SlingTV is one of the leading television streaming services today. Signing up for SlingTV provides you with a wealth of live TV shows and videos on demand. However, SlingTV can only stream content within the US, so even with a valid subscription, you won’t be able to access SlingTV when traveling outside the US. But not to worry; many people worldwide manage to circumvent that limitation by using a VPN like Private Internet Access.
SlingTV is legally compelled to limit its content to US viewers because of its agreement with rights holders. But by connecting to one of PIA’s VPN servers in the United States, you switch your actual IP address to a US one. All your internet traffic will then appear to come from the US to sites and services you connect to – including SlingTV. So if all goes well, you’ll be able to stream Sling TV while on vacation, regardless of your actual physical location.
Not all VPN providers support SlingTV or other streaming sites, but many do. And Private Internet Access (PIA) certainly does. There will be a few things to check in order to get things up and running, but it’s all pretty straightforward. So, if you’re not currently able to access SlingTV over PIA, we can help you fix that. This post explains how to get SlingTV working with PIA.
Reasons why PIA might not be working with SlingTV
Although PIA does work with Sling TV, accessing streaming sites while using a VPN can often involve some trial and error. If you’re having issues getting SlingTV to work with PIA, it’s probably due to one of the things listed below.
Common issues when connecting to Sling TV with PIA VPN:
- You’re not connected to a US-based VPN server. SlingTV will not work for you if you’re connected to a server outside the US.
- SlingTV is aware that the VPN IP address you’ve been assigned belongs to a VPN server, so your connection was blocked.
- SlingTV may have dropped a cookie in your app or browser which can reveal your real location. If you’re in that situation, SlingTV has likely blocked your connection based on the location information gleaned from the cookie.
- You’re possibly leaking DNS, exposing your actual (non-US) DNS servers’ IP address(es). ISPs typically assign customers their in-house DNS servers by default. Unless those servers have a US IP address, SlingTV won’t work.
The good news is, we can help you fix all of these issues easily.
How to fix PIA not working with SlingTV
If you’re struggling with any of the issues detailed above, don’t worry we can guide you through fixing them. Follow the steps below and you’ll be streaming in no time.
Here’s how to fix PIA not working with SlingTV:
- Make sure you connect to a US-based PIA VPN server. If you’ve checked that you’re connected to a US server, and it still doesn’t work, try a different (US-based) server. The US IP address of the first server you tried may have already been blocked.
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies before reconnecting to Sling TV.
- Enable private/incognito mode in your browser, or try another web browser.
- Run a DNS leak test to ensure you’re not leaking DNS. Follow the link to learn how to do this – it’s simple.
- PIA supports split tunneling in all its apps. With PIA’s implementation of split tunneling, you can define which applications or IP addresses go through the VPN tunnel and which go through your ISP gateway. So you should make sure the feature is either disabled or that you haven’t configured your browser/app or SlingTV IP addresses to go through your ISP gateway. That can be checked inside PIA’s app.
- Once you’ve checked all the above, restart your device and restart the PIA app.
- If you’re still having problems, try contacting PIA’s customer support team. they have a help forum and a live chat feature that should enable you to get answers quickly.
If you’ve tried all the above solutions but are still struggling to access Sling TV you might want to try a different VPN provider. We particularly recommend NordVPN, but you can find other options in our best VPNs for Sling TV article.
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How to sign into SlingTV with PIA
Signing in and using SlingTV with PIA is easy. Follow these steps to get started:
- If you still need to do so, sign up for a PIA subscription. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there’s no risk.
- Download and install the PIA app for your device.
- Sign in to the PIA app and connect to a working US-based server.
- Go to the SlingTV website and sign in as you usually would.
- It should now be working perfectly. If not follow the troubleshooting steps above to fix the problem.
PIA & SlingTV FAQ
Which are the best VPN providers to stream SlingTV?
When it comes to streaming, VPNs are a mixed bag. Some VPN providers support just about every streaming site you can throw at them, while others support just a few. And others still simply don’t support streaming at all. So you want to make sure to sign-up for a VPN service that explicitly supports streaming sites. Below are some of the providers we recommend:
- NordVPN: An excellent VPN for streaming for SlingTV. It offers excellent privacy, security, and speed to its customers. It also supports the vast majority of streaming services.
- Surfshark: Another popular VPN provider that can give you a great streaming experience. It’s also one of the cheapest subscriptions you can find for a reputable VPN service. Surfshark has extensive streaming support and a big VPN network with many servers to choose from.
- ExpressVPN: A provider we highly recommend for streaming and more. It has excellent privacy and security practices and fantastic streaming support too.
- CyberGhost: Another great choice. It offers top-notch streaming support, excellent privacy practices, and a huge network of global servers.
- IPVanish: While not as well-known as the other VPN providers on our list, it nonetheless works very well with many streaming sites and allows unlimited simultaneous connections.
What can I watch with SlingTV?
SlingTV offers a huge selection of live TV shows and on-demand content. Below we list some of the channels the service makes available:
Are there any free VPN services that work with SlingTV?
There are plenty of free VPNs on the market so there are likely to be a few that do work with Sling TV. However, if you manage to find a free VPN that works with SlingTV, keep in mind that it will probably have a very small server network. This means large numbers of users on the same VPN servers, leading to waiting times, slow service, and increasing chances of the IP address getting blocked.
Also, remember that free VPNs have to make money somehow, usually by inundating you with ads, or even collecting your data to sell to a third party. They often have abysmal speeds and questionable security practices. For these reasons, we don’t recommend using free VPNs.
How does SlingTV know I'm using a VPN?
By obtaining your IP address (which is inevitable), SlingTV will know you’re using a VPN. To go onto the internet, you first need to be assigned an IP address, whether on VPN or not. And your IP address translates to your rough location. That’s how VPNs manage to spoof your location – they simply change your IP address to an IP address that’s “native” to the country you want to appear to be in.
However, VPN server IP addresses are easy to identify because they’re public. and you can find VPN IP address lists online. And it would be a pretty safe bet that most streaming services are using these lists to identify and block VPN connections.
Also, if a significant amount of traffic (multiple users) is coming from the same IP address, this will usually be interpreted as a sign that a VPN (or a proxy server) is in the equation.
Will using a VPN slow down my connection?
To some degree, a VPN will inevitably slow your connection down. There’s simply no way around that. The VPN server that sits between your device and the internet represents an extra hop your traffic has to traverse to get to its ultimate destination. Extra hops mean additional latency, and higher latency translates to lower speeds. Data must also be encrypted and decrypted every time it’s sent. But a good VPN provider should be able to minimize the slowdown to the point where it shouldn’t be very noticeable (if noticeable at all). So, make sure to sign-up for a VPN with high speeds, to limit your speed hit.
Can I install PIA on my router instead of using the app?
Not all VPN providers support routers, but PIA is one that does. By configuring a VPN connection on your router, you get two major benefits:
- You don’t need a dedicated app to connect to the VPN. You simply connect your device to the router, and your traffic will go through the VPN. That’s great for devices that don’t have native VPN support and for which there are no apps.
- You can circumvent your VPN provider’s limit on simultaneous connections (PIA’s limit is ten simultaneous connections). With your VPN connection configured on your router, you have as many devices as you like connected to your router, and it will only count as a single connection as far as PIA is concerned.
Take a look at our guide on VPN routers for step-by-step instructions on how to go about this.
Is it legal to use a VPN to watch SlingTV?
Fear not! Connecting to a VPN server is absolutely legal in most countries. But although accessing SlingTV with a VPN isn’t illegal, it does go against the service’s terms of use, which state that SlingTV should only be accessed from within the US. That means if SlingTV believes you’re trying to access its service from outside the United States – with or without a VPN – it will block your connection.
The chances are low that SlingTV would ban your account just for trying to connect from outside the US, but it will block your connection. If this occurs simply try connecting through a different VPN server.
Does PIA keep any logs?
Private Internet Access has one of the best privacy policies in the industry. Many VPN providers claim to be no-logging VPNs but actually end up collecting a lot of user data, so they’re far less private than they claim to be. Not so with PIA. It collects nothing beyond what it needs to provide you with its service. That is an email address (feel free to use a disposable one) and your payment information. It accepts crypto payments so you can really keep your traces to a minimum.
PIA has even undergone multiple independent audits to back up its privacy claims. So, no, PIA does not keep logs. And you can be confident that your online activities are safe with PIA.
You can look at our complete PIA 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. Because you’re using its network, there are going to be a few things that are impossible to keep it from knowing. Below is a list that includes what your ISP will know about your VPN use:
- That you’re using a VPN
- The VPN provider
- The port and VPN protocol you’re using
- Your connection times
- Your consumed bandwidth
But there’s still a lot of privacy to be gained. Your ISP won’t be able to see the following:
- The websites you visit
- The files you download
- Your DNS requests (as long as you’re not suffering from a DNS leak)
