Smart TV Slow on Wi-Fi While the Phone Next to It Is Fine

The situation is nearly always the same: TV and phone in the same room, on the same Wi-Fi, but video on the TV buffers while the phone streams fine. A speed test on the phone shows good numbers, and you conclude the internet isn't the problem. That conclusion is right. The problem is the TV, and there are clear reasons.

Why a TV differs from a phone

• The antenna is poor. A TV's Wi-Fi antenna is enclosed in a metal chassis, often at the back against the wall or stand. Your phone holds its antenna in open air.
• The Wi-Fi chip is older and cheaper. TVs are built to last 7–10 years, and the Wi-Fi part isn't where manufacturers spend money. Many TVs below the top tier have a single antenna (1x1), half what a mid-range phone has.
• The processor is slow. Streaming apps on a TV run on a far weaker processor than a phone. Apps that take ages to open or stutter through menus are often nothing to do with internet at all.
• It needs a steady stream, not a fast one. 4K video needs around 25 Mbps without interruption. A phone loading a web page doesn't care if the signal dips for a second; video buffers immediately.

Six steps, from the easiest

1. Connect with a LAN cable

This is the surest fix, and almost every Smart TV has a LAN port on the back. One cable from the router or a switch to the TV removes the entire antenna problem. If the router is in the same room, there's no reason not to. If it's in another room, consider powerline or alternatives.

2. Make sure the TV is on 5 GHz, or move it to 2.4 GHz

If the router uses two Wi-Fi names, connect the TV to the 5 GHz one when the router is in the same room: faster and less interference. If the router is in another room and 5 GHz is weak, move it to 2.4 GHz instead, which gets through walls better, HD video only needs 5–8 Mbps. If the router uses one name for both bands, see the band steering guide to split them.

3. Move the router, or move the TV a few centimetres

The TV's antenna is at the back. A TV pressed flat against a concrete wall, or surrounded by metal shelving and speakers, loses a lot of signal. Pulling the TV five centimetres off the wall, or moving the router from the floor to a table-height shelf with line of sight to the TV, often makes a surprising difference. General guidance in placing your router.

4. Update the TV and its apps, then restart

Streaming apps on an old TV build up cache over years. Open the TV settings, run a system update, update the apps from the TV's app store, clear the streaming app's cache (on Android TV: Settings → Apps → choose the app → Clear cache), then unplug the TV from power for a minute. A TV that's never truly turned off, only on standby, can run for months without a restart.

5. Change the DNS on the TV

Some streaming services are slow to start video because the provider's DNS is slow to answer. Set the DNS in the TV's network settings to a public DNS, how and the trade-offs are in the guide to changing DNS. This fixes "slow to start", not "buffering mid-way".

6. If the TV is old: use a streaming box

TVs over four years old often no longer receive app updates, and their Wi-Fi chip is two generations behind. A streaming box, Chromecast, Android TV box, Apple TV, plugs into an HDMI port and takes over all the app and Wi-Fi work with new hardware. The TV is just a screen. It's often cheaper than replacing the router, and the improvement is more noticeable.

If every TV and other devices buffer too

If it's not only the TV, the cause is in the network, not the TV. See streaming buffering despite a fast speed test for the more general problem, and internet slow at certain hours if it only buffers in the evening.

A TV has a poor antenna, a cheap Wi-Fi chip, and a slow processor, it's no surprise it loses to a phone. A LAN cable solves almost all of it; if that's not possible, pick the right band, adjust position, update and restart, change DNS, and for an old TV add a streaming box.

Frequently asked questions