A smart TV with Wi-Fi compatibility has become essential for many people who love quality entertainment time at home. You just need to connect the TV to your home Wi-Fi connection, and you can stream content from any App or even cast a screen from your device to stream movies, songs and many more. But what happens if your TV does not get connected to the Wi-Fi? Well, it loses its functionality to stream content directly from the internet.
Or, you are watching your favorite web series, and suddenly the TV stops streaming. It doesn’t resume streaming even after repeated connectivity attempts! Whatever the reason, it can be frustrating!
Well, it is possible to troubleshoot this Wi-Fi connectivity issue at home before you call a technician. So, let’s check out the methods that can help if your Smart TV is not getting connected to your home Wi-Fi network.
Why TV Won’t Connect to the Internet?
Well, there can be different issues. It can be with the Home Wi-Fi network you are using, or it can be with the TV itself. Here are some common reasons that prevent the TV from getting connected to home WI-Fi
1. The Wi-Fi Signal Receiver is Not Working
Often, the smart TV does not get connected to the home Wi-Fi because the connection receiver does not work at all. In most cases, restarting the TV can solve the issue.
2. Poor Wi-Fi Signal
Probably, the Wi-Fi internet signal is not adequate. The TV may not be able to delete the internet if it’s faint. It often happens if the Wi-Fi Dongle for the set-top box is placed far from the TV or the path is obstructed due to some furniture or something else.
3. The WLAN Channel is Not Working Properly
If the WLAN channel of your home Wi-Fi network is not working or is not compatible with the TV model, the latter will not get connected to the Wi-Fi. Usually, the home Wi-Fi networks come with 2.54GHz WLAN channels with the 802.11b/g/n/ax standards. But, the problem arises when you are using advanced 5G WLAN channels and your TV is of the older model.
4. The Wi-Fi is Congested
If your Wi-Fi network is overcrowded and multiple devices are connected to the same network, the TV may not get connected or may even display very slow internet connectivity. It happens because if there are more devices, the network speed decreases, and for smart TV models, a larger bandwidth is needed. Hence, even if the TV is connected, it may not display or stream any content.
5. VPN
If you are using a VPN with your smart TV, it may lead to Wi-Fi connectivity issues. In this case, turning off the VPN for some time helps.
6. The TV Has Some Problems
Lastly, if your Wi-Fi is in working condition, the TV probably has some issues. It may develop some software issue that prevents the TV from getting connected to the home Wi-Fi network.
- Poor internet connection due to weather conditions
- Temporarily terminated internet service
- Obstruction between the Wi-Fi and the TV
How To Fix a TV That Won’t Connect to the Internet?
1. Restart Your TV
Sometimes, restarting the TV allows us to solve any underlying software bug and solve this connection issue.
- First, turn off your TV with the power button
- Now, Pull out the plug from the port and wait for a few minutes
- Now again, put the plug back on its previous positions
- Finally, press the power button to turn on the TV.
2. Restart or Forget and Reconnect Your Wi-Fi Router
Try restarting or rebooting your Wi-Fi router. If there is any problem with the router, this simple process can be easily solved-
- First, take off the power plug connected to the router.
- After a few seconds, put it back in its position and turn on the switch. Wait till the lights start flickering again. Turn it on and try reconnecting your TV with the Wi-Fi.
3. Reset Your Wi-Fi Router
Sometimes, resetting the router can help a lot. You can reset it by these steps-
- Long press the reset button of your router for thirty seconds and then release. You can use a paper clip or a pointed key press to press and hold this button.
- Wait till the router turns on and the lights start to flicker again.
4. Forget and Reconnect Your Wi-Fi Router
Your Smart TV automatically fetches the password of the Wi-Fi if you are using it frequently. If you are unable to connect your TV to the Wi-Fi, try forgetting it and then reconnecting afresh. If you are lucky, this trick will be enough!
To forget the Wi-Fi router on your TV-
- Press the Home button of the TV remote to open Settings
- Select General Settings from the drop-down menu
- Under this tab, select Network and Internet
- Select it to get details of the current SSID options available
- Select your home Wi-Fi router network name and click on Forget Network beside the name. In some TV models, you may need to click on the SSID name to fund the Forget Network option
- Click OK and wait till the procedure is complete
- Your TV now does not remember any details about the Wi-Fi router network. Restart the TV to get a fresh start
- Now again, open the Network and Internet section and turn the Wi-Fi on. Wait till the device scans for available networks.
- Find and select your home Wi-Fi network and connect with it.
5. Check Network Settings and Diagnose the Connections
Check if your TV model has a separate Network Settings that displays the current network status. It is located under Settings. Check if all the connections available are in green color and if there are no warning signs. It can help sometimes.
6. Check Signal Strength
Most smart TV models come with a mechanism to help you to check the signal strength of the available internet connections. Sometimes, the signal quality can go down due to bad weather and other issues. Here is how to check this-
- Open Menu by pressing the remote button and navigate to Support. In some TV models, you can Press the Home button to open Settings and then select More to open Support
- Click on Self Diagnosis
- Under the drop-down menu, choose Signal Information to open the Signal Information page.
- Here, check the Signal Quality. If the quality and strength are not adequate, you probably need to adjust the Wi-Fi router.
7. Change DNS Server
If the Wi-Fi is in working condition and yet the TV is not getting connected, you probably need to adjust the DNS Server settings. Changing it to a public server can help to solve the problem. Here is how to change and adjust the DNS server settings-
- Open the Settings app from your TV.
- From here, open Network Settings and then open IP Settings.
- Under IP Settings, select DNS server.
- If the server is set to automatic, set it to manual. You can add the DNS server address provided by the ISP Company. If there is no such information available to you, enter any of the following public server addresses-
- Google 8.8.4.4
- Google 8.8.8.8
- Open DNS 208.67.220.220
- Cloudflare 1.1.1.1
8. Change DHCP Settings On The TV
In some smart TV models, the DHCP settings are used to assign a unique IP address while the device connects with the Wi-Fi network. You can change the DHCP settings if the TV has developed a reconnect issue. Here is the process-
- Press the Menu button on the remote to open Menu
- Now, from here, select network and then navigate to Manual Setup
- Under this section, find DHCP. Turn it on or off(depending on the situation)
- Save your choices and try to reconnect the Wi-Fi again.
9. Use Ethernet Cable
If there is a problem with the Wi-Fi, you can switch to an ethernet connection, which is stronger and can solve the problem. Since it is a wired connection, there is no chance of signal interference, and it provides seamless internet in any condition. So, if you are not bothered about the cables, go for it.
10. Set Manual IP
Sometimes, changing the IP address to a manual one from an automatic one helps to solve the connectivity issue. Usually, the IP settings are preset on the automatic mode with the IP address range 192.168.0.1-100.
If you change it to manual IP, you can open additional channels for the router to get connected to the TV.
11. Replace Mainboard
Have you got the mainboard of your TV checked? If it has been damaged, the TV may not connect to Wi-Fi at all. In most models, the Wi-Fi receiver port is attached to the mainboard. The best way is to get in touch with a technician who can check the main board. They can also provide a replacement for the old and damaged mainboard, which may solve all the problems.
12. Update Firmware/Software Issues
If both the TV and the Wi-Fi are working, but you cannot connect them, check the firmware of your smart TV. If the TV has outdated firmware, it will develop bugs and may not work at all. Sometimes, the TV cannot even update the firmware as it doesn’t get a proper internet connection due to the outdated firmware.
In this case, checking the firmware version and update status helps a lot. If your TV automatically gets it updated, you are lucky. If not, you need to use a USB drive to upload the firmware.
- Download, the firmware update from the TV manufacturer’s website.
- Then plug it into your TV and open the Settings app from the TV.
- Now, open Update Settings, choose the update from the USB drive and install it.
13. Reset Factory Settings to TV
If nothing works out, you can try factory resetting your Smart TV. After your factory reset the TV, it gets a fresh start and if there is any software problem, that will go away itself.
But please remember that all the saved data in your smart TV will get elected. So, if there is anything important, first get a backup. You will also have to download all the apps again on the TV. After you reset the TV, you will probably get uninterrupted internet connectivity.
Here is the process-
- Open settings
- From here, navigate to Device Preference
- Under this tab, select Reset. Some models have an additional step. In those models, you will find About under Device Preferences. Now, click on About to open Reset.
- Click on Factory Reset or Factory Data Reset
- Now, select Erase Everything
- Confirm your choice by selecting Yes. Wait till the device resets itself and re-opens.
14. Contact Customer Support
If none of these methods work out, it is probably time to get professional help. Reach out to the customer support of the TV manufacturer’s brand through call message or email. You can request an appointment with a technician at your address who can examine the TV and find out the issue.
15. Try Switching Off the Devices You Do Not Need
Have you checked the number of devices connected to your Wi-Fi network? If there are too many devices, the internet gets divided between too many devices, and it may become so low quality that the TV is not able to pick up the signals. It is always better to turn off the other devices that you do not need while you are watching the TV.
Besides that, make sure that there is no obstruction between the Wi-Fi and the TV to ensure the TV receiver can connect with the Wi-Fi router.
Smart TV Won’t Connect to the Internet – FAQs
Ans: There can be issues like Poor internet connection, Low data bandwidth, too many devices connected with your router, updating the firmware of the TV etc. In some cases, restarting or resetting the Wi-Fi or TV can solve the problem.
Ans: your TV may be connected with the Wi-Fi, but there may not be any internet connection if-
There is a problem with the IP address
The router or modem has no Wi-Fi
The internet connection is terminated temporarily
Some apps have stopped the internet connection
Ans: Yes, you can use an Ethernet cable to connect the Wi-Fi router to the TV. Since it is a wired connection, there is no signal interruption, and if the WIFI is not working properly, ethernet can offer sustainable speed.
Ans: Well, most of the smart TV models can work if they are connected to Wi-Fi, as these come with built-in wireless adapters. But you can connect your TV to the router through the modem.
Ans: 100 Mbps internet connection is ideal for seamless streaming of video and audio content. Nut, make sure you get an internet of at least 50 Mbps to be able to stream content.
Conclusion
If your smart TV fails to get an internet connection from the Wi-Fi, it will not be able to stream content directly from the apps. In this case, it is better to check the TV and router condition thoroughly. It can happen due to overcrowded Wi-Fi, low bandwidth, IP settings problems etc. If you are facing this problem, you can use the content as a guide to apply the methods mentioned here to troubleshoot the issue at home. But, if nothing works, it is always better to call a technician to check what is damaged and what needs repair.
