Imagine this: you’re in the middle of a birthday celebration at home, and as the excitement heightens, your visitors want to do karaoke. You put Samsung TV on to save the day, only to find it won’t connect to the internet to access bazillion songs.
If your Samsung flatscreen displays “Unable to Connect to Samsung Server,” you need to soft reset your TV: unplug and power it up after some time. If that fails, reset your modem and router or factory reset the TV.
In this post, we’ll show you eight effective solutions for troubleshooting a Samsung TV that can’t connect to its servers. We’re ensuring you can do this on your own, so we’re giving you all the details you need to DIY like a pro.
What does the “Unable to Connect to Server” Samsung TV error mean?
The “Unable to Connect to Server” error means your Samsung TV is experiencing network connectivity issues. This error will also appear if your Samsung TV’s system software/firmware is outdated or corrupted.
Sometimes, this error appears as error code 189; other times, it’s called error code 116 or 107. This simply means that your Samsung smart TV cannot connect to the internet.
Some of the most common causes of this issue include:
- Smart Hub issues
- Outdated software
- Faulty WiFi connection
- Interference issues
- Location issues
In some rare cases, it might be due to the Samsung servers being down at the moment. With this, you need to wait until Samsung fixes the technical problems on their end and starts the servers again.
How to Fix the “Unable to Connect to Samsung Server” Pop-up Error
Several methods can resolve the “Unable to Connect to Samsung Server” pop-up error. Below are the most effective solutions you can DIY; we recommend you apply them in the order they are presented for faster results.
1. Perform a Samsung TV soft reset.
Whenever you experience any issue on your Samsung TV, performing a soft reset to refresh its system and correct the error is advisable. When your TV cannot connect to the internet, this should be your first solution.
Performing a soft reset is also easy; you don’t risk losing your account data and files. It’s why you find this method a must-do when troubleshooting Samsung TV issues.
You can perform the Samsung TV soft reset using the remote control or unplug its power cable from the electrical outlet. Whichever of these methods you choose, the result will be the same.
Follow the steps below to use the remote to soft reset your Samsung TV:
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 2 |
| Time to perform fix | 10 seconds |
| Things needed | Remote controlSamsung TV |
Step 1: Ensure that your Samsung TV is turned on. |
| Step 2: Point the IR sensor of your remote control on the Samsung TV. Press/hold the power button shut the TV down and boot it back up after 30 seconds.  |
It’s important you factor in the time element before you put your TV back on. It might seem a trivial detail, but it’s actually essential as it allows the power to dissipate and give your TV time to reset itself properly.
Here’s how to perform a Samsung TV soft reset without a remote:
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 2 |
| Time to perform fix | 10 seconds |
| Things needed | Samsung TV |
| Step 1: Ensure that your Samsung TV is turned off. Pull its power cable from the electrical outlet and leave it for 30 seconds.  |
| Step 2: Insert its power cable back into the electrical outlet to turn your Samsung TV on.  |
That should have gone smoothly and without incident. Again, take note that you need to observe for some time before you actually put the TV back on for the best results.
2. Reset the Samsung TV network settings.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 6 |
| Time to perform fix | 20 seconds |
| Things needed | Samsung TV Remote control |
A working WiFi network connection is vital to make sure that your TV can connect to the Samsung servers without issues. If it’s unable to connect to the internet, the root cause could be your terrible network settings.
Changing the configuration on your Samsung TV’s network settings isn’t advisable unless necessary. After all, you might ruin a perfect WiFi network connection if you’re unaware of your changes to the network settings.
However, changes may also be made without your knowledge and consent. In such cases, the best thing you can do is reset the Samsung TV network settings to restore all of its values to their default factory configurations.
Step 1: Launch the Samsung Smart Hub menu by pressing home on the TVremote control.  |
Step 2: Open your TV’s system settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings. |
Step 3: Open the general settings menu by scrolling down/clicking General. |
Step 4: Open the network settings menu by scrolling down/clicking Network. |
| Step 5: Restore your Samsung TV network settings by scrolling down/ clicking Reset Network.  |
Step 6: Confirm the network reset by clicking Yes in the pop-up window. |
3. Change the DNS server of the WiFi network.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 9 |
| Time to perform fix | 25 seconds |
| Things needed | Samsung TV Remote control |
The Domain Name System (DNS) server you’re connecting to is vital in making sure you can locate the correct IP address for your desired websites. It also helps speed up the process of connecting and loading these websites.
As such, we recommend using a fast DNS server to make your online experience better and smoother. By default, the DNS server on your Samsung TV’s WiFi connection is set to “Get automatically.”
You have to set the DNS settings of your Samsung TV to manual to enter a public server that best fits your location. Cloudflare’s DNS server (1.1.1.1) is considered by many as the fastest one available, but that might not be true in your case.
Other popular DNS servers you can try to use are Google (8.8.8.8) and Quad9 (9.9.9.9). We recommend trying each of these DNS servers to determine the best one for resolving the issues with your TV that’s unable to connect to Samsung servers.
| Step 1: Launch the Samsung Smart Hub menu by pressing home on the TV remote control.  |
Step 2: Open your TV’s system settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings. |
Step 3: Open the general settings menu by scrolling down/clicking General. |
Step 4: Open the network settings menu by scrolling down/clicking Network. |
| Step 5: Select/click Network Status and wait while your Samsung TV checks the status of your internet connection.  |
Step 6: Open the Internet Protocol settings by selecting/clicking IP Settings. |
Step 7: Scroll down/click the DNS setting. |
Step 8: Select/click Enter manually to set the DNS server to manual. |
Step 9: Enter Cloudflare’s DNS server (1.1.1.1) and hit Done. Note: Cloudflare’s other DNS server is 1.0.0.1 if you want to use it instead of the other one. We also suggest trying the Google and Quad9 DNS servers to find the best match for you. |
4. Set your Samsung TV IP settings to automatic.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 8 |
| Time to perform fix | 20 seconds |
| Things needed | Samsung TV Remote control |
If you set your network’s IP address to manual and end up inputting the incorrect values, your TV will be unable to connect to the internet. It’s the reason why we recommend setting the IP to automatic to fix and avoid any connectivity issues.
Doing so allows your Samsung TV to automatically get the IP address of your WiFi network, removing any room for you to get it wrong. Otherwise, you’ll have to set the correct IP address before being given access to your internet connection.
The methodology can be a bit technical but the baby steps below should have you covered. If the procedure confuses you, we suggest you do a little due diligence and do a bit of research.
Set your Samsung TV IP address to automatic
| Step 1: Launch the Samsung Smart Hub menu by pressing home on the TV remote control.  |
Step 2: Open your TV’s system settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings. |
Step 3: Open the general settings menu by scrolling down/clicking General. |
Step 4: Open the network settings menu by scrolling down/clicking Network. |
| Step 5: Select/click Network Status and wait while your Samsung TV checks the status of your internet connection.  |
Step 6: Open the Internet Protocol settings by selecting/clicking IP Settings. |
Step 7: Select the IP setting option. |
| Step 8: Select Get automatically to set your IP settings to automatic. |
5. Restart your modem/router.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 6 |
| Time to perform fix | 2 minutes and 20 seconds |
| Things needed | Samsung TV Remote control |
Speaking of internet connectivity issues, we also recommend restarting your WiFi modem or router to refresh your connection. This action allows you to fix any issues with your WiFi network that makes your TV unable to reach the internet.
You can perform this method anytime your WiFi network’s internet speed plummets on your Samsung TV. We also recommend contacting your ISP in case they’re experiencing technical difficulties on their end.
Your ISP will be able to shed some light on your internet connectivity problem and offer you the appropriate assistance you need. If they’re working on a solution, they can also update you on when your internet connection will be fixed.
Step 1: Disconnect the power and ethernet cables on your router. |
Step 2: Disconnect the power and ethernet cables on your modem. |
| Step 3: Wait 2 minutes to give both devices time to shut down completely. |
| Step 4: Reconnect the power and ethernet cables to your router. |
| Step 5: Reconnect the power and ethernet cables to your modem. |
| Step 6: Wait as the status lights on your modem and router begin to glow. Conduct a speed test to confirm if your internet is back in working condition.  |
6. Sign out and in of your Samsung account.
Another likely culprit that’s making your TV unable to connect to Samsung servers is a minor error with the account currently signed in. If the servers are having issues recognizing your Samsung account, it won’t be given access, and it will be blocked.
We suggest signing out of your Samsung account and then signing back in afterward. Doing so will refresh your account’s sign-in authorization and should correct any errors causing it not to gain access to the Samsung servers.
Take note that your Samsung service is a free service that’s built into your Samsung TV so you should not worry about signing in and out of the account. Other Samsung products enjoy this feature.
You only need one Samsung account to enjoy the service of all your Samsung products. That means you can also sign into it via your smartphone and do not need to register separately.
Disconnecting from the account is possible. But that would mean you won’t be able to access user data or information connected with that account which is essential in providing you user-centric service.
Here’s how to sign out of your Samsung TV account:
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 6 |
| Time to perform fix | 20 seconds |
| Things needed | Samsung TV Remote control |
| Step 1: Launch the Samsung Smart Hub menu by pressing home on the TV remote control.  |
| Step 2: Highlight Home on the Samsung Smart Hub menu. Press up on the TV remote control to select/click your Samsung account.  |
Step 3: Open your Samsung account menu by selecting My Account. |
Step 4: Sign out of your Samsung account by selecting Sign out. |
| Step 5: Select Sign out on the pop-up window to confirm the account sign-out. |
Step 6: Look for confirmation that your Samsung account has been signed out. |
Follow the steps below to sign in to your Samsung TV account:
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 3 |
| Time to perform fix | 10 seconds |
| Things needed | Samsung TV Remote control |
| Step 1: Launch the Samsung Smart Hub menu by pressing home on the TV remote control.  |
| Step 2: Highlight Home on the Samsung Smart Hub menu. Press up on the TV remote control to select Samsung Account.  |
Step 3: Sign in to your Samsung account by selecting your email address. Note: Your Samsung account’s email address is saved on your TV even after signing out unless you remove your account data. This allows you to sign in again much faster. |
7. Reset Smart Hub.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 6 |
| Time to perform fix | 40 seconds |
| Things needed | Samsung TV Remote control |
The Smart Hub system is a vital feature of every Samsung TV as it serves as the app store and manager, settings and features menu, and account center. It’s also because it’s tied to various malfunctions and errors on your Samsung TV.
As such, we highly recommend performing a Smart Hub reset whenever your TV cannot connect to the internet. This action will remove your Samsung account from your TV, which means it works like the previous solution.
After the Smart Hub reset, you must set it up again and sign back into your Samsung account. With this, you should resolve any issues causing your TV’s failure to connect with the Samsung servers.
Follow these steps to reset the Smart Hub menu on your Samsung TV:
| Step 1: Launch the Samsung Smart Hub menu by pressing home on the TV remote control.  |
Step 2: Open your TV’s system settings menu by scrolling left/clicking Settings. |
Step 3: Open the support menu by scrolling down/clicking Support. |
Step 4: Scroll down/click Self Diagnosis. |
Step 5: Scroll down/click Reset Smart Hub. |
| Step 6: Enter the PIN code for your Samsung TV to confirm the Smart Hub reset procedure. Note: The PIN code for your Samsung TV should be “0000” unless it has been changed before. |
8. Conduct a factory reset procedure on your Samsung TV.
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of steps | 8 |
| Time to perform fix | 5 minutes |
| Things needed | Samsung TV Remote control |
As a last resort, we suggest performing a factory reset to restore your Samsung TV’s default settings. You can only consider this method as your final option since it will remove your account data, settings configuration, and installed applications.
WARNING: A factory reset deletes all your personal files and TV preferences so we recommend you make a copy of these files before proceeding.
For this reason, we only recommend this action after you’ve tried the abovementioned solutions and failed. Fortunately, a factory reset is effective in resolving most issues on Samsung TVs.
Once the reset process is over, you’ll need to set up your Samsung TV, sign in to your account, and redownload your apps. After which, your TV should no longer be unable to connect to Samsung servers.
| Step 1: Launch the Samsung Smart Hub menu by pressing home on the TV remote control.  |
| Step 2: Open your TV’s system settings menu by scrolling left and clicking Settings.  |
Step 3: Open the general settings menu by scrolling down and clicking General. |
Step 4: Scroll down and click Reset. |
| Step 5: Enter the PIN code for your Samsung TV and hit Done to confirm the hard/factory reset procedure.  |
Step 6: Continue by selecting Yes. |
| Step 7: Wait as your Samsung TV performs the hard/factory reset and reboots afterward. |
| Step 8: Follow the instructions on the screen to set up Smart Hub and sign in to your Samsung account.  |
FAQs about Samsung TV Unable to Connect to Samsung Server Issue
Corrupt or outdated software is the primary root cause of the error 116 message pop-up on your Samsung TV. In this case, you need to update the software version currently installed on your Samsung TV.
Error 116 can also be caused by a power supply issue, hardware damage, and internet connectivity problem. You need to apply the appropriate troubleshooting tricks to tackle and resolve each of these issues.
There are two ways of updating the software version of your Samsung Smart TV. The first method is straightforward as you only need to connect to a reliable WiFi network to download and install the software update over the air.
This method is done by navigating to Settings > Support > Software Update > Update Now. Your Samsung TV will automatically install the new software version after it’s downloaded.
The second method is recommended if your WiFi network is slow and unstable since you can take your time to download the software update on a PC. Once the update is downloaded, you need to copy it to a USB stick that can plug into your Samsung TV.
From there, you need to allow your Samsung TV to scan the contents of your USB stick. After the software update is detected, you can manually install it on your Samsung TV.
Several reasons can cause your WiFi network to not connect with your Samsung TV. A rundown of the most common causes of your WiFi network not connecting with your TV can be seen below.
• WiFi passwords are case-sensitive and the one you entered was incorrect.
• Your WiFi network uses a short-range 5GHz frequency band and your Samsung TV is outside its range.
• There are multiple devices connected to your WiFi network and it has already reached its limit.
• Your WiFi network’s DNS settings are set to automatic.
• Your WiFi network’s IP settings are set to manual.
