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Vizio TV Will Not Connect to Hotspot/WiFi: Causes + Fixes

Have you ever been in a situation where you just purchased a new Vizio TV and you can’t seem to connect it to your Hotspot or WiFi? I know I have, and it was incredibly frustrating. After hours of research, trial, and error, I was able to get my Vizio TV to connect to my Hotspot/WiFi. In this post, I’ll be sharing the causes and fixes that I found in my research, as well as some other solutions I discovered along the way. With this information, I’m confident that you’ll be able to get your Vizio TV connected to your Hotspot/WiFi in no time.

The type of network to which you’re attempting to connect your TV could be the source of the problem. This is particularly the case if the network is a guest/shared network or a mobile hotspot.

Moreover, your Wi-Fi may be experiencing general connectivity issues, or the TV’s wireless adapter may be damaged.

IssuePossible CausesSolutions
Vizio TV Won’t Connect– Issues related to network type– Contact the organization hosting the network, provide the TV’s MAC address
to Hotspot/WiFi– Ensure a strong signal for mobile hotspot
– Problems with internet connection– Test the Wi-Fi connection on other devices
– Try connecting the TV to another network
– Damaged wireless adapter– Check for an Ethernet port, connect TV to the router/modem directly
Fixes for Vizio TV Connection1. Re-enter network’s password– Follow steps to re-enter password on the TV
Issues2. Restart the TV and router/modem– Unplug, wait, and reconnect both devices
3. Update the TV’s firmware– Check for updates in the TV’s settings
4. Reset the TV– Perform a factory reset of the TV

3 Reasons Vizio TV Won’t Connect to Hotspot/WiFi

If your Vizio TV is having trouble connecting to an internet network, it’s most likely due to one of three reasons:

  1. Issues Related to Network Type

Guest/shared networks and hotspots are two network types that frequently cause internet connectivity issues.

Sometimes it can be easy to connect to a guest/shared network, but other times it can be a bit tricky. You see, these networks usually demand that you log in using a browser. They ask you to enter either a username or a password, but the thing is, Vizio TV lacks a browser.

That’s why you’ll need to get in touch with the organization hosting this network to add your device to it. All you have to do is give them the Media Access Control (MAC) address of your TV.

Connecting your Vizio TV to your mobile hotspot can be challenging as well. The strength of the phone’s signal will determine the internet speed and ability to connect to your TV.  Because signal strengths vary, the connection becomes unstable.

  1. Problems With Internet Connection 

If you’re trying to connect your Vizio TV to your home Wi-Fi and it’s not working, check your internet connection. Most of the time, this is due to general issues with the internet connection

Consequently, test this Wi-Fi connection on other devices, such as your phone or laptop, to ensure that it’s working.

It would be great if you could also try connecting your TV to another network. If it worked, you’ve determined that the main problem is with the initial connection. However, if both networks failed to connect, it could be due to the final potential cause listed below.

  1. Damaged Wireless Adapter 

Something may have gone wrong with your TV’s wireless adapter. If this is the case, your TV’s ability to connect to a wireless network will be seriously affected.

Check to see if your TV has an Ethernet port so you can hardwire the internet connection. If there is, connect the TV to the router/modem directly with an Ethernet cable and see if that works.

4 Fixes for a Vizio TV That Won’t Connect to Hotspot/WiFi

Let’s go over the four most effective methods for successfully connecting the internet to your Vizio TV:

  1. Re-Enter Network’s Password

It’s fairly common to enter the incorrect network password on the TV, resulting in an unsuccessful connection. As a result, the first thing to do is to re-enter the hotspot/Wi-Fi password to ensure that this isn’t the source of the problem. Here’s how to do it:

  • Hold down the Menu button on the Vizio remote
  • Navigate to Network
  • Go to the network to which you want to connect
  • Enter the network’s password carefully
  • Press Connect
  1. Restart the TV and Router/Modem

Restarting the Vizio TV and the router/modem appears to be an overly simple solution, but it shouldn’t be underestimated.

Simply put, restarting your TV helps to clear out the clutter and resolve most unresponsiveness issues. Similarly, restarting a router/modem clears its memory and resets any stalled operations.

Unplug your TV and router/modem and wait 1-2 minutes before reconnecting them. Allow the network to fully recover for about 2 minutes before testing the connection on the TV again.

  1. Update the TV’s Firmware

Firmware updates are installed automatically when your Vizio TV is connected to a reliable internet connection.

However, if there’s no or poor internet connection, you may discover that there are pending updates. In a nutshell, firmware updates improve the TV’s overall performance and include fixes to bugs in older firmware versions.

To check for firmware updates, follow these steps:

  • Ensure that your TV is connected to the internet
  • Press the Home or V buttons on the Vizio remote
  • Choose Admin & Privacy or System, depending on the TV model
  • Select Check for Updates
  1. Reset the TV

The last resort should be to factory reset your Vizio TV. Although this will delete all of your saved data, it should resolve any lingering issues. Check out how it’s done:

  • Hold down the Menu button on the Vizio remote
  • Navigate to System
  • Select Reset & Admin
  • Choose Reset TV to Factory Defaults
  • Enter “0000” if it asked for a password
  • Select Reset

Wrapping Up

If your Vizio TV will not connect to hotspot/WiFi, you now know what to do! This issue requires quick fixes, so troubleshooting it will be a breeze. Yet, if it persists after you’ve tried all of the fixes outlined in this article, you should contact Vizio’s call center for further assistance.