Whether you just unboxed a new Smart TV or moved homes and need to reconnect it, this guide walks you through WiFi setup for Samsung, LG, Sony, and other Android TVs — plus the most common connection problems and how to fix them.
Connecting a Smart TV to WiFi is usually straightforward — but the menus differ enough between brands that people get confused about where to look. And once connected, a different set of problems can show up: buffering, disconnections, apps that won’t load. This guide covers all of it.
Before You Connect — What You Need
Your WiFi network name (SSID) and password. Check the sticker on the back of your router if you’ve forgotten it. The password is case-sensitive.
Your TV remote. You’ll need to navigate menus and enter the password. Some Smart TVs work with a smartphone app as a remote if yours is missing.
Make sure your router is on and working. Test it with your phone before assuming the TV is the problem.
Step-by-Step: Connect Smart TV to WiFi (Universal Method)
Power on the TV and press the Home or Menu button on your remote to go to the main screen.
Navigate to Settings. Look for a gear icon ⚙️ or the word “Settings” — usually found in the top-right or bottom-left of the home screen.
Go to Network or WiFi settings. On most TVs this is under: Settings → General → Network, or Settings → Network → Network Settings.
Select “Wireless” or “WiFi” as your connection type (as opposed to Wired/Ethernet).
Wait for the TV to scan for networks. Your home WiFi name should appear in the list. If it doesn’t, select “Refresh” or move the TV closer to the router.
Select your WiFi network and enter the password using the on-screen keyboard. Take your time — one wrong character and it fails. Double-check capitals and special characters.
Wait for the connection confirmation. The TV will test the connection. A “Connected” message or a checkmark means success. If it says “Failed,” recheck your password.
Run a network test. Most TVs have a built-in option after connecting — Settings → Network → Network Test or Network Status. It confirms speed and connectivity are working.
WiFi Path by TV Brand
🔵 Samsung Smart TVSettings → General → Network → Open Network Settings → Wireless → Select your WiFi → Enter password.
🔴 LG Smart TV (WebOS)Settings ⚙️ → All Settings → Network → WiFi Connection → Select network → Enter password.
⚫ Sony (Android TV / Google TV)Settings → Network & Internet → WiFi → Turn on → Select network → Enter password.
🟢 TCL / Hisense (Android TV)Settings → Network → WiFi → Enable → Choose your network → Enter password → Connect.
If your TV is near your router, connect it with an Ethernet cable instead of WiFi. A wired connection is faster, more stable, and eliminates 90% of buffering and disconnection problems permanently. A basic ethernet cable costs under ₹200.
How Much Internet Speed Do You Actually Need?
Slow buffering isn’t always the TV’s fault — sometimes the internet plan itself isn’t fast enough. Here’s a quick reference:
| Content Type | Minimum Speed Needed | Recommended |
|---|
| Standard Definition (SD) streaming | 3 Mbps | 5 Mbps |
| HD (720p / 1080p) streaming | 5 Mbps | 10 Mbps |
| 4K / Ultra HD streaming | 25 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| 4K + multiple devices at once | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps+ |
To test your current speed, open a browser on the TV (or your phone) and go to fast.com — it’s run by Netflix and tests speeds in seconds.
Common WiFi Problems on Smart TVs — Fixes
⚠ TV Connected to WiFi But Apps Won’t Load or Buffer Constantly
The WiFi signal is weak at the TV’s location, or the internet speed is too slow for the content quality you’re streaming.
Move your router closer to the TV, or use a WiFi extender/mesh node. Alternatively, lower the streaming quality in the app settings (Netflix, YouTube → Quality → 1080p instead of 4K). Or use an Ethernet cable to eliminate WiFi entirely.
⚠ TV Says “Incorrect Password” But the Password Is Correct
The TV may be struggling with special characters, or it’s trying to connect to the wrong frequency band.
Re-enter the password extremely carefully — look for confusing characters like 0 vs O, l vs 1, or ! vs |. Also try connecting to your 2.4GHz network if you have a dual-band router — some older TVs don’t support 5GHz.
⚠ Smart TV Keeps Dropping WiFi Connection
The TV’s power saving mode is turning off the WiFi radio during inactivity, or the router is disconnecting idle devices.
On the TV: Settings → General → Power → turn off “Eco Mode” or “Auto Power Saving.” On the router: check idle device timeout settings and increase or disable them. Assigning the TV a fixed IP in your router’s DHCP settings also helps.
⚠ TV Can’t Find WiFi Network During Setup
The TV is too far from the router, searching on the wrong frequency, or the router’s SSID is hidden.
Temporarily move the router or TV closer during setup. If your router’s network name is hidden, unhide it temporarily. If the 5GHz band doesn’t show up, try connecting to 2.4GHz — it has better range through walls and older TVs only support 2.4GHz.
⚠ TV Was Connected Before But Now Shows “Not Connected”
The router restarted and assigned the TV a new IP address, or the WiFi password was changed.
Go to TV Network Settings and reconnect manually. If your WiFi password changed, re-enter the new one. To prevent this recurring, assign the TV a static/reserved IP address in your router settings.
Still Buffering After Fixing WiFi? Try These
Sometimes the problem isn’t your network at all — it’s the Smart TV’s software being old and inefficient. Check Settings → Support → Software Update and install any pending updates. Outdated TV firmware is a surprisingly common cause of sluggish app performance and buffering even on fast connections.
If the built-in apps on your TV are consistently slow and apps like Netflix or YouTube feel outdated, consider plugging in a Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick, or Apple TV. These dedicated streaming devices receive regular software updates, perform significantly better than built-in TV software, and cost under ₹4,000.
Bottom Line
Connecting a Smart TV to WiFi takes under 5 minutes when you know where to look. If you’re having ongoing problems — buffering, disconnections, slow apps — the fix is almost always about signal strength or the TV’s power-saving settings. An Ethernet cable solves most problems permanently. And if the TV’s built-in software feels old and slow, a streaming stick is a cheap upgrade that makes it feel brand new.
Tags:
Smart TV WiFi
Samsung TV
LG TV
Sony TV
TV Setup
TV Buffering Fix
Android TV
