Have you ever kept an item somewhere and went back to retrieve it after some time, but it wasn’t there?

Well, that happened with my Samsung TV remote last week. And no matter how much I looked for it, I couldn’t find it.

At that moment, I figured out how to use my smartphone as a remote control, but my triumph was short-lived.

You see, a remote control app relies on both the TV and phone being connected to the same network, so I was stumped when my TV disconnected from the Wi-Fi.

I was clueless, as I had no idea how to reconnect my TV to the Internet without the app.

Naturally, my next course of action was to look for a solution online.

After checking user forums and help guides for several hours, I found some solutions requiring an external input device.

Luckily, I had a USB mouse lying around, and it was only a matter of minutes before my Samsung TV was connected to the world wide web.

I also found a workaround if you don’t have a mouse. More on that later. 

You can connect a Samsung TV to Wi-Fi without a remote using a USB mouse. All you need to do is connect a USB mouse to your Samsung TV’s USB Type-A port, use it to navigate to Settings > General > Network > Wireless, and select your Wi-Fi. 

Use a USB Mouse

I am sure everyone has at least one USB mouse, wired or wireless, lying around somewhere in their house.

Even if you don’t, they are fairly inexpensive, and you can get one from your nearby electronics store.

After that, all you have to do is connect the mouse to the USB Type-A port located on your Samsung TV and navigate the menu as if it were a desktop.

You can even enter text using the mouse. When you click on any text box, an on-screen keyboard will pop up, and you can use the mouse to select the letters you want to type in.

If your TV is wall mounted, you might face difficulty locating its USB port. Please refer to the TV manual in that case.

Once the USB mouse is connected to your Samsung TV, follow the given steps to connect it to Wi-Fi: 

1. Turn on the TV using its physical Power button. If your Samsung TV won’t turn on, power cycle it.
2. Launch Samsung Smart Hub.
3. Click on Settings.
4. Go to General.
5. Select the Network tab.
6. Click on Open Network Settings.
7. Choose Wireless.
8. Select your Wi-Fi network.
9. Enter the Password using the on-screen keyboard if asked for.
10. Click on Done.

In case your Samsung TV is not connecting to Wi-Fi, restart the modem.

Use a Universal Remote App

If you own an Android phone with IR (Infrared) blaster, you can use it as a universal remote control to connect your Samsung TV to Wi-Fi.

The IR blaster doesn’t require an Internet connection, but you may need to install a third-party app on your phone.

Note: Some Android phones with IR blasters come with a built-in universal remote app.

Follow these steps to set up a universal remote app on an Android phone: 

1. Download and install a universal remote app from the Play Store or App Store.
2. Launch the app once it has been installed.
3. Select TV as the device you are trying to use the app with.
4. Choose Samsung as your TV brand.
5. Select your TV from the list. If you are unsure about your TV model, check its side or back panel.
6. Now, follow the on-screen instructions to set up the app. Make sure to point your phone toward your TV sensors throughout the process. 

Once the app is set up, you can use your phone as a remote to control your Samsung TV and connect it to Wi-Fi as you would using a physical remote.

You need to follow the same steps as covered in the previous section. 

Use an Ethernet Cable

If you don’t mind a wired connection, I recommend getting an Ethernet cable to connect your Samsung TV to the Wi-Fi router.

An Ethernet connection gives you the fastest possible Internet speed, and you can say goodbye to network drops.

Just plug it into your TV and forget you ever had network problems.

Most latest Samsung TVs come with an Ethernet port built-in. But if you don’t have such a TV, you can get an Ethernet to USB adapter and plug it into your TV’s USB port.

Also, you will still need to use a USB mouse to navigate the TV menu.

Once the Ethernet cable is plugged into your Samsung TV, follow these steps: 

1. Open Smart Hub.
2. Select Settings.
3. Click on General.
4. Choose Network.
5. Select Open Network Settings.
6. Tap on Wired. 

Note: If your TV has only one USB port, you will need a USB Hub to connect the Ethernet cable and mouse to the TV simultaneously.

In case you are not able to connect your Samsung TV to Wi-Fi after going through the solutions detailed above, contact Samsung Support. 

Can I Connect My Samsung TV to Wi-Fi Using its Physical Buttons?

For most Samsung TVs, you can use its physical buttons to power it on, change the channel, control the volume, and select the input source.

But you won’t be able to connect it to a new or unknown Wi-Fi connection.

However, if you want to connect your TV to a memorized Wi-Fi, you just need to turn it on using its Power button, and it will connect to the network automatically. 

Connect and Forget

Think about it! What is the most important part of a TV? The remote, of course.

And if we lose the remote, the TV becomes a plastic box.

However, when it comes to Smart TVs, we can use a smartphone app as the remote, but it needs Wi-Fi.

And since my Samsung TV wasn’t connected to the Wi-Fi, the app was just another meaningless piece of software.

Thankfully, I was able to figure out a solution by connecting a USB mouse to my TV.

If you want to avoid any such network problems in the future, I suggest connecting your TV to the Wi-Fi router via an Ethernet cable. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Ethernet adapter can I use to connect my Samsung TV to the Wi-Fi router?

Several low-priced Ethernet adapters are available in the market to connect your Samsung TV to the Internet. TP-Link provides good-quality adapters at affordable prices. 

How can I reset my Samsung TV?

You can reset your Samsung TV by pressing and holding its Power and Volume Down buttons for at least 10 seconds. 

Why is my Samsung TV remote not working?

There might be several reasons why your Samsung TV remote is not working, such as exhausted batteries, pairing problems, and infrared sensor issues.