make sure the Exceptions feature is turned off or that you haven’t configured any SlingTV URLs to go through your ISP gateway. You can check this within Cyberghost’s app.
- Restart your device.
- Restart the Cyberghost app.
How to sign into SlingTV with CyberGhost
Once you’re connected to a US-based Cyberghost VPN server that works with SlingTV, it’s easy to sign in and start using the service.
- If you haven’t done so yet, sign up for CyberGhost. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s risk-free.
- Download and install the CyberGhost app for your device.
- Sign in to the CyberGhost app and connect to a US-based server.
- Go to the SlingTV website – it should now work.
- If it doesn’t, follow the steps above.
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Cyberghost & SlingTV FAQ
Which are the best VPN providers to stream SlingTV?
Not all VPNs are equal when it comes to streaming. Some have extensive support and work with many services, while others support just a few. And many simply do not support streaming at all. You need to choose one that explicitly advertises support for streaming sites. Below are some of our recommended choices:
- NordVPN: NordVPN is a great choice for SlingTV. It provides excellent privacy, security, and speeds to its customers. And it works exceptionally well with most streaming services.
- Surfshark: Surfshark supports streaming extremely well, and it’s also one of the cheapest subscriptions you can find for a high-quality VPN service: low prices, fantastic streaming support, and an extensive VPN network with many servers to choose from.
- ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN is another VPN provider we highly recommend. It has excellent privacy and security practices while supporting most streaming sites too.
- CyberGhost: CyberGhost makes our list as well because it’s a great choice. It offers top-notch streaming support at a fair price.
- IPVanish: IPVanish may not be as well-known as other VPN providers, but it provides unlimited simultaneous connections and works with many streaming sites.
What can I watch with SlingTV?
SlingTV offers a broad selection of live television shows and on-demand content. Some of the available channels include:
Are there any free VPN services that work with SlingTV?
There are likely to be some – though not that many. Free VPNs are known to have tiny server networks. That means a significant portion of their users will end up on the same servers. And that raises the odds of their IPs getting blocked by streaming services. When a large chunk of traffic comes from the same IP address, it can signal that the traffic is coming from a VPN server and trigger a block. And considering that most free VPNs have poor speeds and questionable security practices, we usually don’t recommend them.
How does SlingTV know I'm using a VPN?
SlingTV can know you’re using a VPN through your IP address. Whenever you go online, you’re assigned an IP address. It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re using a VPN. Different locations are assigned different IP address ranges. And so, IP addresses directly translate to rough locations. That’s how VPNs can make you appear in a different location – by changing your IP address. When you access a website or online service, it invariably gets your IP address. If you’re using a VPN, it’ll get the VPN server’s IP address rather than the original IP address that your ISP assigned.
Also, it’s relatively trivial to identify VPN server IP addresses. As mentioned above, lists of VPN IP addresses are readily available online, and you can bet streaming services are using those lists.
Will using a VPN slow down my connection?
It will. But a good VPN provider should minimize the slowdown as much as possible. A VPN sits between your device and the internet. So it adds an extra hop to all your requests, which increases latency. And increased latency will slow down your connection. So make sure you choose a reputable VPN provider to limit the speed hit as much as possible.
If you want the fastest speeds, I would recommend using the WireGuard protocol, which Cyberghost supports. Doing so will also ensure you’re not using split tunneling (Exceptions) – as it’s only available when using OpenVPN.
Can I install Cyberghost on my router instead of using the app?
Not all VPN providers support routers, but CyberGhost is one that does.
Configuring a VPN connection on your router brings you two main advantages:
- The ability to connect to your VPN service without using a dedicated app. All you need to do is connect your device to the router, and you’ll be tunneling your traffic through the VPN.
- The ability to bypass your VPN provider’s limit on simultaneous connections.
Take a look at our guide on VPN routers if you’d like more information on the subject.
Is it legal to use a VPN to watch SlingTV?
Connecting to a VPN server to access the internet is entirely legal in most places. But it goes against SlingTV’s terms of service, which state that SlingTV should only be accessed from within the United States. So if you attempt to use the service from outside the US (or without a US-based VPN IP address), SlingTV will block your connection. I don’t think SlingTV would go as far as banning your account. But blocking your connection from outside the US will be fair game.
Does CyberGhost keep any logs?
CyberGhost does collect some data points from its customers and sends that data to MixPanel for analytics processing. But it doesn’t collect any data that would compromise the security or privacy of its users. It collects things such as:
- Connection attempts (without your IP address)
- Connection timestamps
- User ID
- VPN server
While we’d prefer MixPanel not to be in the equation, this kind of data collection is still pretty much standard practice for VPN providers. Your online activities remain, so Cyberghost’s claim of being a no-logging VPN provider is valid.
Have a look at our complete CyberGhost review for more details.
Will my ISP know if I'm using a VPN?
Yes. Your ISP will know that you’re using a VPN and the VPN provider you’re using. It will also be able to obtain the port and VPN protocol you’re using and will also know your consumed bandwidth and connection times. And there’s no way around that because you’re using its network.
It won’t be able to see the websites you visit and the files you download. It also won’t see your DNS queries (as long as you’re not leaking DNS).
See also:
