Don’t panic if your Samsung TV won’t connect to WiFi as it’s a common issue that shouldn’t keep you from binge-watching all the movies the internet offers. Indeed, proven fixes you can DIY can resolve this.
A Samsung TV not connecting to WiFi can be fixed by troubleshooting your modem, router, and TV. You can also perform a quick reset, network reset, factory reset, and software update.
Certainly, it looks like a tall order. But no worries; in this post, we will walk you through 12 proven fixes to Samsung TV not connecting to WiFi, showing you how to factor in each solution step by step, so we recommend you read up.
| Difficulty | Moderate ●●●○○ |
| Duration | 1 hour, 22 minutes, and 25 seconds |
| Number of Ways | 12 |
| Things You Need | Samsung Smart TV Smart remote control Paperclip or toothpick A PC A Smartphone USB stick An Ethernet/LAN Cable A working internet connection |
1. Power cycle your Samsung TV.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Duration | 1 minute and 10 seconds |
One of the first things that are advisable to do when troubleshooting a Samsung TV is to perform a quick reset to refresh its system memory. It’s quick and easy, shutting down the device completely, along with its running apps and programs.
This action allows your Samsung TV to free up its memory and stop all its processes simultaneously, greatly improving its performance and fixing minor issues once it reboots. Think of this as giving your Samsung TV a stress-releasing exercise.
While you’re at it, we highly recommend power cycling the TV after it’s unplugged to help discharge any residual energy stored in its capacitors. We believe a power cycle is an effective solution when your Samsung TV doesn’t connect to WiFi.
Take note that power cycling is not your usual unplug-the-TV-from-the-wall routine. A closer look will tell you that there’s a time element in the action to ensure your device resets properly.
Follow these steps to run a power cycle on your Samsung Smart TV:
| Step 1: Unplug the power cable for your Samsung Smart TV from the wall/power outlet.  |
Step 2: Press/hold the power button found on your Samsung TV for 60 seconds. Note: The location of the power button may vary depending on the Samsung Smart TV mode. You can find it on the TV’s underside, side, or back. |
| Step 3: Plug the power cable for your Samsung Smart TV back into the wall/power outlet.  Note: Ensure your TV’s power cable is securely plugged into the wall/power outlet to avoid any power issues that might cause it not to reboot properly. |
| Step 4: Wait until the Samsung Smart TV has rebooted completely. |
Pro tip: Performing a power cycle is also good at fixing other Samsung TV issues, such as app misbehavior, performance dips, slow start-up, and not booting up at all.
Now, that should be easy. But if you failed to connect your Samsung smart TV to WiFi, you must move forward and take on the next solution.
2. Reset your modem/router to refresh its internet connection.
Sometimes, your Samsung TV won’t connect to WiFi because the modem/router is experiencing internet connectivity issues. In such cases, we recommend resetting your modem to refresh the internet connection and the modem’s memory.
There are two different ways to reset your modem/router, which are quick and easy. You can either soft reset the modem by simply unplugging it from the power source or factory reset it using its reset button to restore its default settings.
Follow these steps to soft reset your modem and router:
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 6 |
| Duration | 2 minutes and 20 seconds |
Step 1: Unplug the power cable and ethernet cable on the back of your modem. |
Step 2: Unplug the power cable and ethernet cable on the back of your router. |
| Step 3: Wait for 2 minutes to ensure both devices are completely turned off. |
| Step 4: Plug the power and ethernet cables back into your modem. |
| Step 5: Plug the power and ethernet cables back into your router. |
| Step 6: Wait until the indicator lights on both devices are glowing, indicating that they’re ready.  |
Follow these steps to factory reset your modem/router:
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Duration | 2 minutes |
Step 1: Insert the pointy end of a paperclip or toothpick inside the hole at the back of your modem that’s labeled as “Reset.” |
Step 2: Press/hold the reset button inside the hole for 10 seconds or until the modem shuts down and starts the reset process. |
| Step 3: Wait until the modem reboots after the factory reset. |
| Step 4: Use the default SSID and password written on your modem’s sticker to connect to its WiFi network.  |
3. Forget the WiFi network on your Samsung TV and reconnect to it.
| Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 11 |
| Duration | 30 seconds |
If your Samsung TV won’t connect to WiFi after trying the last two solutions, your next course of action should be to forget and reconnect to your WiFi network. This is a good way to fix and re-establish the connection between both devices.
Since you’re renewing the WiFi connection, it should also eliminate the problems causing the connection to fail. Once you’ve reconnected the Samsung TV to the WiFi network, you can reaccess the internet.
Follow these steps to forget/reconnect to a WiFi network on the Samsung TV:
Step 1: Press the settings button on your remote control to go straight to thesettings menu.  |
Step 2: Scroll down/click General. |
Step 3: Scroll down/click Network. |
Step 4: Scroll down/click Open Network Settings. |
Step 5: Select/click Wireless. |
Step 6: Scroll down/click Manage Saved Networks. |
Step 7: Select/click your WiFi network. |
Step 8: Scroll down/click Delete to forget the selected WiFi network. |
Step 9: Scroll down/click Close to return to the wireless connection menu. |
Step 10: Select/click your WiFi network from the list. |
Step 11: Enter its WiFi password and hit Done to reconnect. |
With the pictures above, making the solution happen should be a breeze. Then again, if you still fall short of connecting your Samsung to WiFi, the next solution should come in handy.
4. Double-check if the WiFi password you entered is correct.
WiFi passwords are case-sensitive, so you must be careful how you type each letter and character to make sure they’re correct. You need to pay close attention to the letters that are supposed to be typed in lowercase or uppercase.
If you’re unsure whether you’ve typed the WiFi password correctly or not, we recommend putting a check on the box that says “Show Password.” This option will display the letters and characters you’ve typed so far so you can double-check them.
 |
If you’ve forgotten the WiFi password, you can follow the instructions for factory resetting the modem in the previously discussed method. This will reset the WiFi password to the default, reflected on the sticker on your modem or router.
5. Reduce the number of devices connecting to your WiFi network.
There’s a limit to how many devices can connect to most WiFi networks at once. If the network you’re trying to connect to has reached its limit, that would explain why your Samsung TV won’t connect to WiFi even after your troubleshooting attempts.
The only way to fix this issue is to disconnect some of the unused devices already connected to the WiFi network.
Having multiple connected devices slows down the internet speed so you’d be doing your Samsung Smart TV a favor by doing this as well.
6. Set your Samsung TV to obtain the IP address automatically.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 6 |
| Duration | 15 seconds |
Setting the IP address to manual settings and putting in the incorrect value will cause a connectivity issue, and your Samsung TV to not connect to WiFi. If you or someone else unknowingly set this setting to manual, you must change it.
You have to set the IP address settings on your Samsung TV to automatic. This allows the TV to obtain your WiFi network’s IP address automatically without you having to put it in and potentially get it wrong.
Follow these steps to set your TV to obtain the IP address automatically:
Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your Samsung TV by pressing the home button on your remote control. |
Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings. |
Step 3: Scroll down/click General. |
Step 4: Select/click Network. |
| Step 5: Select/click Network Status. Wait for the Samsung TV to check your internet connection.  |
Step 6: Select/click IP Settings. |
| Step 7: Select/click the IP setting. Make sure that it’s set to Get automatically.  |
7. Set the DNS settings manually on your Samsung Smart TV.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 9 |
| Duration | 25 seconds |
Another network setting you can mess around with is the DNS server you’re using on your Samsung Smart TV. Unlike the IP address, we recommend setting the DNS manually and using a public server such as the one provided by Google.
You can also use Cloudflare’s server, which they claim is the fastest DNS directory on the internet. We recommend using the DNS server that works best on your location, as it also depends on how close you are to these directories.
Using the best DNS server that fits your location should improve your browsing speed. It should also fix the issue you have when your Samsung TV won’t connect to WiFi.
Follow these steps to manually set the DNS server on your Samsung TV:
| Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your Samsung TV by pressing the home button on your remote control.  |
Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings. |
Step 3: Scroll down/click General. |
Step 4: Select/click Network. |
| Step 5: Select/click Network Status. Wait for the Samsung TV to check your internet connection.  |
Step 6: Select/click IP Settings. |
Step 7: Scroll down/click the DNS setting. |
Step 8: Select/click Enter manually. |
Step 9: Enter Google’s DNS server (8.8.8.8) and click Done. Note: Cloudflare’s DNS servers are 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 if you want to use them instead of Google’s. |
That should take care of things. But if your Samsung TV still won’t connect to WiFi, then don’t let it break your heart as the next solution may turn out better.
8. Reset the Samsung Smart TV’s network settings to default.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 7 |
| Duration | 20 seconds |
A more effective way to troubleshoot your Samsung Smart TV’s network connectivity issues is to reset its network settings. This action will restore your TV’s network configurations to their default settings.
This means that all your saved network configurations and WiFi networks will be deleted at once. After the reset, you’ll need to reconnect to your WiFi networks and reconfigure your network settings to your liking.
Follow these steps to reset the network settings of your Smart TV:
| Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your Samsung TV by pressing the home button on your remote control.  |
Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings. |
Step 3: Scroll down/click General. |
Step 4: Select/click Network. |
Step 5: Scroll down/click Reset Network. |
Step 6: Select/click Yes to confirm that your want to reset the network settings. |
| Step 7: Wait as your Samsung Smart TV resets the network settings to the factory defaults.  |
9. Use an ethernet/LAN cable to switch to a wired connection.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 5 |
| Duration | 10 seconds |
Switching to a wired internet connection is always advisable when you’re having network connectivity issues when connecting wirelessly. A wired connection is also more stable and reliable as it’s not as vulnerable to signal interference.
If your Samsung TV won’t connect to WiFi, maybe you’re better off sticking to a wired connection instead. Plus, it’s simple to do as you only need to plug your ethernet cable into both the Samsung Smart TV and the modem/router.
Follow these steps to use a wire connection on your Samsung Smart TV:
Step 1: Plug the ethernet cable into the LAN port at the back of your modem/router. |
Step 2: Plug the other end of the ethernet cable into the LAN port at the back of your Samsung Smart TV. |
Step 3: Wait for your Samsung Smart TV to detect the LAN cable connection. |
Step 4: Select/click Yes to set up the wired connection. |
Step 5: Select/click OK to finish the setup. |
10. Connect to a different frequency band or another WiFi network.
Up until this point, you’ve already tried changing a lot of network settings on your Samsung Smart TV. If none of the troubleshooting tricks above has been successful so far, it might be due to a compatibility issue with the WiFi network.
For instance, not all Samsung TVs support 5.0GHz frequency networks. If you own such a Samsung Smart TV, you won’t be able to connect to a network that uses that 5.0GHz frequency band, which means your only option is a 2.4GHz network.
Once you’ve switched the network’s frequency band to make it compatible with your Samsung Smart TV, you should be good to go. If not, we recommend connecting to a different WiFi network that works with your TV.
11. Update your Samsung Smart TV’s software/firmware version.
The software/firmware version of your Samsung Smart TV is important because it makes sure that it’s up-to-date and compatible with the newest apps and features. It also serves as a bandaid fix that patches bugs and glitches from the older versions.
If you have another WiFi network, you can switch to that in the meantime to download the latest software/firmware version on your Samsung TV over the air. Otherwise, you can use the USB stick method to install the update manually.
Follow the steps below to update the software/firmware of your Samsung TV using WiFi:
| Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 6 |
| Duration | 30 minutes |
Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your Samsung TV by pressing the home button on your remote control. |
Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings. |
Step 3: Scroll down/click Support. |
Step 4: Click Software Update. |
Step 5: Click Update Now. |
Step 6: Wait for the TV to check and install any available updates. |
If you’re having trouble connecting to WiFi (which is the problem in the first place), then bringing the updates manually should work. In this case, a USB should come in handy.
Follow these steps to update the software of your Samsung TV using a USB:
| Difficulty | Moderate ●●●○○ |
| Number of Steps | 17 |
| Duration | 35 minutes |
Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your Samsung TV by pressing the home button on your remote control. |
Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings. |
Step 3: Scroll down/click Support. |
Step 4: Scroll down/click About This TV. |
Step 5: Write down the Samsung Smart TV model number and software version. |
| Step 6: Use your PC to go to the download page of Samsung product support. Type/search the Samsung Smart TV model number the using search field.  |
| Step 7: Scroll down to the page’s firmware section and click the download button under Upgrade File(USB type) to download the firmware file into your PC.  |
Step 8: Extract the downloaded file into the PC’s desktop. Note: Please avoid renaming the software/firmware file. |
Step 9: Copy the extracted file to a USB stick plugged into your PC. |
Step 10: Unplug the USB stick from your PC and plug it into your Samsung Smart TV. |
| Step 11: Open the Smart Hub on your Samsung TV by pressing the home button on your remote control. |
Step 12: Scroll left/click Settings. |
Step 13: Scroll down/click Support. |
Step 14: Click Software Update. |
Step 15: Click Update Now and let the TV fail with the update check. |
Step 16: Click Yes to search the contents of the USB stick instead. |
Step 17: Click Yes to install the software/firmware file. |
12. Run a factory reset on your Samsung Smart TV.
A factory reset should be the last troubleshooting trick to use when your Samsung TV won’t connect to WiFi. The reason for this is that this reset process will delete the data stored on your Samsung Smart TV.
| WARNING: Keep a copy of your personal files and TV settings on your Samsung TV before doing a factory reset. That way you don’t lose key data that are bound to be lost to the process. |
This includes your account information, settings configuration, and all the apps you’ve downloaded. However, what makes this a very effective solution is that restores everything on your Samsung Smart TV to its default factory settings.
What happens after the factory reset is that your Samsung TV is back to its original state like it was new once more. Any viruses or corrupt files affecting the unit will also be eliminated, making this the best way to troubleshoot most issues on your TV.
Reset your Samsung TV to its default settings with a remote control:
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 8 |
| Duration | 5 minutes |
Step 1: Open the Smart Hub on your Samsung TV by pressing the home button on your remote control. |
Step 2: Scroll left/click Settings. |
Step 3: Scroll down/click General. |
Step 4: Scroll down/click Reset. |
Step 5: Type the PIN of your Samsung Smart TV and click Done. |
Step 6: Click Yes to restore everything to the default factory settings. |
| Step 7: Wait for the Samsung Smart TV to shut down and fully reboot. |
| Step 8: Set up the Smart Hub of the Samsung TV by following the on-screen instructions.  |
Reset your Samsung TV to its default settings without a remote control:
| Difficulty | Easy ●●○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 13 |
| Duration | 5 minutes and 40 seconds |
Step 1: Open your phone’s Google Play Store app. Note: You can also download and install the SmartThings app from the Apple App Store using an iPhone. |
Step 2: Click the search bar. |
Step 3: Type/search “SmartThings app.” |
Step 4: Download and install the SmartThings app by clicking the Install button. |
Step 5: Launch the SmartThings app by clicking the Open button. |
Step 6: Click the + symbol in the upper-right corner. |
Step 7: Click Add device. |
Step 8: Click Scan nearby. |
Step 9: Select/click your Samsung TV. |
Step 10: Enter the PIN code displayed on your Samsung TV screen and hit Done. |
Step 11: Click Done once more to conclude this setup. |
Step 12: Select/click the Samsung TV on the SmartThings app home screen. |
| Step 13: Use the remote control buttons on the SmartThings app to operate your Samsung Smart TV.  Note: You can follow the factory reset instructions in the previous section while using the SmartThings app as your temporary remote control. |
FAQs about Samsung TV’s WiFi Connectivity
The TV isn’t in range of your modem/router, which is why it’s unable to pick up and detect the WiFi network. It’s essential to make sure that your Samsung TV is at a relatively close distance to your modem/router.
If you’re using a 5.0GHz frequency band, you need to keep them closer to each other since it has an even shorter range compared to the usual 2.4GHz frequency.
Use a streaming device to connect an old Samsung TV that doesn’t have a built-in WiFi capability. Streaming sticks such as the Amazon Firestick, Chromecast, and Roku turns older TV models into Smart TV.
You’ll then be able to connect your old Samsung TV by connecting the streaming device itself to your WiFi network.
Damage wiring can cause your wired connection to not connect to the internet. If the ethernet cable you’re using is faulty, your Samsung Smart TV won’t get access to your network’s internet connection.
It’s also possible that your ISP is just experiencing some hiccups on their end. You can always contact them so they can tell you if there are any problems and how long it will take to fix them.
Mobile hotspots work on Samsung TVs just like regular modem WiFi. Mobile hotspots are often used to troubleshoot WiFi connectivity issues on TVs as it helps narrow down the root cause of the problem.
You can connect your Samsung Smart TV to a mobile hotspot the same way you would with any WiFi network.
