Systems and methods for managing and providing content and services on a network system. Aspects of the invention include controlling user perceived connection speed. Other aspects of the invention include authorization and authentication components that determine access rights of client computers. Additional aspects include systems and methods for directing client computers to select connection speed. The disclosed systems and methods may be used in numerous network system applications.

Example techniques relate to playback queue subscriptions. An example implementation involves a computing system receiving, from a first computing device associated with a first user account, an instruction to enable subscription to a first playback queue associated with a first media playback system. In response to the instruction, the computing system enables second user accounts to subscribe to the first playback queue. The second user accounts are registered with respective second media playback systems in respective second household. The computing system receives, from a particular second media playback system, a request to subscribe to the first playback queue; and in response, sends one or more messages that update a control interface of the first control device to display a subscriber indication and (ii) sends one or more messages that populate a second playback queue of the particular second media playback system with audio tracks of the first playback queue.

Example techniques relate to playback queue subscriptions. An example implementation involves a computing system receiving, from a first computing device associated with a first user account, an instruction to enable subscription to a first playback queue associated with a first media playback system. In response to the instruction, the computing system enables second user accounts to subscribe to the first playback queue. The second user accounts are registered with respective second media playback systems in respective second household. The computing system receives, from a particular second media playback system, a request to subscribe to the first playback queue; and in response, sends one or more messages that update a control interface of the first control device to display a subscriber indication and (ii) sends one or more messages that populate a second playback queue of the particular second media playback system with audio tracks of the first playback queue.

Examples relate to collecting domain name system traffic. In one example, a computing device may: receive, from a first intermediary network device, a DNS query packet that was sent by a client computing device operating on a private network, the DNS query packet specifying i) a query domain name, and ii) a source address that specifies the client computing device; store, in a data storage device, a query record specifying the query domain name and the source address specified by the DNS query packet; receive, from a second intermediary network device, a DNS response packet; determine that the DNS response packet specifies a response domain name that matches the query domain name; in response to the determination, extract, from the DNS response packet, a resolved address that corresponds to the response domain name; and store, in the query record, the resolved address specified by the DNS response packet.

An example non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a control device, cause the control device to perform functions. The functions comprise configuring a first playback device associated with a first user-account to (i) play media content from a playback queue comprising one or more audio tracks stored at a network location and (ii) enable one or more other user-accounts associated with other playback devices to subscribe to the playback queue. The functions further comprise receiving an indication that a second user-account associated with a second playback device has subscribed to the playback queue. The functions further comprise in response to receiving the indication, displaying a subscriber indicator on the control device showing that the second user-account has subscribed to the playback queue. An example control device and an example method, both related to the example non-transitory computer-readable medium, are also disclosed herein.

An example non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a control device, cause the control device to perform functions. The functions comprise configuring a first playback device associated with a first user-account to (i) play media content from a playback queue comprising one or more audio tracks stored at a network location and (ii) enable one or more other user-accounts associated with other playback devices to subscribe to the playback queue. The functions further comprise receiving an indication that a second user-account associated with a second playback device has subscribed to the playback queue. The functions further comprise in response to receiving the indication, displaying a subscriber indicator on the control device showing that the second user-account has subscribed to the playback queue. An example control device and an example method, both related to the example non-transitory computer-readable medium, are also disclosed herein.

Systems and methods for managing and providing content and services on a network system. Aspects of the invention include controlling user perceived connection speed. Other aspects of the invention include authorization and authentication components that determine access rights of client computers. Additional aspects include systems and methods for directing client computers to select connection speed. The disclosed systems and methods may be used in numerous network system applications.

An electronic control apparatus includes a dummy data setting section and a transmission section. The dummy data setting section sets a dummy data in a free area of a format area that is previously defined. The electronic control apparatus configures a communication system as a transmission node and stores normal data in the format area. The free area is a rest of the format area after the transmission node stores the normal data in the format area. The communication system further includes a reception node. The transmission section transmits the normal data together with the dummy data to the reception node via a network. The reception node receives the normal data together with the dummy data via the network.

An electronic control apparatus includes a dummy data setting section and a transmission section. The dummy data setting section sets a dummy data in a free area of a format area that is previously defined. The electronic control apparatus configures a communication system as a transmission node and stores normal data in the format area. The free area is a rest of the format area after the transmission node stores the normal data in the format area. The communication system further includes a reception node. The transmission section transmits the normal data together with the dummy data to the reception node via a network. The reception node receives the normal data together with the dummy data via the network.

Systems and methods for detecting and interfering with compromised devices and unauthorized device relocation in a communication network are disclosed. The described embodiments may be deployed in a content delivery network where receivers have been compromised in a manner that renders the conditional access system (CAS) inoperative at controlling the receivers' ability to receive content. In some embodiments, alternate commands not protected by the CAS system may be used to detect hacked devices and interdict same. In some embodiments, service devices in the content delivery network may allow for detection of unauthorized device relocation.