How to Fix WiFi Not Working on an LG Smart TV: Reconnection, DNS, and webOS Network Reset Fixes

An LG Smart TV that loses its WiFi connection can’t stream Netflix, run YouTube, or receive webOS software updates. The problem usually has a simple cause — a stale IP address, a wrong DNS server, a firmware bug, or a router setting the TV doesn’t like. This guide walks through every fix in order from quickest to most thorough, covering all current webOS versions (webOS 22 through webOS 25).

Step 1: Power Cycle the TV and Router

A simple restart clears stale DHCP leases and temporary software faults on both ends. Do this before anything else:

1. Turn off the LG TV and unplug it from the wall. Wait 60 seconds.
2. Unplug your router (and modem if separate) from power. Wait 30 seconds.
3. Plug the modem back in first and wait for it to fully sync (all lights steady), then plug the router back in.
4. Once the router is ready, plug the TV back in and turn it on.

This resolves the problem in a large share of cases. If the TV reconnects automatically, you’re done. If not, continue below.

Step 2: Toggle WiFi Off and Reconnect

If the TV shows your network but won’t connect, manually toggling WiFi forces a clean reconnection attempt:

1. Press the Settings button on your LG remote (the gear icon).
2. Go to All Settings › Network › Wi-Fi Connection.
3. Toggle WiFi off, wait 10 seconds, then toggle it back on.
4. Select your network from the list and re-enter the password carefully — WiFi passwords are case-sensitive.

If your network doesn’t appear in the list, check that your router is broadcasting on the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band (not only 6 GHz, which older LG TVs cannot use) and that the SSID is not hidden.

Step 3: Change the DNS Server

A misconfigured or slow DNS server is one of the most common reasons an LG TV shows “connected” but can’t actually reach the internet or load apps. Switching to Google’s public DNS (8.8.8.8) almost always fixes this:

1. Go to Settings › Network › Wi-Fi Connection.
2. Select Advanced Wi-Fi Settings (or “Edit” next to your current connection).
3. Uncheck Set Automatically under DNS Server.
4. Enter 8.8.8.8 as the primary DNS. Optionally set 8.8.4.4 as secondary.
5. Save and reconnect.

Cloudflare’s DNS (1.1.1.1) is an equally good alternative and is often faster. After changing DNS, open an app like Netflix to confirm the fix worked.

Step 4: Disable Quick Start+

LG’s Quick Start+ feature keeps the TV in a low-power state instead of fully powering off. On some webOS versions this causes the TV to fail to re-establish a WiFi connection after entering standby because it skips the normal network negotiation sequence.

1. Go to Settings › All Settings › General › Quick Start+.
2. Toggle it off.
3. Fully power off the TV, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on.

If WiFi works reliably after doing this, Quick Start+ was the culprit. You can try re-enabling it later after a firmware update to see if the bug has been resolved.

Step 5: Update webOS Firmware

LG regularly releases firmware updates that fix network connectivity bugs. If you can get the TV online temporarily via Ethernet, update first before doing any deeper troubleshooting:

1. Go to Settings › All Settings › General › About This TV.
2. Select Check for Updates.
3. If an update is available, install it and allow the TV to reboot.

If you can’t get online at all, you can download a firmware update on a USB drive from the LG support website on another device and install it via Settings › All Settings › General › About This TV › Allow Automatic Updates (USB method).

Step 6: Reset Network Settings

A network reset clears all saved WiFi credentials, IP configuration, and DNS overrides — without touching your apps, accounts, or TV preferences. This is the right step when toggling WiFi and changing DNS haven’t helped:

1. Go to Settings › All Settings › Network.
2. Select Reset Network Settings and confirm.
3. After the reset completes, go back to Wi-Fi Connection, select your network, and enter your password.
4. Re-apply the DNS fix from Step 3 if needed.

Step 7: Check Router-Side Settings

Sometimes the problem is on the router, not the TV. A few router settings commonly block LG TVs:

• MAC address filtering: If your router only allows known devices, the TV’s MAC address may be blocked. Disable MAC filtering or add the TV’s MAC address to the allow list. You can find the TV’s MAC address under Settings › Network › Wi-Fi Connection › Advanced Wi-Fi Settings.
• WPA3-only security: Older LG TVs (pre-2022) support only WPA2. If your router is set to WPA3-only, set it to WPA2/WPA3 transition mode or WPA2-PSK (AES) instead.
• Band merging (Smart Connect): If your router uses a single SSID for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, some LG TVs get stuck trying to connect to the wrong band. Try creating a separate 2.4 GHz SSID and connecting the TV to it explicitly.
• DHCP lease exhaustion: Routers with a small DHCP pool may run out of IP addresses to assign. Log into your router admin page and increase the DHCP pool size, or assign the TV a static IP reservation using its MAC address.

Step 8: Factory Reset (Last Resort)

If every step above has failed, a factory reset will return the TV to its out-of-box state. This erases all accounts, app logins, and preferences. Only do this after exhausting everything else:

1. Go to Settings › All Settings › General › Reset to Initial Settings.
2. Confirm the reset. The TV will reboot and display the initial setup wizard.
3. Reconnect to WiFi during the setup process.

If the TV still won’t connect after a factory reset, the issue is almost certainly hardware — either a failing WiFi module or a router incompatibility. Contact LG support or try a USB WiFi adapter if your TV model supports one.

Quick Checklist

• Power cycle TV and router (unplug for 60 s / 30 s respectively)
• Toggle WiFi off and reconnect with the correct password
• Set DNS to 8.8.8.8 via Advanced Wi-Fi Settings
• Disable Quick Start+ under General settings
• Update webOS firmware via Settings › General › About This TV
• Reset Network Settings if DNS and toggle didn’t help
• Check router for MAC filtering, WPA3-only mode, or band-merge issues
• Factory reset as a last resort

Once your LG TV is back online, run a speed test from another device near the TV to confirm your WiFi signal is strong enough for smooth 4K streaming (you need at least 25 Mbps for 4K HDR content). If signal is weak in the room where the TV lives, see our guide on how to extend WiFi range or check our picks for the best mesh WiFi systems to eliminate dead zones.