On a Saturday evening, I called my friends to come to my home so we could binge-watch Netflix series and movies on my Vizio TV. My friends arrived right on time, and when I turned on my TV, my Vizio TV was not connecting to the WiFi network. Unfortunately, it failed to connect, and we did not know what to do. Feeling disappointed, we tried looking for different ways to troubleshoot the internet connectivity issue. Luckily, one of the methods worked, and I connected my Vizio TV to the WiFi network in a flash of seconds.
If you are facing the same WiFi network issue currently, do not worry. You are in the right place, and I am here to help you. In this article, I have given all the troubleshooting techniques I have experimented with on my Vizio TV. Read this article to learn the major cause of this WiFi network issue with your TV and the fixes to resolve it.
Reasons for Vizio TV Not Connecting to WiFi
Connecting your Vizio TV to the WiFi network is mandatory to access content on the streaming platforms. But what if there are problems with connecting the Vizio TV to WiFi? To help you identify the issues with the WiFi network, I have mentioned some of the common factors below.
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- Unstable or Poor internet connection.
- Wrong WiFi password.
- Interference between the WiFi router and the Vizio TV.
- Faulty WiFi card.
- Outdated Vizio TV Firmware.
- Multiple devices are connected to the WiFi network.
- DHCP might be turned off.
- Incorrect date and time on Vizio TV.
- Low WiFi bandwidth.
How to Fix Vizio TV Not Connecting to WiFi
If your Vizio TV won’t connect to WiFi, you can resolve the issue more simply when you have identified the reason behind the WiFi issue. Here are some quick and effective fixes to sort out the Vizio TV not connecting to the WiFi network issue.
Check the WiFi Router and Modem
If your Vizio TV is not finding or showing the WiFi network, check if the WiFi router is connected to the modem and switched on properly. If the connection is improper, you might face difficulties connecting your Vizio TV to the WiFi network. So, connect your modem and router properly.
Enter the Appropriate WiFi Password
The password plays a vital role in keeping your WiFi network secure. If your WiFi network is password-protected, you can use it only when you enter the correct password. Entering the wrong password will not let you access the WiFi network.
If you do not remember the exact password you set for your WiFi network, you have only one option: to change the WiFi password. After changing the password, you can reconnect your Vizio TV to the WiFi network with the new password, which will solve the issue.
Keep the Router Closer to Vizio TV
The other factor that should be considered while connecting your Vizio TV to the WiFi network is the distance between the router and the Vizio TV. Make sure to keep your WiFi router and the Vizio TV closer so as to avoid internet disconnection.
Also, check if there is any interference with connecting your Vizio TV to the WiFi. Some electronic appliances or devices at home might possibly cause interference. To overcome this issue, you can turn off devices like microwave ovens, smartphones, and other devices that might block the WiFi signals causing interference.
Disconnect Other Devices from the WiFi Network
If you have connected many devices to the same WiFi network, then you may face issues while connecting your Vizio TV to it. Connecting multiple devices to one single WiFi network will weaken the WiFi signals and may affect you by not working. To resolve this issue, turn off the WiFi mode on all your other devices which are connected to the WiFi network.
Soft Reset the Vizio TV, WiFi Router and Modem
If your Vizio TV keeps disconnecting from the WiFi network, you can try doing a soft reset on your Vizio TV. Inspect the Power button on your Vizio TV to turn off the device and remove the power cable from the outlet. Wait for a few minutes until you plug the cord back in. Now, power on your Vizio TV. If the Vizio TV is connected to WiFi but no network is detected, disconnect the WiFi router and modem, and wait for some time. Then, plug them back in and try connecting them to the WiFi network to see if it works.
Check the Router Network Frequency Band
Some of the older Vizio TV models are capable of supporting only 2.4GHz. So, if the WiFi network bandwidth is 5GHz, your Vizio TV will not work on it. If you are looking for a way to sort out this issue, you have to modify the Settings on your WiFi router.
Navigate to Settings → Wireless Router Settings → Enable the Dual-band option. When you have changed this setting, you can access the 2.4GHz WiFi network bandwidth on your Vizio TV, solving the issue.
Modify the DNS Settings on Vizio TV
Another reason for facing the problems with your WiFi network is the DNS Settings on your Vizio TV. You might experience this when your Vizio TV does not receive the details regarding the IP address and DNS server automatically. In that case, you have to input that information manually to fix the issue.
1. On your Vizio TV remote control, press the Menu button.
2. Head over to the Network option and click on Manual Setup.
3. Now, select the DHCP option and tap on Off to turn it off.
4. Input the IP address and the DNS server information manually in the required fields.
Note: You can use the Google DNS server’s IP addresses, which are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
Enable DHCP on Vizio TV Settings
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, abbreviated as DHCP, is responsible for connecting your WiFi router and Vizio TV. You have to enable this feature in order to do so.
1. Click Menu on your Vizio TV remote control and navigate to the Network option.
2. Now, click on Manual Setup and select the DHCP option.
3. Enable the DHCP settings by selecting the On option.
If it is already enabled, disable the DHCP settings. Then, reboot your Vizio TV and enable the settings again. Now, see if you are able to connect your Vizio TV to the WiFi network.
Enable WPA-PSK [TKIP] on Vizio TV WiFi Settings
Turning on the WPA-PSK [TKIP] mode on your Vizio TV’s WiFi router settings is essential. WPA-PSK [TKIP] encryption acts as a shield for your WiFi network. If you want to make use of this feature, it is important to change the gateway configuration of your WiFi router.
Note: Changing the encryption might affect the security of your WiFi network. So, I suggest you get in touch with your Internet Service Provider.
1. Enter the IP address of your WiFi router on a web browser.
2. Then, navigate to the Admin Settings of your WiFi router.
3. Sign in to the admin account by providing the credentials found on the router.
4. Open the Wireless Security Settings and select the Security Protocol option.
5. Now, modify the encryption settings to WPA-PSK [TKIP].
Set the Correct Date and Time on Vizio TV
One of the things that has to be checked is the date and time on your Vizio TV. If you have input the incorrect date and time on your Vizio TV, you cannot access the WiFi network. Because the Internet Protocol addresses that have been assigned automatically will expire after a specific time. This will prevent you from connecting your Vizio TV to the WiFi network.
If you want to resolve this issue, you have to change the date and time on your Vizio TV manually. To modify the date and time on your Vizio TV,
1. Power on your Vizio TV and head over to the Settings.
2. Now, click on System and select the Time & Local option.
3. Then, select the Automatic Time option and click on Off. This will disable the Automatic time setting.
4. Modify the date and time manually on your Vizio TV.
Once you have changed the time, try connecting your Vizio TV to the internet and see if it works.
Set Router Authentication to WPA
In older Vizo TV models, some of the newer security encryption of your WiFi router will not be supported. In that case, you have to change the protection settings to a specific WPA mode. Here is how to change it.
1. Sign in to the Admin account using the credentials on your router.
2. Navigate to General WiFi Settings on your Vizio TV and locate the Protection Mode option.
3. Select either WPA or WPA+WPA2 from the drop-down.
Now, connect your Vizio TV to the WiFi network and see if you are getting access to the internet.
Turn Off MAC Authentication on the Router
MAC Authentication feature is a security protocol on routers. It is responsible for WiFi network protection purposes and it does not permit access to unauthorized devices. If you have enabled the MAC filter, sometimes it is possible that the router does not recognize your Vizio TV. It is because you have not added the TV MAC address. You can solve this issue quickly by disabling the MAC filter on the router settings or including the Vizio TV MAC address.
Update the Vizio TV Firmware
Sometimes, you might face issues while connecting your Vizio TV to the WiFi network. It might be due to the outdated firmware or software of your Vizio TV. To avoid these problems, you have to check for updates from time to time. Now, to resolve the WiFi issues, you have to update your Vizio TV to the latest version. There are ways where you can update your Smart TV manually or automatically. Also, the update process might change for each Vizio TV model. You can update via Settings and USB drive as well. Look at the steps below to learn how to update the Vizio TV firmware.
1. Connect your Vizio TV to the internet using the ethernet cable.
2. Navigate to Settings and select System.
3. Then, click on Check for Updates and click on Yes.
4. Finally, on Install to get the new updates.
Once your Vizio TV has updated, it will restart automatically. Now, you have to connect the Vizio TV to the internet and see if it works.
Factory Reset the Vizio TV
If the Vizio SmartCast TV is not connecting to the WiFi network, but the other devices are connecting, you can try performing a factory reset on your Vizio TV. This is one of the viable and effective troubleshooting methods. There are various ways to factory reset your Vizio TV. You can choose a method which you are more comfortable with. To hard reset your Vizio TV,
- In Newer Vizio SmartCast TV models: Head over to Settings and select System → Reset & Admin → Reset TV to Factory Defaults. Enter 0000 as PIN and click on Reset.
- In Older Vizio TV models: Open Menu on Vizio TV → Click on Help → Select Clear Memory(Factory Default) → Input PIN as 0000 → Click on Yes to reset your Vizio TV.
Note: When you perform a hard reset on your Vizio TV, you will lose all the data and settings.
Use an Ethernet Cable
If you can’t connect your Vizio TV to the WiFi network, you can use an Ethernet cable as an alternative. Look for the ethernet port on your TV, fetch an ethernet cable, and connect it to the WiFi modem and router. If this works, it could mean the broadband adapter is damaged.
Contact Vizio TV Customer Support
Have you tried out all the troubleshooting methods mentioned above, and none of them worked? Then, it is the right time to contact Vizio TV customer support for further assistance. You can check the warranty for your Vizio TV and get the TV serviced for free. If there is no active warranty for your Vizio TV, you need to pay for the service. Contact Vizio customer service by call, mail, or text. They will help you troubleshoot the WiFi connectivity issue with your Vizio TV quickly.
FAQ
To manually connect your Vizio TV to the WiFi network, open Menu or Settings and go to All Settings. Select Network and click on your WiFi network name. Finally, input the password and click on Connect.
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