Wi-Fi answers
Samsung smart TV — wi-fi keeps dropping
Why does my Samsung smart TV keeps dropping?
The short answer
Apps buffer in the evening, or the TV can't be found for casting from a phone. On the WiFiXpert Compatibility Index the Samsung smart TV scores 68/100, and its weakest check is "Easy to fix when it goes wrong" — which is exactly where this problem comes from. TV network menus are buried and awkward with a remote control.
We publish what breaks with each router and mesh system, and the setting that fixes it.
| Check | Verdict | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Works on 2.4 GHz | Excellent | 13/14 |
| Works on 5 GHz | Supported | 12/14 |
| Modern Wi-Fi security | Good on recent sets | 8/12 |
| Happy on mesh Wi-Fi | Good | 12/16 |
| Works on a guest network | Limited | 4/8 |
| Survives a plug-in extender | Works | 6/8 |
| Doesn't depend on chatty discovery | Moderate dependency | 8/16 |
| Easy to fix when it goes wrong | Medium | 5/12 |
The short answer
- Apps buffer in the evening, or the TV can't be found for casting from a phone.
What our compatibility data shows
- Works on 2.4 GHz: Excellent
- Works on 5 GHz: Supported
- Modern Wi-Fi security: Good on recent sets
- Happy on mesh Wi-Fi: Good
- Works on a guest network: Limited
- Survives a plug-in extender: Works
- Doesn't depend on chatty discovery: Moderate dependency
- Easy to fix when it goes wrong: Medium
Free fixes, in order
- Try the TV on 5 GHz first; if it won't hold the connection, use 2.4 GHz.
- Move a mesh box into the same room rather than behind the TV.
- Use the TV's Ethernet port if the router is anywhere near.
Before you spend anything
- If evening buffering happens on every device, it's the broadband. If it's only the TV, it's coverage.
People also ask
- Does the Samsung smart TV work on mesh Wi-Fi?
- Can I put the Samsung smart TV on a guest network?
- Does the Samsung smart TV need 2.4 GHz?
- Which router works best with the Samsung smart TV?
If you do end up spending money
Only after the free fixes. Nobody pays to appear here, and no shop link changes anything we say.
- Router or mesh known to suit this device
- A single wired connection to the device