There’s nothing worse than having a smart TV that won’t connect to Wi-Fi because they rely on the Internet to access videos to watch.
But why does this happen? And how do you fix it? In this post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about smart TVs and Wi-Fi connections.
I’ll also share my top tips for troubleshooting problems with your smart TV and Wi-Fi connection.
These causes and fixes are for general smart TVs. For more specific instructions for your TV model, check out the list at the model for guides on LG, Samsung, Vizio, Roku, Sony, and other TV brands.
- Related article: Smart TV Isn’t Turning On
16 Fixes for Smart TV Won’t Connect To Wi-Fi
This is a list of causes that your smart TV is not connecting to Wi-Fi, along with the fixes to get your TV online.
1. Incorrect Wi-Fi Password
Entering the wrong Wi-Fi password is one of the most common reasons why the TV won’t be able to connect to the WiFi router, so if you’re having trouble connecting, check your Wi-Fi password first.
Using an on-screen keyboard for entering passwords isn’t the easiest and may lead to mistakes.
First, let’s select the correct wireless network and then enter the password.
- On the TV remote control, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Network.
- Select Open Network Settings.
- Select Wireless.
- Select your Wi-Fi network.
- Enter the Wi-Fi Password to connect to the wireless network.
Here are some tips for creating and entering passwords correctly:
- Show Password – Always have the Show Password option turned on in the password field. This lets you see what you’re typing so you don’t enter the wrong character.
- Case-Sensitivity – Make sure you’re using the right upper-case or lower-case letters, because passwords are case-sensitive.
- Double-check the Wi-Fi password by using your smartphone or tablet to connect to the Wi-Fi network. Confirm the Wi-Fi password you have is correct. You may need to first use the *Forget the Network* on your phone or tablet because the password is probably already saved there.
- Change Wi-Fi Password to something easier to enter on the TV.
- Try the Router’s Default Password that is located on the bottom of the Wi-Fi router. Maybe the original factory password will work, in case the password was never changed.
2. Weak Wi-Fi Signal to the TV
If the Wi-Fi signal is weak, the smart TV can intermittently lose its connection to the wireless router. Check the strength of the Wi-Fi signal from the router to see how strong the connection between the TV and the router is.
To check if the Wi-Fi signal strength is good enough, follow these steps:
- On the TV remote control, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Network.
- Select Open Network Settings.
- Select Wireless.
- In the list of wireless networks, see how many bars your wireless network has. 1 to 2 bars is the sign of weak signal strength.
If you’re experiencing weak signal issues, check the distance between your TV and your router. Another common cause is having too many obstacles between the two devices, like walls.
You can move your router closer to the TV to improve the signal strength. This will help increase the signal strength and speed of your connection.
If either the router or TV is unable to be moved, then you can get a Wi-Fi repeater to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal by acting as a hub between the two.
WiFi repeaters are also known as WiFi extenders. This is one of the best ones out there that can be found on Amazon:
3. Connect an Ethernet Cable to the Router and TV
The Wi-Fi network might be having trouble connecting to the internet or sharing the internet connection. Connect the ethernet cable from the television to the router or modem to test and fix the problem.
Follow these steps to connect the TV to the internet using a wired network:
- Connect an ethernet cable from a LAN port on the router or modem to the back of the TV.
- On the TV remote control, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Network.
- Select OK and the TV will use the wired network to access the internet.
If you have internet access, then there might be something wrong with the router’s wireless functionality. There are several ways to fix the problem. One way would be to perform a factory reset, update its firmware, and/or there may be some hardware issues that need to be addressed.
4. Use a Different Wireless Network
Connecting your TV to another wireless router can help confirm there’s nothing wrong with the TV’s Wi‑Fi hardware and functionality.
The quickest and easiest method is to use your smartphone for Wi-Fi access. Almost every smartphone has a way to turn itself into a wireless hotspot that shares its internet connection or mobile phone data connection.
If your TV is capable of connecting to your smartphone’s hotspots and there’s an internet connection, then you know the television has no issues. The problem is with the wireless router itself.
Another reason to try using a different wireless network is that not all TV models will be compatible with both 2.4 GHz networks and 5 GHz networks.
5. Soft Reset or Reboot the TV
If wireless settings or other related components or settings on the TV were corrupted, then they could be fixed by resetting them.
If you’re having Wi-Fi connection issues, a soft reset will restart the TV and turn off any apps and background processes that might be causing Wi-Fi issues.
Follow these steps to perform a soft reset on a TV:
- Unplug the TV’s power cable for at least 60 seconds.
- Plug the cord back into the power outlet.
- Wait for the TV to start up.
Another thing to try is to reboot the TV, which can also help with various issues.
- Unplug the TV.
- On the Remote, Press and Hold the Power button for 30 seconds.
- Plug the TV back into the power outlet.
6. Soft Reset or Reboot Wi-Fi Router or Modem
Sometimes, when your Wi-fi router and modem haven’t been restarted or shut down for a long time, the settings might be corrupted. That can lead to interruptions with the Wi-Fi connection.
If you’re experiencing issues with your network equipment, power cycling it may help.
Follow these steps to soft reset the Router or Modem:
- Unplug the Router or Modem for at least 60 seconds.
- Plug the Router back into the power outlet.
- Turn On the Router if there’s an On/Off switch.
- Wait about 5 minutes for the Router to go through the startup process and connection to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
7. Disconnect All Other Devices from the Wi-Fi Network
Connecting multiple devices to the same Wi-Fi network will slow down the speed of the connection for each device.
If you have five phones, three tablets and two computers connected to the Wi-Fi network, the signal can vary from strong to weak depending on which device is using the network at any given time.
Older Wi-Fi routers and modems can’t handle too many devices connected to them simultaneously.
If you’re using several devices connected to the same Wi-Fi router, disconnect them all first before trying to connect the TV to the Wi-Fi network.
If this fixes the problem, then you can be sure that your router doesn’t support multiple devices. It is time to replace your old Wi-Fi router with one that can handle multiple devices at once.
8. Reset the TV Network Settings
If the TV is unable to find or connect to the wireless network, then try to reset the network settings on your TV.
Follow these steps to reset the network settings on the TV:
- On the TV remote control, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Network.
- Select Reset Network.
Try connecting to your Wi-Fi again. You should be able to connect to the Wi‑Fi network now. Next, you might want to tweak some additional network settings to improve the speed of your internet connection.
9. Manually Configure DNS Setting
Sometimes changing your DNS settings can help resolve internet connection stability issues. If your ISP’s DNS servers are causing disruptions, bypassing those DNS servers by using Google’s public ones can help provide a more reliable internet connection.
Follow these steps to manually change the DNS settings on the TV:
- On the TV remote control, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Network.
- Select Network Status.
- Select IP Settings.
- Select DNS Setting.
- Select Enter Manually.
- Select DNS Server.
- Enter 8.8.8.8.
- Try connecting again.
10. Automatically Obtain IP Settings on TV
While the previous solution involved configuring your router so that it would use your ISP’s DNS servers instead of the ones provided by your ISP, the IP settings here control your TV.
Your IP address is the address of your TV and the location of your Wi-Fi router. Your TV’s IP settings may have been accidentally set to “Obtain Manually” instead of the default setting of “Obtain Automatically”.
It’s best for your router to obtain its own IP address automatically. It’s rare that someone would need to manually set their IP address unless they are an IT network administrator.
To change the IP settings on your TV, follow these steps:
- On the TV remote control, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Network.
- Select Network Status.
- Select IP Settings.
- Select Obtain Automatically.
11. MAC Address Has Failed on TV
The TV has a Media Access Control address (MAC address) that is a unique hardware identifier to your TV when it’s connected to the Wi-Fi network.
If the MAC address of your TV has been changed because of corrupt settings, you will need reset the TV to restore the original MAC address.
To find out if this is the issue, test the network status on the TV. Follow these steps:
- On the TV remote control, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select General.
- Select Network.
- Select Network Status.
- Run the network test. See if any MAC address error comes up.
If you get the MAC address error, then you’ll need to perform a factory reset on the TV. Follow the directions in the next step.
If the MAC address still doesn’t work after the factory restore, you will need to contact the TV Manufacturer’s Support Team to service and repair the hardware issue.
12. Update TV Firmware
Updating the firmware on your TV can help resolve some issues related to connectivity. This includes resolving issues such as weak Wi-Fi signals or no Wi-Fi connection at all.
TV manufacturers will release new software updates periodically to fix bugs. It’s best to download them when they’re available.
To find the latest firmware version of your television by going to the TV Settings menu, and it should also be listed on the website.
Follow these steps to update the TV firmware through the TV menu:
- On the TV remote control, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select Support.
- Select Software Update.
- Select Update Now.
- The TV will reboot automatically for the new firmware to fully install and take effect.
To download the TV firmware from the manufacturer’s website, you’ll need a USB drive. Follow these steps:
- On your computer, go to the download page for your TV model.
- Download the latest version of the firmware to your computer.
- Extract the files and put them on a USB drive.
- Insert the USB drive into one of the USB ports on the TV.
- On the TV remote, Press Home.
- Select Settings.
- Select Support.
- Select Software Update.
- Start the Software Update Process on the TV.
- The TV will reboot using the firmware on the USB drive. Do not remove the USB drive until the TV has fully rebooted.
13. Factory Reset the TV
Resetting the TV back to its factory default settings can often solve many Wi-Fi or internet connection problems that occur because of software errors.
This is one of the last non-hardware routes to try fixes because a factory restore erases any personal information stored on your television, including saved passwords, usernames, and favorites.
Follow these steps to perform a factory reset on your TV:
- On the remote, Press the Home button to open the Menu.
- Select Settings.
- Select Support.
- Select Self Diagnosis.
- Select Reset.
- Enter 0000 for the Security Pin.
- Confirm with Yes.
14. Update Router or Modem Firmware
Your router or modem’s firmware might be out of date and not compatible with the TV and newer firmware or software. That can lead to compatibility issues and even cause interference with your wireless network to your TV.
Make sure that your router or modem is up-to-date so that it doesn’t interfere or be incompatible with the WiFi signal.
Check your router manufacturer’s website for the latest firmware update and instructions on updating the firmware.
15. Upgrade to a New Wi-Fi Router
If none of the solutions mentioned above worked for you, and your smart TV is able to connect to another wireless network at your house, then it might be worth considering replacing your home Wi-Fi router or modem.
New routers are designed so they can support more devices than older models do, which means there’s less chance of interference and weaker signals between the router and television.
If your current router doesn’t provide enough coverage in your large house, newer routers are also designed to work across longer distances. So upgrading might give you better results.
If you’re looking for an upgrade, here’s a new Wi-Fi router system with extenders for larger homes that’s available on Amazon:
16. Contact Your ISP for Internet Issues
Sometimes your ISP has technical difficulties and experiences an outage that prevents you from connecting to the Internet. If this happens, contact your ISP support team to determine whether they’ve been able to identify and fix the problem.
The best thing to do if you notice an internet connection problem is to contact your ISP immediately. They should be able help you get back online fast.
I had a situation once where the ISP saw a billing error on their side, so they cut off my internet service. But after calling them, they checked their records, and they did receive my payment. They immediately restored my internet service.
TV Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi Final Thoughts
There are many potential reasons why your smart TV won’t be able to connect to Wi-Fi. Hopefully, one of these suggestions will help you fix the problem.
Check out the list of smart TV manufacturers below for their Wi-Fi connection guides:
