WIFI
How to Connect a TV to Wi-Fi: Steps for Every Brand, Plus Fixes
2026-10-24·9 min read
ZynTV Team
Connecting a TV to Wi-Fi takes about two minutes on most smart TVs: open Settings, find the Network section, pick your Wi-Fi name from the list and type the password. The menu names change from brand to brand, so below you will find the exact path for the most common TV platforms, what to do if you have no remote, and how to fix a TV that refuses to connect.
Before you start
Have two things ready:
- Your Wi-Fi network name (also called the SSID). It is usually printed on a sticker on the router if you never changed it.
- Your Wi-Fi password. Passwords are case-sensitive, so "Home2024" and "home2024" are different. Most failed connections come down to one wrong character.
If your router broadcasts two networks, for example one ending in "2.4G" and one ending in "5G", note both names. You may need to switch between them later.
The general steps (any smart TV)
- Press the Home or Menu button on the remote.
- Open Settings, usually shown as a gear icon.
- Look for a section called Network, Network & Internet, Connection or General.
- Choose Wi-Fi, Wireless or Network Setup.
- Select your network from the list.
- Enter the password with the on-screen keyboard and select Connect or OK.
When it works, the TV shows a connected or "Internet connected" message. If you only see "Connected, no internet", the TV reached your router but the router is not getting it online. Skip to the troubleshooting section.
Exact menu paths by TV brand and platform
Many TVs run the same software under different brand names. A TCL or Hisense set, for example, can run Roku, Google TV or another system depending on the model, so go by the system you see on screen rather than the logo on the front.
| TV or platform | Menu path |
|---|---|
| Samsung (Tizen) | Settings > General > Network > Open Network Settings, then pick your network |
| LG (webOS 6.0 to webOS 24, 2021 to 2024 models) | Settings > All Settings > General > Network > Wi-Fi Connection |
| LG (webOS 5.0, 2020 models) | Settings > All Settings > Connections > Network Connection Settings > Wi-Fi Connection |
| LG (webOS 4.5, 2019 models) | Settings > All Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi Connection |
| LG (2018 and earlier) | Settings > All Settings > Network > Wi-Fi Connection |
| Roku TV | Home > Settings > Network > Set up connection > Wireless |
| Google TV (Sony, TCL, Hisense and others) | Settings > Network & Internet, make sure Wi-Fi is on, then pick your network |
| Fire TV and Fire TV built-in sets | Settings > Network, then pick your network |
Newer models sometimes move things around after a software update. If a menu name in the table is missing, look for the closest match: the network section is always inside Settings.
Samsung publishes its own steps on its support page for connecting a Samsung TV to the internet, including a note that a few 2018 models only see 2.4 GHz networks.
How to connect a TV to Wi-Fi without the remote
More people search for this than for the basic steps, and the obvious fix does not work. Phone remote apps (Samsung SmartThings, LG ThinQ, the Roku app, the Google TV app) control the TV over your home network. If the TV is not on the network yet, the app cannot find it.
What does work:
- The buttons on the TV. Most TVs have a small control button or joystick on the back, the underside or one side. A press opens a basic menu, and on many models you can reach Settings and type the password one letter at a time. It is slow, but it gets you online.
- A USB keyboard or mouse. Many smart TVs accept a plain USB keyboard or mouse in a spare USB port. Plug it in and use it to move through the menus and type the password.
- An Ethernet cable. If your router is within reach, a network cable connects the TV with no typing at all. Once it is online, the phone remote app will find it, and you can set up Wi-Fi from the app or leave the cable in.
- Your phone's hotspot. If the TV was connected to a network before, set up a phone hotspot with exactly the same network name and password as that old network. The TV will often join it on its own, and your phone's remote app can then take over.
- A replacement remote. Universal remotes and the official replacement for your model are cheap. If you will be using the TV long term, this is the least frustrating fix.
Why won't my TV connect to Wi-Fi?
Work through these in order. The early ones fix most cases.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong password message | A typo, or capital letters | Re-enter the password slowly and check upper and lower case |
| Your network is not in the list | TV too far from the router, or it only sees 2.4 GHz | Select scan again, move the router closer, or pick the 2.4 GHz network |
| Connected, but no internet | The router or the internet line is down | Check another device on the same Wi-Fi, then restart the router |
| It worked yesterday and stopped | The router changed, or the TV kept a stale connection | Forget the network on the TV and connect again |
| Connects, then drops every few minutes | Weak signal or interference | Move the router, remove obstacles, or use an Ethernet cable |
| Hotel or dorm Wi-Fi will not work | The network needs a sign-in web page | Use a device made for it, such as Roku's Hotel & Dorm Connect, or ask the front desk |
Restart everything properly. Turn the TV off at the wall, not just with the remote, because many TVs only go to standby. Unplug the router and modem for about a minute, plug them back in, wait until the lights settle, then turn the TV on. It fixes more connection problems than any setting change.
Try the other band. The 2.4 GHz band reaches further and goes through walls better. The 5 GHz band is faster but has a shorter range. If your router shows both names, try the other one. If your router uses one combined name for both bands and the TV keeps failing, some routers let you split them in the admin page.
Forget and reconnect. In the TV's network menu, choose your network and select Forget or Delete, then connect again from scratch. This is useful after you change the Wi-Fi password or replace the router.
Update the TV's software. Old firmware can struggle with newer routers. If you can get the TV online at all, even with a cable, run a software update from Settings, then try Wi-Fi again.
Check the date and time. On some TVs a wrong clock causes secure connections to fail. If the date in Settings is years off, set it to automatic or correct it by hand.
Reset the network settings as a last step. Many TVs have a network reset in the same menu. It wipes saved networks but leaves your apps alone. A full factory reset also works, but you will have to sign in to every app again, so keep it for last.
Wi-Fi or Ethernet for streaming?
If you can run a cable, use it. Wi-Fi is fine for most viewing, but a cable gives a steadier connection with no interference from walls, neighbors or microwaves. That matters most for live TV and 4K streams, where the connection has to keep up all the time rather than in bursts. If you are deciding whether your setup is ready for higher resolutions, our guide to 1080p vs 4K covers what each one asks of your screen and connection.
If the router is in another room, a wired connection does not have to mean a long cable. Powerline adapters, which carry the network over your home's electrical wiring, and mesh Wi-Fi systems are both common ways to get a stronger signal to the living room.
What if my TV is not a smart TV?
A TV without built-in apps has no Wi-Fi settings to find. You can still get it online by plugging a streaming device into a spare HDMI port. The device connects to Wi-Fi and the TV simply shows its picture. Our explainer on what a set-top box is covers the options and what to look for. Once the box is connected, setup is the same as on a smart TV: Settings, Network, choose your Wi-Fi, enter the password.
Frequently asked questions
Can a normal TV connect to Wi-Fi?
Not by itself. A TV with no smart features has no Wi-Fi hardware or network menu. Plug a streaming stick or set-top box into an HDMI port and that device handles the Wi-Fi connection.
How do I pair my TV to my Wi-Fi?
Open Settings on the TV, go to the Network or Network & Internet section, choose Wi-Fi, pick your network and enter the password. The exact menu names for Samsung, LG, Roku TV, Google TV and Fire TV are in the table above.
Why does my TV say connected but no internet?
The TV has reached your router, but the router is not getting a connection from your provider. Check whether a phone on the same Wi-Fi can load a website. If it cannot, restart the modem and router or contact your internet provider.
Do I need to reconnect my TV if I change my Wi-Fi password?
Yes. The TV saves the old password and will keep failing until you update it. Go to the network menu, forget the old network, and connect again with the new password.
Is it better to connect a TV with a cable?
For streaming, usually yes. Ethernet is steadier than Wi-Fi and avoids interference, which helps with live channels and 4K. Wi-Fi is fine when the TV is close to the router and the signal is strong.
Still stuck?
If your TV is online but a streaming app still will not play, the problem is usually past the Wi-Fi itself. ZynTV customers can find device setup guides on our tutorials page and reach the team through support.
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