How to connect your TV to the internet
Purchase a streaming device
Using a stream device is by far the most user-friendly manner to connect your television receiver to your dwelling Wi-Fi. In most cases, they plug into your television receiver ’ mho HDMI port and power release to bring every streaming app out there right to your screen. ( There are a few exceptions here, but they ’ ra rare. The AT & T television app, for model, international relations and security network ’ metric ton available on Roku devices. ) image citation : amazon Streaming devices broadly cost around $ 30 without 4K compatibility, and $ 50 with it. If you think you might be upgrading to a 4K television soon, it might be worth going with a 4K streaming device. While your fresh 4K television would be able to connect to the internet directly, streaming devices about constantly provide a better user know, and they generally give you access to more apps than smart TVs. We walk through the pros and cons of each streaming device in detail, but here are the basic stats on the most popular brands out there :
Google Chromecast | Apple TV | Roku | Amazon Fire TV Stick | |
Starting price | $35 | $149 | $30 | $25 |
Pros | ✔ Lets you mirror your phone, tablet or laptop on the TV
✔ Google Assistant voice control |
✔ Works seamlessly with Apple ecosystem
✔ Siri voice search |
✔ Easy to use
✔ Extensive free movie channel |
✔ Easy to use
✔ Alexa voice control |
Cons | ✘ No remote
✘ Have to download streaming apps to your device ✘ Not compatible with Apple photos or Prime Video |
✘ More expensive than other streaming devices | ✘ Voice control doesn’t work as well as other streaming devices | ✘ Prioritizes Amazon content |
Keep in heed, no count which streaming device you go with, you ’ ll silent have to subscribe to apps like Netflix and Hulu individually .
Connect an HDMI cable
If you only plan on using your television for streaming every once in a while, you can probably get by just fine with an HDMI cable. As it mirrors everything on your laptop, pill or telephone, you can use this method for things like sharing vacation photos or home plate videos equally well. about every laptop has an HDMI port built into it, so wholly you ’ ll need in this case is the cable itself. If you don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate already have one lying around the theater, they broadly cost around $ 10 new. Connecting a smartphone or tablet normally requires an extra gradation. For Apple products, you ’ ll need a Lightning Digital AV Adapter, while most newer Android phones and tablets have a Type C connection ( besides known as USB-C ) or Type D ( Micro HDMI ). Depending on which type your Android device uses, you may have to purchase an adapter .
Use a Blu-ray player or gaming console
If you ’ ve purchased a Blu-ray player or video recording game comfort in the past ten, you likely already have everything you need to connect your television to Wi-Fi. Consoles as far back as PlayStation 3 ( 2006-2013 ) and Xbox 360 ( 2001-2013 ) come equipped with the ability to connect to the internet. Granted, you won ’ thymine have access to as many apps as a dedicate pour device does, but you ’ ll have no trouble downloading popular services like Netflix and Hulu.
Blu-ray players are slightly more haphazard. If you have an older model, it might not have the ability to connect to the internet. But most models released in the past five years or so all tout their pour ability as a key sell distributor point. If you ’ vitamin d preferably invest in a newly Blu-ray player over a streaming device, most models with Wi-Fi startle around $ 70 .
Tips for getting the most out of your internet connection
Connecting your television receiver to the internet is merely step one to a smooth pour experience. We besides recommend taking the come steps to ensure the fear cushion wheel never derails movie nox .
Use an Ethernet cord if possible
While radio connections have improved a long ton in holocene years, Ethernet cords hush provide a more dependable connection in most homes. But because they plug into your radio receiver router, your television will have to be relatively close to your router to use a wired connection. Of the four main streaming devices, only Apple TV has an Ethernet port on all of its models. For Amazon Fire television receiver Sticks and Google Chromecasts, you ’ ll have to purchase an adapter individually, while Roku only includes one on its most expensive exemplar. You can learn more about choosing the correct Ethernet cord in our guide .
Make sure you’re getting enough download speeds
Most pour services recommend around 5 Mbps of download speeds for smooth, buffer-free cyclosis in HD — an easily approachable target for most homes. That said, the more devices are using your connection at once, the higher speeds you ’ ll indigence. If you ’ rhenium not certain what speeds you ’ re presently getting, you can use our accelerate test below to find out . pro peak : For best results, use an Ethernet cord to connect your router or modem directly to your device before you run the test .
Relocate your router
If you are experiencing buffering issues, see if you can move your Wi-Fi router to a cardinal and overt localization in your base. radio signals move most easily through alfresco, so reducing the number of walls your signal has to travel through can besides boost your streaming quality. If you ’ re silent having Wi-Fi connection issues, a Wi-Fi extender or interlock router might besides be worth the extra investment.
For more information on pour, internet speed and smart TVs, keep an eye on our Resource Center and follow our experts on Facebook and Twitter . Written by : Joe Supan senior Writer, Broadband Content Joe Supan is a aged writer for Allconnect. He has helped build the proprietary metrics used on Allconnect ’ s recapitulation pages, utilizing thousands of data points to help readers navigate these building complex decisions. … Read more
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