How To Connect a Smart TV to a Mobile Hotspot? With 6 Troubleshooting Tips

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In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to successfully connect your smart TV to a mobile hotspot, using devices like the iPhone 13 and Samsung Galaxy A71. 

Additionally, we’ll provide essential troubleshooting tips to help you overcome common connectivity issues. Whether you’re looking to stream on a Sony, Samsung, or TCL TV, this guide has got you covered.

How to Connect Smart TV to a Mobile Hotspot?

Connecting your smart TV to a mobile hotspot can expand your streaming options, especially when traditional Wi-Fi isn’t available. 

I’ve put together a guide using an iPhone 13  Pro and a Samsung Galaxy A71, demonstrating how to connect these devices to a Sony TV KD-43X75K. 

This method has also been successfully tested with other TV brands, including Samsung and TCL.

For iPhone

Step 1: Activate Your Hotspot. Go to Settings → Cellular and turn on Cellular Data. Then, enable the hotspot feature.

Step 2: Turn on your TV and access the Wi-Fi settings. Search for your iPhone’s hotspot name, select it, and enter the password shown on your iPhone to connect.

Note: To change your iPhone’s hotspot name, navigate to Settings → General → About, where you can enter a preferred name.

For Android (Samsung)

Connecting your Samsung phone’s mobile hotspot to your Smart TV is straightforward. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Start by enabling your mobile data. This option is typically found in ‘Settings’ or can be accessed by swiping down from the top of your phone’s screen.

Step 2: Activate the Mobile Hotspot.

Step 3: Configure Hotspot Settings. Press and hold the mobile hotspot icon in the quick menu. This action will bring up the settings where you can set up your hotspot’s name and password. Choose a name and password that you’ll easily remember but is secure enough to prevent unauthorized access.

Step 4: Power on your Smart TV and navigate to its Wi-Fi settings. Look through the list of available networks for the name of your phone’s hotspot. Select it, then enter the password you created to connect your TV to the mobile hotspot.

Result

After following the steps outlined above, I’ve successfully tested and confirmed the mobile hotspot connection on various TV models. 

Below are the outcomes of these tests:

Alternative For Streaming From Phone

For those who want to enjoy streaming platform content on their TV while using a mobile hotspot, there’s a convenient alternative that bypasses the need to connect the smart TV directly to the hotspot: casting directly from your phone to the TV.

For iOS Users

iOS device owners can utilize the Lightning to HDMI adapter for a straightforward connection. 

Last update on 2024-11-21 / Paid Link.

This adapter allows you to mirror your iPhone’s screen on your TV, making it perfect for streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. 

For a comprehensive guide on how to set up a Lightning to HDMI connection, including step-by-step instructions, be sure to check out our detailed article on this topic.

For Android Users

For Android users with USB-C or Micro USB ports, we also have a guide that explains how to connect your phone to a TV using an adapter for direct streaming.

This method is equally effective for streaming content from your phone to your TV. 

Our guide offers clear instructions on how to establish this connection, ensuring you can enjoy your favorite shows and movies with ease.

Troubleshooting: Why Won’t My TV Connect to My Mobile Hotspot?

If you’re facing difficulties getting your TV to connect to your mobile hotspot, here are six troubleshooting tips that might resolve the issue:

Your TV is Not Supported for 5GHz Connection (Samsung phone)

Many TVs are only compatible with the 2.4GHz wireless frequency. If you’re using a dual-band phone like the Samsung A71, which can toggle between 2.4GHz and 5GHz, make sure to set it to 2.4GHz when connecting to a TV that doesn’t support 5GHz. 

This simple adjustment has helped several users in the Samsung community to successfully reconnect their TVs to mobile hotspots.

Reset Your Phone & TV Network Settings

Sometimes, the connection problem can be resolved by refreshing the network settings on both your phone and TV. Start by ‘forgetting‘ the hotspot network in your TV’s Wi-Fi settings. 

Then, reset the mobile hotspot sharing on your phone and attempt to reconnect. This ‘reset and reconnect’ method can often clear up any lingering connectivity issues.

The Cellular Signal is Weak 

Your phone’s cellular signal may be too weak to support your hotspot.

One symptom of a weak cellular signal can be a Connected, No Internet message in your TV’s network settings since although your TV has joined the hotspot, it cannot use its network. 

You may even find that your phone’s hotspot cannot be enabled if its cellular signal is weak.

It’s also a good idea to check your phone’s signal bar found in the top-left corner of the screen. 

If there are only one or two of them, or a No Signal message there, your phone’s signal could be too weak to support a hotspot. 

Before you start searching for a better signal, try restarting your phone. This will help to reestablish a connection with the cell tower. 

Bear in mind that you must remain close enough to your TV for it to discover and connect to your device’s hotspot. 

Severe weather conditions such as rain and snow storms can also hinder cell signals, so if you’re in the middle of a nasty storm you may have to wait until it’s subsided before you can use your hotspot. 

Your Data Plan has Finished

If you have a limited data plan, it’s possible that your data allowance has finished. Hotspots can quickly drain your cell data, especially if you’re using them to stream high-definition content over long periods. 

Many phone carriers offer apps that allow you to track how much of your monthly data plan you’ve used. Others have toll-free phone numbers you can call that will play a message summarizing your data plan usage. 

So, if possible, check how much of your data allowance is left. 

Bear in mind that you will not be able to access the internet if you’ve used up all of your data. 

Tip: To minimize your TV’s data usage, try reducing the screen’s maximum resolution. If you’re unsure of how to do this on your TV, consult its user manual or customer care for additional guidance. 

Contact Customer Support

If you’ve just pulled your new TV out of the box and are finding that it will not connect to any internet signal, the device’s network settings may be faulty. 

Contact the manufacturer’s customer support and let them know the ways you’ve tried to connect your TV to the internet and the results. 

Make sure to have your TV’s model number and warranty policy handy. 

Your Smart TV Does Not Support Hotspots

Some older smart TVs may not support hotspots. 

Users in a 2013 Microsoft forum found this to be true when many of them could not connect their smart TVs to their laptop hotspots. When they reached out to Samsung Support, they were told that Samsung smart TVs do not support hotspot connections. 

It should be said that this forum is almost a decade old, so newer Samsung smart TVs may support hotspot connections. 

However, if you own an older smart TV model, you may want to reach out to the manufacturer’s customer care to verify if your TV can connect to mobile hotspots. 

Please ensure you have tried all of the above solutions before considering this option, as it’s not uncommon for hotspots to malfunction. 

Best of luck! 

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