Netflix Buffering on Smart TV but Internet Is Fine?

Your phone and laptop stream perfectly, but the smart TV keeps buffering. The spinning circle appears every few minutes, the picture drops to blurry quality, or you see messages like "Netflix has encountered an error", "We're having trouble playing this title right now" or "Your device lost connection to the internet". iPlayer, YouTube, Disney+ and Prime Video may show similar problems.

When other devices are fine, the issue is almost always the TV's connection or the TV itself, not your broadband. Here's how to track it down.

Why This Happens

• Weak Wi-Fi radios. TVs are designed to look good, not to get great Wi-Fi. The antenna is often small and hidden behind a large metal panel.
• Location. TVs are usually in the living room, often at the far end of the house from the router and sometimes inside a cabinet.
• The wrong band. A TV on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi in a busy area can struggle with 4K streams.
• Old software. Streaming apps on older TVs can get sluggish, and some TVs stop receiving updates after a few years.
• Standby isn't off. Most smart TVs don't fully restart when you press the power button on the remote, so glitches persist for weeks.

Fix 1: Restart the TV Properly

1. Turn the TV off at the wall socket or unplug it.
2. Wait a full minute.
3. Plug it back in and turn it on.

On many Samsung TVs, you can also do a quick restart by holding the power button on the remote until the TV turns off and on again. Restart the router too if it hasn't been restarted recently.

Fix 2: Test the TV's Connection Speed

Your phone's speed test tells you nothing about what the TV is getting. Test on the TV itself:

• Netflix: in the Netflix app, open the menu and look for Get Help, then Check Your Network or Check Network Connection. You can also open fast.com in the TV's web browser if it has one.
• The TV's settings: most TVs have a network test under their network or connection settings, often called Network Status, Connection Test or similar.
• Streaming sticks: Fire TV and Roku have network checks in their settings menus.

As a rough guide, Netflix recommends around 15Mbps or more for 4K and about 5Mbps for HD. If the TV is getting much less, or the result swings wildly, it's a Wi-Fi problem.

Fix 3: Improve the TV's Wi-Fi

1. Use 5GHz if the TV is reasonably close to the router. If your router shows separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, connect the TV to the 5GHz one. If they're combined under one name, the router decides, and you can see our guide on 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands for how to split them on BT, Sky and Virgin Media hubs.
2. Use 2.4GHz if the TV is far away. 2.4GHz is slower but travels further through walls. Try both and compare.
3. Move obstacles. Take the router out of any cupboard, and if the TV is in a cabinet, consider whether the doors or back panel are blocking the signal.
4. Add coverage. If the living room is a weak spot generally, a mesh unit near the TV may help. See Is Mesh Wi-Fi Worth It?

Fix 4: Use a Cable or Powerline

For a TV that doesn't move, a wired connection is the most reliable answer of all.

• Ethernet cable: if the router is in the same room or nearby, a cable into the TV's LAN port fixes buffering immediately.
• Powerline adapters: plug one into a socket near the router (and connect it to the router by cable), and another near the TV. Your home's electrical wiring carries the signal. Plug them straight into wall sockets, not extension leads.
• Mesh satellite: many mesh units have ethernet ports, so you can plug the TV into the nearest unit.

Fix 5: Clear the App's Cache or Reinstall It

• Android TV and Google TV (Sony, Philips, TCL, Hisense and others): go to Settings > Apps, choose Netflix, and select Clear cache. If that doesn't help, choose Clear data (you'll need to sign in again).
• Samsung and LG: the options vary by year. Look in the app settings for a clear cache option, or delete and reinstall the app from the TV's app store.
• Fire TV: go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications, choose the app and select Clear cache.
• Netflix sign-out: in Netflix's Get Help menu, you can sign out or reset the app. Make sure you know your Netflix password first.

Fix 6: Update the TV and Check DNS

Update the TV's software from its settings menu, usually under Support, System or About. Turn on automatic updates if available.

DNS is the system that turns web addresses into numbers. Occasionally a TV's DNS settings cause slow starts or errors. In the TV's advanced network settings, check that DNS is set to automatic. As a test, you can try setting it manually to a public DNS service such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8. If that makes no difference, switch it back to automatic.

Is It Only in the Evening?

If the TV buffers mainly in the evenings, the problem may be your broadband being stretched by everyone in the house, or your provider's network being busy. Our guide to Wi-Fi that's slow in the evening covers how to tell the difference.

When It's the TV Itself

If an older TV still struggles after all this, or its apps no longer update, a streaming stick (such as Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast or Apple TV) plugged into an HDMI port is a straightforward way to get a modern, faster, updated set of apps without replacing the TV.

When to Get Help

If the TV still buffers, or you want the living room wired properly, our home Wi-Fi and networking service can test the signal where the TV sits and install cabling, powerline or mesh. Our smart home team also sets up TVs, sound systems and streaming devices. Some checks can be done through remote support, and Senri Home engineers visit across West and South West London seven days a week, 8am to 9pm. Book a visit or call or WhatsApp 07826 399715.

Related Reading

• Why Is My Wi-Fi Slow in the Evening?
• Wi-Fi Extender Not Working or Making It Worse?
• How to Fix Wi-Fi Dead Spots in a Large House