Connecting Android TV to a Wi-Fi network
Televisions or media centers running Android TV need to stay online all the time to offer the best experience, and that almost always means having a Wi-Fi network connected. Unless you have a device with cable Internet input, you need to use the device's wireless antenna to get a signal. The advantage is that Google's system for the big screen is very similar to the mobile version, with equally versatile connectivity.
See how to connect, disconnect and forget a Wi-Fi network on Android TV, and learn how to access advanced settings for proxy use, connect via WPS, discover IP and MAC address, and more.
Android TV is available on Sony and Philips devices
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How to connect
Step 1. First, access the network settings on the Android TV home screen. Right away, the system shows whether or not a network is configured - if there is none, the Wi-Fi icon displays the "Network Settings" label.
Access Android TV settings
Step 2. Android TV shows you a list of active networks. Choose one of them to connect.
Choose one of the Wi-Fi networks shown on the Android TV screen
Step 3. Enter the password and proceed to get Internet signal. An alternative to remote control is to use the Android TV app, which allows you to type more comfortably on your phone's keypad.
Enter Wi-Fi password on Android TV
How to connect via WPS
The WPS mechanism does not provide much security for the user, but is still an alternative for direct connection between a device and a router.
Step 1. If your home router offers the feature, access the option in the general Android TV Wi-Fi settings.
Select the WPS option to connect to Wi-Fi without a password on Android TV
Step 2. Enter the PIN shown on the screen on the router and wait for the automatic connection. In these situations, you can connect to Wi-Fi without a password.
Enter the Android TV PIN on your router to connect to the Internet without a password
Connecting to a Hidden Network
In the "Add new network" option, you can enter the name (SSID) of a Wi-Fi network that does not appear in the list of available connections on the home screen. This occurs when the network administrator prevents the name from being publicly displayed to prevent intruders.
Option lets you add hidden network on Android TV
Disconnecting and Removing a Network
Access the connected network in the settings and select "Forget Network" to disconnect from Wi-Fi at once and avoid automatically connecting later. The function is useful if you have typed the wrong password or are using a weak connection and want to switch to a closer one or with a stronger signal.
Forget a network to automatically disconnect and reconnect on Android TV
Disabling Wi-Fi
On the first screen of the Wi-Fi settings, Android TV shows the connection status below "Wi-Fi". Access this option to find the "Disable" item. When you go forward, the system turns off the wireless antenna of the device and prevents it from going online.
Click on Wi-Fi to disconnect the wireless antenna of the device with Android TV
How to discover IP, MAC address and signal strength
Step 1. Select the Wi-Fi network already connected and click on the "Status information" option.
Access more information from a connected Wi-Fi network
Step 2. Android TV will display the IP number of your TV or media center on the network, the MAC address of the device, and a signal quality assessment at one time. This last bit is important to know if a slow upload of videos is caused by weak Wi-Fi.
See IP, MAC Address and signal strength on Android TV
How to Configure Proxy and Static IP
Step 1. Access the advanced settings of the network already connected (ie with the password already entered, even if there is no Internet yet) and choose "Advanced options".
Access the advanced options of a Wi-Fi network already connected on Android TV
Step 2. Access the proxy settings to enter a domain name and address to use Android TV on a corporate network.
Set up a connection using proxy server data on Android TV
Step 3. In the "IP Settings" option, in the same section, you can configure a static IP for Android TV. Again, it is a useful setting for using the device in an institution network with an Internet server.
Assign a static IP to your device with Android TV
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