As an owner of a new smart TV, I was feeling incredibly frustrated when I realized that my TV wouldn’t connect to my smartphone hotspot. After a few hours of trying to figure out what was wrong, I decided to do some research, and I was surprised to find that I wasn’t alone in this problem. In this blog post, I will be sharing my tips and tricks to solving this issue, as well as other solutions that I discovered while doing my research.
Hopefully, my experiences will help other frustrated owners find the answer to their problem and get their TVs connected to their hotspots!
When it comes to TV connection issues, it’s either your TV or hotspot. For TVs, common causes include minor glitches, outdated firmware, and signal interruptions. For hotspots, there could be a problem with your ISP or some signal strength issues.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Reset TV and Hotspot | 1. Turn off and unplug the TV for 60 seconds, then turn it back on 2. Restart the hotspot device |
| Max Devices Limit Reached | 1. Check the number of devices connected to the hotspot 2. Disconnect unnecessary devices to make room for the TV |
| Outdated Firmware | 1. Connect the TV to a direct WiFi or alternate connection 2. Update the TV’s firmware in Settings > Support > Software Update 3. Update the Android phone’s firmware in Settings > About phone > Android version 4. Update the iPhone’s firmware in Settings > General > Software Update 5. Turn on Automatic Updates if not enabled |
| ISP or Data Provider Issue | 1. Contact your service provider for assistance 2. Check their social media for updates or user threads |
Table of Contents
How to Connect Your TV to Your Hotspot
Nowadays, most phones and tablets can be used as a hotspot to connect other devices to the internet. As long as the hotspot device has access to WiFi or mobile data, you can easily set it up.
To get started:
- Turn on your hotspot device’s WiFi or mobile data in Settings.
- Head to your device’s Connections (name could vary depending on the device) settings, then tap on Mobile hotspot and tethering.
- Toggle your hotspot on.
- Head to your TV’s WiFi settings.
- Look for your hotspot device’s name, then select it.
- Enter the password registered on your hotspot device to connect.
Once you’re done, your TV should already have internet access.
Now, if you’re unable to connect your TV to your hotspot, the following section is for you.
Why Can’t I Connect My TV to My Hotspot?
There are a few reasons why you can’t connect your TV, they’re either related to your devices or the internet connection itself.
More often than not, causes for connectivity issues include:
- Weak or fluctuating signal strength
- Signal interruptions
- Outdated firmware
- Your hotspot has reached the max connected devices
- ISP or mobile provider issues
Here are the troubleshooting steps you can follow to resolve the above-listed issues:
Reset Your TV and Hotspot Device
The number one solution to almost every glitch in the system is the almighty reset. We know it can sound silly at times, but it does work well since it refreshes your devices.
To restart your TV:
- Turn the TV off.
- Unplug the TV from its power source or outlet.
- Plug it back in after sixty seconds.
- Turn it back on.
To restart your phone or hotspot device:
- Press and hold on your phone’s power or side button (depending on the device).
- Wait for the restart screen to pop up, then restart your device.
- If you’re using an iPhone, manually turn it back on after 30 seconds by holding the side button.
After that, try setting up your hotspot and connecting your TV again.
Check the Max Devices Allowed for Your Hotspot
Most hotspot devices only allow a certain number of connected devices. If your device has reached the limit, it might be the reason why you can’t connect your TV.
To check this:
- On an iPhone, swipe up to open the Control Center > then tap on the panel with Mobile Data.
- On an Android, swipe down, and you’ll see a notification-like box that will tell you how many are connected.
Try to disconnect the other devices connected to your hotspot to make way for your TV.
Update Your TV and Hotspot’s Firmware
Outdated firmware can sometimes cause issues and glitches in your devices. A quick update should fix these problems if ever the cause is due to an older firmware or system version.
To update your TV:
- Try to use a direct WiFi or alternate connection in the meantime.
- Head to your TV’s Settings > select Support > select Software Update.
- You’ll see if there are any available updates.
To update your Android phone:
- Head to Settings.
- Tap on About phone > select Android version.
- You should see an option to update your OS if there are any pending updates.
To update your iPhone:
- Head to Settings.
- Tap on General > select Software Update.
- You’ll see if there are any available updates to download and install.
- You can also toggle Automatic Updates on if you haven’t.
We recommend keeping all of your device’s firmware up to date to avoid older software issues.
Check With Your ISP or Data Provider
It might be worth reaching out to your service provider if all else fails. Sometimes they encounter issues on their end that affect your internet connectivity.
Another way to determine if they have issues on their end is by checking the provider’s social media. Most of the time, they either post an update, or you see threads of users experiencing issues.
Wrapping Up
Connectivity issues between your TV and hotspot are as common as the common cold. They can be a handful at times, but the fixes are usually quick and easy to do.
Hopefully, with the aid of the information shared in this post, you’ll be able to fix your hotspot connectivity issue in no time and resume your movie night,
Good luck!
