11 Ways To Fix A Sony TV That Won’t Connect To WiFi (2023)

Your friends are coming over to watch the season finale of your group’s favorite show…

Popcorn, drinks, cozy throw pillows.

Everything’s ready…

Well, everything except the Wi-Fi on my Sony TV.

But not to worry…

The mystery of the night is reserved for the show…

Because I know just how to fix my TV’s internet.

Keep reading to discover:

• 11 easy ways to fix a Sony TV that won’t connect to Wi-Fi.
• How to quickly perform network diagnostics on your Sony TV.
• Which router settings can cause loss of internet service on your Sony.
• And so much more…

Why won’t my Sony TV connect to WiFi?

Your Sony TV can’t connect to Wi-Fi because of wrong time settings or stuck glitches on your system. Outdated firmware, DNS servers, or interferences could also cause this issue. Router settings like the connection limit and bands also stop your TV from using Wi-Fi.

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Sony TV won’t connect to Wifi: 11 ways to fix it

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#1: Power cycle your Sony TV

If your Sony can’t connect to a wireless network…

There could be a glitch or an error in the system preventing it from doing so.

The fix for this?

Simple. Power cycle your TV.

This restart method ensures no charges are left on your TV…

Thus, allowing it to reset any stuck processes that may be causing the internal glitch.

And, what’s more…

It wouldn’t take you more than a minute to power cycle your TV:

1. Turn your TV off.
2. Unplug it from the socket.
3. Wait for 30 seconds.
4. Plug it back on.
5. Turn it on.

#2: Fix your date & time settings

Sometimes, the problem is the settings on your TV…

But not always the 1 that you expect.

For example…

Do you know that your time settings could prevent your TV from connecting to Wi-Fi?

Yes, it can. How?

You see, most online services check your time to prevent any errors on their system.

If your time isn’t correct…

All sorts of network glitches can ensue.

And 1 of those network glitches is your TV not connecting to Wi-Fi.

Now that you understand that…

Let’s go and fix it, shall we?

To fix your date and time settings:

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Go to the Settings Page.
3. Head to System Preferences.
4. Under Date & Time, tap Time.
5. Select Set Time Zone.
6. Choose your city or region from the dropdown list.

#3: Perform a network diagnosis

I’ve always been amazed at how far technology has come…

Especially when it comes to smart TVs.

To demonstrate this…

Do you know that when your Sony’s having network problems, the TV itself can tell you what’s wrong?

Sounds great, right?

This process is called a network diagnosis. And here’s how to start it:

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Go to the Settings page.
3. Under Network, head to Advanced.
4. Select Network Status.
5. Tap Check Connection.

#4: Check for firmware updates

Let’s say you have a Sony TV that’s not working correctly…

Maybe it won’t open certain apps, or it has no sound…

Or maybe it can’t connect to Wi-Fi.

What’s one of the first things that you check?

Firmware updates.

And the reason?

Manufacturers, like Sony, regularly roll out updates to patch errors on their TVs.

Not only that, but they also release updates if the previous one was full of glitches.

To update your TV, you have 2 options:

Through the Settings menu

For Sony Google TVs

1. Press the Quick Settings button on your remote.
2. Go to the Settings menu.
3. Under System, head to About.
4. Tap System Software Update.
5. Select Software Update to confirm.

For Sony Android TVs

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Head to Help.
3. Under System & Diagnostics, go to System Software Update.
4. Select Software Update to confirm.

For other models

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Tap Help (or the ? button).
3. Under Customer Support, go to Software Update.
4. Select Network.
5. Press Yes or OK to confirm the update.

With a flash drive

For this method, you’ll need a flash drive that:

• Has at least 2 Gb of free space.
• Formatted to FAT16, FAT32, exFAT, or NTFS.

Have one in your hand? Perfect.

Now, all you have to do is:

1. Go to Sony’s download page.
2. Enter your TV model.
3. Download the latest firmware.
4. Copy and extract the file to your flash drive.

The next step depends on which TV you have and its smart platform…

For Sony Google TVs

1. Insert the flash drive while the TV is off.
2. Open your Sony. A prompt should appear on your screen.
3. Follow the on-screen directions to complete your update.

For Sony Android TVs

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Insert the flash drive to your TV.
3. Go to the Settings menu.
4. Head to Device Preferences.
5. Under About, press System Update.

#5: Change your DNS server

Do you know what DNS is?

If you don’t, that’s okay.

Allow me to explain…

DNS stands for Domain Name System.

Google refers to it as the “phonebook of the internet,” but I like to think of it as a dictionary.

You see, networks and people have 2 completely different languages.

To break through this language barrier, companies started developing DNS servers.

These servers act as a translator for humans to computers and vice-versa.

The trouble?

DNS servers aren’t immune to downtimes.

And, when they’re offline, there’s a chance that your Sony TV can’t connect to any Wi-Fi network.

So, what Google did was develop their DNS server that’s:

• Faster.
• Reliable.
• Always on.
• More secure.

Now that you understand what DNS servers do…

Let me teach you how to switch servers for Sony TVs:

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Under Settings, go to the Network page.
3. Head to Network Settings or Set-up.
4. Select Custom or Expert.
5. Tap Wireless Set-up.
6. Press Manual IP Settings.
7. Change Primary DNS to 8.8.8.8.
8. Change Secondary DNS to 8.8.4.4.

You may also be interested in: 7 Ways To Fix Sony TV Connected To WiFi But No Internet

#6: Edit router settings

So, you’ve tried every possible setting change on your TV…

And still, nothing works.

Then it’s possible that the problem isn’t with your TV’s network settings…

But on the router itself.

And the usual suspects are:

• The frequency band.
• The maximum connection limit.

Let me walk you through both of them.

But, first, let’s discuss how to access your router settings.

Router interface

You’ll need to go to your network interface to access your router settings:

1. Get a laptop and open Command Prompt.
2. Type and enter “ipconfig/all.”
3. Copy and paste the digits under Default Gateway to the address bar on your browser.
4. Enter your username and password.

And done. Quick, right?

Now you can edit your router settings.

Frequency band

The 2 most commonly used frequency bands nowadays are the 2.4 and 5.0 GHz.

Between the 2 of them, I prefer 5.0 GHz.

Why?

Because it’s faster.

However, speed is only half of the story here.

You see, 2.4 GHz is not only more reliable, but it’s also more secure.

That’s why you need to switch from 5.0 GHz to 2.4 GHz.

And here’s how:

1. Head to Advanced Settings.
2. Go to Wireless. 
3. Press Wireless Signal.
4. Disable Channel Optimization.
5. Enable 2.4 GHz, then disable 5.0 GHz.

Note: This is for Netgear routers only. That said, most routers have similar paths, so you can still follow along.

Connection limit

Count how many devices in your home use the same Wi-Fi service.

If you can’t count the number on both your hands then…

Chances are, you’ve hit your connection limit.

But, you can always remove the limit. Simply follow these 4 easy steps:

1. Go to Wireless.
2. Head to Wi-Fi Options.
3. Select Max Wi-Fi.
4. Switch it to a large number.

#7: Remove all possible interference

Maybe it’s not your router and your TV…

But the objects around it.

How so?

Certain everyday objects are known to block Wi-Fi signals.

In fact, Sony created this table of possible signal blockers and how potent they are:

Object	Interference level
Wood	Low
Plaster	Low
Synthetics	Low
Glass	Low to Medium
Water	Medium
Brick	Medium
Marble	Medium
Concrete	High
Metal	Very High

Adding to that, Wi-Fi signals are already too thin…

That other objects emitting signals can interfere with its signal. Some of these are:

• Radios.
• Microwaves.
• Baby monitors.
• Other people’s Wi-Fi.

To fix this, remove what you can…

Or, better yet, move your router closer to your TV.

#8: Switch to a wired connection

When wireless connection just doesn’t work…

Consider using a wired one instead.

In other words…

Get an ethernet cable.

After all, an ethernet connection is:

• Faster.
• More secure.
• More reliable.

But, don’t just buy the first ethernet cable you see online.

Instead, use this table as a guide on which cable best suits your needs:

Cable	Maximum Speed	Maximum Length
Cat 3	10 Mbps	No information
Cat 5	100 Mbps	No information
Cat 5e	1 Gbps	No information
Cat 6	10 Gbps	55 meters
Cat 6a	10 Gbps	55 meters
Cat 7	100 Gbps	15 meters
Cat 7a	100 Gbps	15 meters
Cat 8	40 Gbps (on 2000 MHz)	30 meters

#9: Purchase a streaming device

What do you need for Sony TV for?

Me? I mainly use it for watching streaming services like Netflix or YouTube.

And if that’s true for you as well…

Then, you can fix your internet problems by getting a streaming device.

Now, you might ask:

“Peter, isn’t that a waste of money? 

Why would I need a streaming device when I have all I need on my Sony smart TV?”

I disagree.

You see, streaming devices have some advantages over smart TVs, like:

• Faster processors.
• Wider range of apps.
• A minimalist interface.
• It’s more frequently updated.

Does any of that convince you?

If so, here are my personal recommendations for your streaming device purchase:

• Apple TV.
• Nvidia Shield TV.
• Amazon Fire TV Cube.
• Roku Streaming Stick 4K.
• Chromecast with Google TV.

#10: Reset to factory settings

So, your Sony TV still can’t connect to the Wi-Fi, huh?

Maybe it’s time to pull the plug…

On your TV’s data.

Why?

Because the last resort for any device with software glitches is a factory reset.

And this is how you can do just that:

1. Press the Home button on your remote.
2. Go to the Settings menu.
3. Head to System.
4. Under About, tap Factory Data Reset.
5. Press Erase Everything.
6. Select Yes to confirm.

Now, each Sony TV model is different.

That’s why those directions may not be applicable to your TV.

Instead, follow these:

• Storage & Reset > Factory Data Reset > Erase Everything > Yes.
• Device Preferences > Reset > Factory Data Reset > Erase Everything > Yes.

If you need visual instructions on how to do this, refer to this video:

#11: Approach Sony for assistance

Face the truth:

There are things in life that you can’t solve on your own.

The good news?

You don’t have to.

So, if you still can’t get your Wi-Fi to work on a Sony TV…

Get in touch with Sony themselves for assistance.