Televisions with Wi-Fi and Smart TV have not surprised anyone for a long time. Since progress does not stand still, something new appears almost daily, and things that are already familiar to everyone are being improved. This happened with the TV, which is experiencing a rebirth. New models are constantly appearing in which wireless technologies work very well.
TVs with Wi-Fi
With the advent of the Internet at home, and at a good speed, the younger generation has moved to computers, laptops and tablets. A few years ago, televisions appeared first with a LAN connector, and later a Wi-Fi adapter (first external as a function, and then built-in). At the same time, developers have added multimedia capabilities to TVs - the ability to connect to the Internet, integration into the home network, built-in video player and social networking clients. Later, the entire package of software was reduced to a relatively general form and was called Smart TV.
In fact, the user now receives a computer system in the format of a flat TV. In addition, some manufacturers of Wi-Fi LCD TVs use the Android and Linux operating systems as their main Smart platform.
A new level of TVs
The functionality of modern TVs for demonstrating video and photos directly from a variety of gadgets on the screen is gaining more and more popularity among users. And with Wi-Fi, you can easily turn your TV into a wireless monitor for your smartphone or tablet.
This article will discuss how to connect and configure a TV with Wi-Fi to the Internet. If you purchased a Smart TV TV, then, of course, you just need to connect it to the wireless Internet, although any similar model can be connected using a network cable (via a router or directly from the provider). If you do not have the opportunity to lay a network cable or just do not want to do this, then you can connect the TV via Wi-Fi to the router. To do this, the TV must have built-in Wi-Fi or you must purchase a proprietary special receiver. It connects through the USB port of the TV. A simple Wi-Fi receiver will not work, you need a brand one. Therefore, if you only plan to buy a TV and intend to connect it to the Internet using wireless technology, then immediately purchase a model that has Wi-Fi built-in. Be sure to carefully study the characteristics and better - on the official website.
The principle of TV with Wi-Fi
With the well-known Wi-Fi technology that allows you to connect to the Internet wirelessly through specialized equipment, the user will be able to keep up with the times, and also not to get confused in the wires. Televisions with wireless technology are deservedly one of the most popular options for such devices. Wi-Fi LED TV models fall into two categories:
- the first category includes TVs with the ability to connect to Wi-Fi via a special USB port, which is designed for standard installation of a Wi-Fi adapter;
- the second includes an option with a built-in Wi-Fi module. Such models are configured through the main router of a standard modem. But they also have their drawbacks, the main of which is too high a price.
Of course, it is worth remembering that the capabilities of a standard HDMI TV with Wi-Fi and Internet connection will be significantly more limited compared to a personal computer, but nonetheless:
- by connecting to a TV headset with a microphone and a webcam, you can make video calls on Skype;
- You can easily watch your favorite shows and movies directly on your TV without having to download and copy them to a USB flash drive in advance;
- You can also go to a specific list of sites, including social networks and special media services.
Available Connection Options
In fact, setting up and connecting a “smart” TV with Wi-Fi is not so difficult - just decide on the method that suits you. To get started, create a home group of devices that support Wi-Fi. Then the TV will need to be connected to it.
Consider the two most common connection methods - a laptop that is used as a home access point, or router. In order to avoid problems with the Internet during operation, a laptop or a configured router must be connected to the network in advance.
Tip: regardless of the manufacturer and model of the TV, they are all connected according to the same principle.
Using a router
To connect in this way, you will need a TV with built-in Wi-Fi function, as well as a standard router that you use:
- First connect your device to the Internet and then set up your router.
- Turning on the TV and entering the settings menu, you need to configure the connection separately - find the “Network” option and select the type of wireless connection. Information is automatically sent to the device thanks to the DHCP option that each embedded router is equipped with. That is, he is able to independently set the IP address of each device that connects to it additionally.
- Next, select "Network Settings" from the menu and, following the on-screen prompts, complete the connection process.
- Having completed all the manipulations with the settings, you can view the entire list of available Wi-Fi connections. You need to connect to one of them (it must be a router).
Thanks to the WPS option built into modern TVs and routers, setup is minimized. It allows you to connect the router to a TV and significantly simplifies the entire setup process for any user. In this case, the TV will independently begin to search for all possible connections and establish a connection automatically.
Via laptop
If you want to know about connecting a TV with USB and Wi-Fi to a wireless network, but you don’t have a router for these purposes, there is another option - connect via a laptop. To do this, you will need to carry out the procedure for creating a direct type of communication between the TV and laptop. This is very true for those who plan to play any content downloaded to a computer on a TV screen. When the laptop has an additional Internet connection, it can easily be used to access the network directly from the TV screen.
First of all, we create an access point on the laptop. This procedure is quite simple to implement, since a wireless module is already integrated in the laptop, as in a router. The personal computer firmware is much more stable than third-party applications. To create your own group for a wireless connection, follow these steps:
- turn on the laptop and through the "Start" enter the command line;
- write the following code netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode = allow ssid = My_virtual_WiFi key = 12345678 keyUsage = persistent (be sure to strictly monitor the sequence and sequence of characters);
- after pressing the “Enter” key and launching the command, the computer will automatically download the necessary driver;
- start a network connection through the netsh wlan start hostednetwork command.
As an example, we’ll talk about some of the most popular models of LCD TVs with wireless capabilities.
32-inch TV with Wi-Fi
The compact entry-level LG 32LJ610V has advanced communications capabilities. In addition to the affordable price, as a distinguishing feature of this model, many note the wide functionality of the LG Smart TV platform, which has control of the latest WebOS 3.5 operating system. It also includes a CI slot, a media player, an image scaling function and Time Shift. 32-inch IPS-screen serves high-quality visual purposes and supports a resolution of 1920 × 1080. Ergonomics and design are determined by compatibility with the VESA 200x200 wall bracket.
Philips 32PFT4132
The compact 32-inch Wi-Fi TV is equipped with the widest multimedia capabilities and is designed to watch both digital and analog television broadcasts. In its arsenal, the model has a tuner with support for analog standards SECAM, NTSC, PAL, as well as digital standards DVB-C, DVB-T / T2. The contents of external USB-drives can be reproduced by the built-in media player, and the HDMI connector is able to turn the Philips 32PFT4132 into a monitor for third-party image sources. This was made possible thanks to a 32-inch LCD-screen with backlight and a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels.
Budget smart TV
Saturn LED32HD900UST2 perfectly serves to meet the basic needs of modern users. The model is noteworthy and popular in the market, primarily due to its affordable price, combined with the functionality of the Smart TV platform running Android OS. The compact and attractive TV case is mounted on a convenient stand, and the 32-inch screen with LED backlight directly forms the picture.