Imagine this: all your friends come over to watch the big game or binge-watch a series on your new smart TV, only to have it fail to connect! Unfortunately, connectivity is a common issue smart TVs face. However, there are plenty of solutions to resolve it, depending on the type of problem you’re facing, and the type of smart TV you own.

If your smart TV won’t connect to Wi-Fi, you should first try resetting the TV’s connection settings, confirming the information you enter about your router and password is correct. If that fails, you will then need to make sure your router is working correctly.

However, the first step to diagnosing any connectivity issues with your smart TV is knowing what exactly the problem is in the first place.

Common Smart TV Connection Issues

Regardless of what kind of smart TV you own, the same problems routinely affect connectivity:

  • Loss of internet connectionInability to connect to Wi-Fi

Loss of Internet Connection

Though not a huge issue, if you’re streaming and suddenly lose connection, it is very frustrating and can lead to what we might call “TV rage.”

To help resolve this issue, many smart TV manufacturers recommend the following:

Inability to Connect to Wi-Fi

This is the more common reason why smart TVs won’t connect. If your TV cannot connect to Wi-Fi at all, either a) you’ve entered the Wi-Fi password incorrectly, or b) your Wi-Fi is offline, and you didn’t realize it.

What to Do if Your Smart TV Won’t Connect

The following are some of the things you can do to troubleshoot common connectivity issues, according to a few popular smart TV brands. (If you own a TV brand not mentioned here, you can still follow the same troubleshooting steps, though your TV menu and configuration may look slightly different.)

Samsung Smart TV Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi

Initially, you will have to reset your TV’s settings to confirm all the information is correctly entered. This step is appropriate if your TV “sees” your network but still isn’t connecting. 

If that doesn’t work, try these connection troubleshooting steps for Samsung smart TVs:

  • Unplug all components of your smart TV and router for five minutes to reset the system. Re-plug and try again.Restore the smart TV to its “default” setting. Scan for your Wi-Fi network and re-enter the password.

If this still does not resolve the problem, try following these detailed steps:

  • Unplug the modem for 5 minutes and plug it back in.Remove power to your router for 5 minutes and plug it back in.Unplug the smart TV for 5 minutes and plug back into power.Go to the smart TV menu and select Settings > General > Network > Network Status, and select Network Reset.Change IP SETTINGS in the smart TV menu: DNS SERVER to 8.8.8.8Update the firmware on your smart TV to the newest version.Turn off all firewalls as a test to be sure this is not causing issues.Go back to the smart TV and try to connect to Wi-Fi. (If the connection is successful, stop here, you are done; if not, continue below.) Be sure you are typing in the correct password; it will be noted on the back of your router if you have not yet personalized it.Try connecting to a different network—either 2.4, 5, guest SSID, or Wi-Fi direct—if the network you chose still does not connect.

Vizio Smart TV Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi

VizHDTV recommends the following steps if your Vizio smart TV won’t connect:

Test the Vizio Smart TV Internet Connection

  • Press the menu button on your Vizio smart TV remote.Go to “Network” and press the OK button on the remote.Go to “Test Connection” and press OK.

If you receive a message that says, “download not available,” you still aren’t connected and will need to try the following troubleshooting steps:

Toggle DCHP Settings

  • Press the Menu button on the remote.Go to “Network” and press OK.Select “Manual Setup” and press the OK button.DHCP is listed at the top of this page, and it will usually say “On” next to it.Press the arrow button on the remote that points to the right to turn it off.Then press the arrow button that points to the left to turn it on again.Test the network connection again.

Reset the TV

  • Press the Menu button on the remote.Go to “Network” and press OK.Select “Manual Setup.”Press the OK button.

If these tips do not work, it is recommended that you test your Wi-Fi connection from a different device to make sure the problem is not with the router.

LG Smart TV Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi

For your LG Smart TV, we went straight to LG for assistance with connectivity issues.  They recommend that you try the following:

Turn off the Quick Start Feature

  • Press “Settings” on your LG remote.Go to “All Settings.”Go to “General.”Go to “QuickStart.”Toggle to “Off” position.

Don’t have your LG TV remote? Don’t worry! You can still connect to WiFi without one.

Power Cycle the TV

  • Power off the TV and unplug it.Press and hold the power button for 3 seconds.Plug the TV back in, hit the power button, and try to connect to your Wi-Fi again.

Should the steps above fail, call customer service for additional assistance.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of how “smart” your TV is, its actual smart features won’t work without an appropriate Wi-Fi signal. If you find that your smart TV won’t connect or keeps losing signal, try out the tips mentioned above. 

Once your smart TV is connected, make sure you have all the latest updates installed to prevent it from being hacked.