Skip to content 
Gone are the days when people were stuck in old ways. The entire globe has gone digital, and television has not been left behind in this debacle. The truth is the television world has remodelled and transformed into an enthusiastic entertainment experience. It has gradually flowered into a multimedia experience that offers viewers unlimited potential to stream content and access to the internet. This is probably why fewer people are subscribing to cable or satellite TV services.
That aside, there are always some challenges that come with using the internet. The most common issue is usually slow internet, leading to buffering or unstable connections on a Samsung TV. This can be quite frustrating and annoying, especially when you had planned to spend the day or night streaming your favorite movies or series. What is the solution to this problem? How do you fix slow internet on a Samsung TV? Well, we have all the information you are looking for right here. Donโt throw away that bag of snacks just yet.
Table of Contents
Slow Internet On Samsung smart TV? Do This!
Samsung smart televisions are designed to offer the best of both worlds, that is, incredible TV features and a list of apps for live streaming, videos, and so on. If you need to browse the web, you can also do that using your Samsung smart TV. But how does this happen?
Your Samsung smart TV connects to the internet through the broadband router and the wired Ethernet or a wifi network and access online content. This way, you can stream shows or movies on Netflix, HBO, or any other streaming platform as long as the specific apps are installed on it. The problem comes when the internet is slow. Slow internet gets in the way of smooth and seamless streaming experience. Here are easy and simple ways to fix slow internet on your Samsung TV.
Perform a speed test
Running a speed test is usually the first step in troubleshooting slow internet on any device, including smart TVs. Therefore, before anything else, you should run a speed test on the Samsung TV to get an idea of the actual internet speeds. This is pretty simple since almost all smart televisions have a webs browser. The below steps will be useful in triumphantly performing the speed test;
- Find the internet browser on your Samsung TV
- In the search bar, write speed test and proceed to click search
- Go to the โbegin test optionโ and then press the enter key on your remote control to start the test
- Perform both upload and download test to check the internet speeds
In case you find out the internet speeds are slow, it might help to contact the service providerโs support station and report the issue. The customer support will check on their end, rectify any problems with the internet or provide a better connection.
Try a wired connection.
This is another notable means of fixing slow internet on devices such as smart TVs. Sometimes, the performance of the internet in your home is just fine. But, you still find that the Samsung TV is experiencing unstable connections and buffering. This leaves people wondering what the problem could be since the internet speeds are fine. Well, the root cause may lie within your wireless connection.
Typically, wireless connections are prone to signal obstructions even from other home devices like microwaves and washing machines. This often results in slow internet when, in the real sense, the signals are fine. This is where the wired connection comes into play. You can use an Ethernet cable to connect your Samsung to a wifi device or router. If internet connections on the TV improve, then the culprit is surely the wireless connection.
Is the software version updated?
If your smart TV has internet connectivity issues, confirm itโs using the latest firmware and an updated version. Itโs easy to overlook such things or forget, but ultimately, they tend to affect how smart TVs perform when connected to the internet. Updating your Samsung smart TV software is a simple process that will only take a few minutes of your time. Keep in mind; the latest version always has a better capability to catch the internet signals.
Just search the latest version and download it. Extract the downloaded file and save it on an empty USB. Donโt forget to remove any unnecessary symbols and numbers that came with it while downloading. After that, connect the USB to your Samsung smart TV and press the menu button on the remote. It will give you an option for the software upgrade, select it, and choose to do so by USB from the provided list. Click on โokโ to update. Once the update is completed, connect the smart TV to wifi and see if the problem persists.
Range check
The Samsung TV should be within a reasonable range of the router to seamlessly connect to the internet and acquire the best speeds. Therefore, a longer distance between the router and your Samsung TV might cause a slow internet issue. Generally, in most homes, the router can be up to 30 feet away from the users or internet devices. Anything further than that may not be ideal for the kind of connection you want.
If youโre experiencing slow internet on your Samsung TV because itโs far from the router, there is one thing you can do to fix it. Move your router and Samsung TV into the same room to make the connection stronger. Also, there might be other devices interfering with the signal strength, such as cordless phones. Move them away from the router.
Improve the routerโs reception range using a wifi extender
While you can move the router and smart television into the same room, thatโs not always possible, especially in a huge home. That said, there is a solution to each problem, and in this case, a wifi extender can greatly help. A wifi extender will boost the routers wireless coverage to your entire home and ensure stable internet connections on all devices. If the router is far away from your Samsung TV, a wifi extender will ensure strong enough signal strength for a smooth streaming experience.
Turn off the TV / Restart TV
First and foremost, turn off your smart TV function and instead let your TV run for about 10 minutes normally. Afterward, they directly unplug the socketโs power cable instead of turning the TV off using the remote. Please wait for a while before turning it back on. If needed, type in the wifi username and password and then confirm whether itโs perfectly connected or not.
Contact Samsung customer service.
If all else fails, the last resort is to contact Samsung customer service to troubleshoot and solve the problem. The customer service will check for issues and fix the problem on their end. If the issue is fixed, your Samsung TV should automatically turn off and then on and reset. After that, try connecting to the internet to confirm everything is okay.
Why is my Samsung TV buffering when watching videos or streaming?
More often than not, buffering has something to do with the speeds of your internet. Slow speeds will surely result in buffering or the ever-annoying pauses when someone is watching video content on the internet. Buffering occurs when the internet connection provided by an ISP cant supply data fast enough to the playback device. But what is the cause of buffering, and how do you troubleshoot the main issue?
Like I said earlier, buffering is mainly caused by slow internet speeds. This means that any of the ideas provided above will help to get rid of the buffering problem on your smart TV. Furthermore, the people who are using a wireless connection and have an option to choose between 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz should go for the latter. 5GHz provides a wider range, especially if your Samsung smart TV is far from the router.
Subsequently, internet speeds may be reduced during peak hours when there is increased online traffic. Are you using a shared type of connection? If yes, then there is a high chance the download speeds drop at certain times of the day, which are considered to be peak hours. It might help if you stream or watch videos after peak hours. After all, you wonโt be sharing bandwidth with thousands of people.
How to stop buffering on Samsung TV?
I know the feeling. It has been a busy week, and all you want to do is curl up on the couch and watch all the shows and movies you like. But your streaming keeps on getting interrupted, and itโs now giving you a headache. If you are a victim of buffering problems, here is how to ensure continuous streaming with little hitches.
Close other applications and programs
If many other applications and programs are running in the background, your smart television might fail to stream seamlessly. The mistake many of us make is believing the open apps running silently in the background will not harm. Actually, they might be consuming a lot of bandwidth and slowing down the connection on your smart TV. The ultimate result is buffering. For optimal performance, close any app that might be running in the background and restart your television.
Reduce the video quality
Itโs not all of us who will be happy and comfortable with reducing the video quality on our smart televisions, but it can actually help get rid of the buffering problem. When the internet speeds are slow, reduce the video quality for a better streaming experience. A bigger video file will certainly take longer to get transmitted onto the TV. On the other hand, when the file is smaller, it takes only half the time. It wonโt hurt to watch your favorite show on Netflix at a lower resolution but avoid the interruptions. Besides, many of the streaming platforms have an option for changing the video resolution.
Pause the stream for a few minutes
If buffering keeps occurring and interrupting your stream, pause and take a break for a few moments. This will allow the video plenty of time to build up a larger buffer. When you resume playing the video, you will have fewer interruptions.
Disconnect other devices
For an optimal streaming experience, free up bandwidth whenever possible. Too many connected wifi devices tend to use up more bandwidth and hence slow the internet. If you have multiple devices connected on the internet such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, remove the ones that are not in use from the wifi networks. This might help to get the internet speeds back on track.
Frequently asked questions
How can I speed up my smart TV wifi?
While we all know that wifi is among the most convenient ways of staying connected to the internet, signal challenges are sometimes inevitable. With that said, there are ways to make your wifi signals stronger. For starters, you can reboot the modem and router to eliminate the issue. Secondly, ensure your router is positioned correctly. If itโs far away from your smart TV, thatโs probably why your wifi signal is weak.
Why is my Samsung smart TV web browser so slow?
Samsung TV will have better performance when there minimum distance between the TV and wireless router. Therefore, ensure you keep that at the back of your mind.
What is the best internet speed for a smart TV?
The minimum download speeds to watch a single video stream in standard definition is 3mbps. HD streaming requires at least 5mbps and 25 Mbps for 4k streaming or ultra HD.
Conclusion
The internet connection of your Samsung TV will be fast and reliable if you follow the above-provided solutions. Every issue has a solution, and when nothing works, contact Samsung customer support or seek professional help.
