Why is the internet/streaming so slow on my Samsung tv???

I’v got virgin 200 gigaflops broadband..

Speedtest on ipad/phone etc= 200
Streaming on those is fine.

Recently the streaming on my Samsung TV (via WiFi) has been really bad..like… 360p quality only.

I opened the internet explorer on the tv and ran speed test… 0.8 meg!! WTAF!

Even plugged in via network cable only got about 60 m/sec

It’s all the same WiFi network (via Lynkeys mesh WiFi)..in the lynksys app i can see the TV, and it’s connected via 2.4ghz (not 5).

I can’t understand why/what is throttling the WiFi in the TV.
It was even set up as a priority device!

Ideas??

DrP

The screen is very good at shielding RF, since it’s got lots of metal in it. It also puts out loads of RF (oh, and the HDMI frequencies have harmonics in the 2.4GHz band IIRC so any active HDMI devices can interfere with that as well).

I think you’re saying you get 60MBit/s over ethernet?

Do you have Netflix account? If you do go to the app go to the get help and check your network. This might determine whether it’s the web browser that’s slow rather than the TV?

Dunno but we have just had to do a reset of the smart hub software on the Samsung TV to get YouTube to work. May be worth a try?

Check virus scan?

Our Samsung TV is wall mounted and WiFi performance is horrendous unless we pull it out from the wall by say 10cm and then restart it at the mains. Then it works flawlessly. Try repositioning then restart?

My old Samsung TV did that and Samsung recommended changing the DNS settings to Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or similar.

I rolled my eyes, but it worked.

Do I cahnge the DNS settings on the TV, or the router software??

Ta

DrP

Not Samsung, but when we got our LG TV a couple of years ago the connection speed was terrible (less than 1mbps). Turned out that deep in the settings when you pushed the power button on the remote it was just going in to a sleep mode to allow quick start up next time. So, because it never disconneced from the internet it seems to get tangled up. I changed this setting so that it turns properly off (and maybe takes 2 secs more to turn on) and disconnects each time. This made a massive difference and afterwards was getting proper speeds and decent streaming out of it.

Do I cahnge the DNS settings on the TV, or the router software??

Ta

DrP

I would do on the TV first to test it, see if it makes any difference. Was in settings/network/ip config from memory, set it to manual.

I’ve actually got 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 configured in my router now so any device uses Google’s DNS.

I was dubious because if the default DNS servers your ISP provides were getting congested then everything should go slow – but it did speed up my Samsung TV. But as per the previous comment, it might be just forcing it to reset its IP settings was what did it.

If you can fix it by turning it off and on again, repositioning the set or wrangling DNS settings then fantastic. But honestly, I’d just sack it off and get a Fire stick or similar. In-TV ‘smart’ apps are often notoriously carp and life’s too short.

Mine does this sometimes, especially with the Amazon App. Try un-plugging it, leave for a minute or so, plug run and try again. It’s impossible to turn the damn things off properly so they just live on standby and need a restart every so often to clear the cache – often following updates, otherwise the apps and settings seem to go squiffy.

Also – if your router is near your TV, it’s old-fashioned, but a wired connection seems much more stable IME.

My TV is connected to a smart plug, so it’s actually forever turning off ‘properly’… a great way of getting the lad to stop playing Xbox and come have dinner!!! “alexa, turn off TV…”!

Will try the DNS settings… I do actually have a (non 4k) firestick in a drawer somewhere. It’s annoying because the Samsung youtube/netflix/etc apps were working fine before…

DrP

Our Samsung is never turned ‘off’ properly and must be 4 years old now. Not helpful to you, but it’s never had any issues streaming 4k UHD and HDR content via Netflix or Amazon. Fastest I’ve ever logged our internet connection is 36mbs

I have just started having exactly same problem with my Samsung. Has been faultless last 6 months and then end of last week started losing connection on iPlayer. Only way to fix was soft restart (hold power button for 3 sec). Typed in the 8888 dns last night and also wired in through a plug. Seems ok so far. Wondering if there has been an update.

Occasionally our Samsung will have a problem with an app. Pressing and holding the power button on the remote will restart it without having to unplug.

Edit – munkey beat me to it!

i think you answered it your first post. the wi-fi connection is 75x slower than wired.

It’s all the same WiFi network (via Lynkeys mesh WiFi)..in the lynksys app i can see the TV, and it’s connected via 2.4ghz (not 5).

2.4 is generally shit unless you’re running a 3×3/4×4 mu-mimo type setup – 10er on it being because the tvs right up against the wall. If I place my somewhat costly 4×4 mu-mimo transmitter/receiver for my pc in the wrong place, even that can drop the 2.4 connection.

What category ethernet cable were you using, have you plugged some ancient cat 3 cable into it?

10er on it being because the tvs right up against the wall.

Nope.. it’s on a wood TV unit i.e free standing. one of the WiFi mesh points is ALSO on the stand!!

Will try different options posted here, and see what comes of it..

I’m not sure how to ‘force’ teh TV to connect via 5ghz though…

I think it was CAT5 cable.. Cable is fine as I used the cable running to the Xbox (and the Xbox will easily DL at >150Mbps)

DrP

Well.. i tried adjusting the DNS in teh TV.. no change..
I changed the IP on the TV to force it to connect to the 5ghz wifi.. no change..

This slow speed was confirmed by the Netflix app speed check…

Odd isn’t it..

I might see if it’s simply the fact the TV doesn’t like my mesh wifi, but running a 5g speed check on my phone, then tethering the TV to the phone.

Anyway, I plugged teh CAT5 back in, and it’s showing as 90meg per sec… which is still odd, as my broadband is 200..

BUt at least I can stream without it looking like a gameboy again!

DrP

I had a buffering problem with Disney+ the last couple of nights.

Tried dropping it to HD from 4k, still buffered, then down to SD (the horror!)

Have the TV a proper switch off (long hope of the standby button on Sony TVs), and tried it on the stronger 2.4ghz band, managered to watch the Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in 4k so hopefully that’s it sorted. Not sure what fixed it though.

Anyway, I plugged teh CAT5 back in, and it’s showing as 90meg per sec… which is still odd, as my broadband is 200..

BUt at least I can stream without it looking like a gameboy again!

DrP

Wouldn’t surprise me if the Ethernet port was only 100 Mbps on a TV.

Nope.. it’s on a wood TV unit i.e free standing. one of the WiFi mesh points is ALSO on the stand!!

Try moving the WiFi unit a bit further away.

Wouldn’t surprise me if the Ethernet port was only 100 Mbps on a TV.

Valid point….

I’ll leave it as it is, TBH. The CAT5 seems to work fine.
I’ve no idea WHY the wifi streaming has dropped to below 1meg, but it has. I can’t e bothered delving too deep, so will run it as it is!

Try moving the WiFi unit a bit further away.

Well… when in 2.4ghz it was connected to the mesh unit next to it. Oddly, when connected via 5ghz, it was connected to the one in the hallway! (the Mesh wifi app tells me this). Still had issues!

DrP

Our Samsung smart telly was always flakey on WiFi, even though parked right next to the Virgin router. Connecting via an ethernet cable solved it so never investigated further.

Our Samsung smart telly was always flakey on WiFi, even though parked right next to the Virgin router.

As above, being too close can be as bad as being too far away depending on the location / orientation of the antennae.