How to connect Samsung Smart TV to the Internet
Usually, the wizard allows you to connect Samsung TV to WiFi is shown during the initial configuration of the device: therefore, if you have just purchased the TV and are about to install it, to succeed in the enterprise you just have to follow the simple steps displayed on the screen.
To be precise, after connecting the TV to the power supply and antenna, turn it on and, using the directional arrows on the remote control, choose the language you prefer to use and press the button Enter / OK, to confirm it.
Immediately after selecting the language, the wizard to establish the Internet connection should be offered to you: first, therefore, choose the option wireless with the button Enter on the remote control, select the name of the network to connect to and, after pressing the key again Enter, enter the Password inside the text box provided, using the keyboard that appears on the screen.
Finally, select the button Done, press the button again Enter on the remote control and wait for the connection to be established; when this happens, press the button OK and complete the TV setup: when prompted, accept the Smart HUB terms of service by checking the box next to the item Accept everything, premium pulsating OK and, finally, set the PIN protection of the device and performs the first tuning of the channels, selecting the nation of belonging reception mode and type of tuning channels (presumably automatic).
If, on the other hand, you have not connected the TV to Wi-Fi when you installed it for the first time, you can also do it later, by acting on the settings of the device: therefore, first of all, press the button Home / Smart Hub on the remote control (the cottage or of the colored prism), select the button Settings pressing the left directional arrow and presses the button Enter on the remote control, to access the TV setup panel.
When the new screen appears, use the remote control to choose the item Generali (located in the menu sidebar), move to the section Network and choose the item Open network settings, to access the specific area dedicated to Internet configuration.
Once this step has been passed, it indicates the connection mode which you prefer to use - in this case wireless -, wait for the TV to search and detect available networks nearby, highlight the name of the one you want to use and press the button Enter, to choose it.
We're almost there: using the on-screen keyboard, enter the Password of the network in question, press the button Done and wait a few moments for the connection to be successfully established (you will see a notification message, confirming this).
Finally, press the button OK, check the box for accept the terms of use of Smart Hub, press again OK and, if required, install the updates of the operating system, following the suggestions that are shown to you.
If you find it difficult to manually enter your password, you can resort to technology WPS and pair the two devices by pressing a simple button, provided that the router in your possession has the aforementioned feature: to do this, after calling up the screen for entering the password of the Wi-Fi network, press the button WPS residing in the lower right corner of the virtual keyboard and, in a maximum time of 2 minutes, press the WPS physical button present on the router (generally it has the shape of two circular arrows).
However, keep in mind that, however convenient, WPS technology has been the subject of numerous security problems in the past: my general advice, therefore, is to not use it (except in cases of extreme necessity) and to disable it completely from the settings. of the router.
How to connect Samsung TV to the Internet: Non-Smart TV
Wait, are you telling me that although you looked far and wide through your TV settings, you couldn't find anything compatible with the internet connection? In this case, it is likely the same is not equipped with Smart functions and that, consequently, it cannot connect to the Internet in a "native" way.
Do not worry, however, to remedy the problem you will not necessarily have to buy a new TV: there are in fact some devices, which can be installed on televisions not equipped with Smart functions, able to connect to the Internet and, if necessary, also receive content. streaming from smartphones, tablets and PCs. To work, similar devices simply need one free HDMI port, an Internet connection and a power source, if provided.
On the market, it is possible to find numerous categories of devices of this type, each with its own peculiarities and able to satisfy certain needs: what is certain, however, is that the expense that you will have to face is certainly lower than that which you would meet. buying a new Smart TV.
Having made this small premise, let me show you some of the best known and most functional solutions of this type.
chromecast
chromecast is an HDMI device produced by Google, which allows you to receive and play streaming content from the Internet on your TV via smartphones, tablets and computers. It supports Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, Spotify and numerous other services. Moreover, using Chromecast, it is possible to mirror (ie reproduce the entire screen) of the devices animated by Android.
Currently, the Google dongle is available in two versions: that of basis, which costs € 39 and allows you to play content up to a maximum resolution of 1080p (Full HD); and the Chromecast with Google TV, which costs € 69,99, offers support for 4K and HDR resolutions with Dolby Vision, is equipped with a Google TV operating system (which allows you to install apps directly on the device itself) and comes with a supplied remote control.
Both devices can be purchased on the Google store; if you are interested in learning more about how Chromecast works, I refer you to reading the specific guide that I have dedicated to the aforementioned devices.
Amazon Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Cube
La Fire TV Stick is an HDMI key produced and distributed by Amazon, equipped with a proprietary operating system based on Android, thanks to which it is possible to install numerous apps dedicated to the reproduction of multimedia and non-multimedia contents.
Currently, the Amazon Fire TV Stick is available in two different models: Lite, which supports resolutions up to 1080p (with and without TV controls); And 4K, which supports, in fact, the latter resolution.
Amazon then proposes the Fire TV Cube, a sort of multimedia box that combines the main features of the Fire TV Stick with those of a speaker from the Amazon Echo line.
For more information regarding the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Cube devices, you can take a look at the dedicated study, available on my site.
NOW TV Smart Stick
NOW TV Smart Stick is an HDMI “key” made by Roku and distributed by Sky, together with NOW TV services. As it is easy to guess, this device makes it extremely easy to access the aforementioned multimedia streaming platform, but not only: NOW TV Stick is also compatible with numerous apps dedicated to audiovisual content, such as YouTube, Vimeo, Netflix, Roku Media Player (for the reproduction of the contents present in the local network) and many others.
Currently, the purchase of the key includes 1 month of free viewing of the Sport package, or 3 months of free viewing of the Cinema & Entertainment package. For more information, I refer you to reading my NOW TV Smart Stick operating guide.
Apple TV
Apple TV is a small media center produced and distributed by Apple, which allows you to play multimedia content from a wide range of services, such as Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and Spotify, thanks to the many apps available on the integrated App Store, but also games and iPhone, iPad and Mac screen mirroring.
Apple TV is available in two versions, both equipped with a touch remote control: Apple TV HD, with support for the maximum resolution Full HD (1080p); And Apple TV 4K, which supports 4K resolution, HDR10 technologies with Dolby Vision and is available in 32GB and 64GB sizes. To find out more, take a look at the in-depth guide I have dedicated to the topic.
See offer on AmazonTV Box Android
If you feel you need a more flexible solution than the ones we've seen so far, you can consider purchasing one TV Box Android. These are authentic mini-computers (available both in the form of a “box” and a “key”), which connect directly to the HDMI port of the TV and can be controlled via a dedicated remote control.
As the name itself implies, these devices are equipped with an Android operating system and, consequently, are compatible with most of the apps also available for smartphones and tablets animated by the Google operating system; some TV boxes, especially those in the medium-high range, also have the Play Store and Google services.
There are Android TV boxes for all needs and, above all, all budgets, but you have to be careful: the cheapest ones (some even cost less than € 30), may not have Google services, or may not be compatible (even only partially) with some streaming apps such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix (on which, for example, the viewing of HD / 4K content may be prevented) and NOW TV, due to licensing problems or the presence of root permissions.
In some cases, there may even be problems related to the hardware, such as overheating or unsatisfactory network reception. For this reason, before even throwing yourself headlong into buying an Android TV box, I advise you to carefully read the advice I gave you in my guide dedicated to devices of this type, in order to avoid errors due to haste.
If you have even more specific needs, you can also consider less known, but certainly functional devices, such as adapters Miracast, the readers Blu-ray, the Smart decoder or, if you are familiar with the world of computers, buy a Raspberry Pi and set up a custom media center yourself. More info here.
How to connect Samsung TV to WiFi
