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JohnOrrett's avatar
JohnOrrett
Up to speed
21 days ago

Samsung Smart TV not connecting to Hub 3.0

Hi all, I am trying to connect a Samsung Smart TV to a VM wireless network on a Hub 3.

I thought range may be an issue, so bought a TPLink TL-WA850RE range extender. Still no joy, so tried using an Ethernet cable from the extender to the TV. On running the Network test on the TV, both wired and wireless connection fail. The TV network status shows MAC IP, Subnet, Gateway and DNS settings. The message on screen is 'your TV is connected to your local network, but cannot connect to the internet.

I have reset the TV network, reset the TPLink, and restarted the router several times. I have tried disabling 5G in the Hub admin, tried turning off range optimisation, and also created a new rule using the MAC address for the TV using only 2.4G, but it still refuses to connect via WPS.

Can anyone please suggest a resolution; it is driving me mad.

Many thanks

18 Replies

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    21 days ago

    The TV is totally dependent on TPLink TL-WA850RE being configured/functioning correctly and being positioned correctly i.e. mid way between the VM Hub and the TV.  Not near the TV.

    I'd like to see if the TV is gets a proper DHCP configuration from the Hub 3.

    i.e. I am not expecting to find the TL-WA850RE is running a DHCP or Wi-Fi AP Isolation.

    As you are expecting the TV to connect to the TL-WA850RE :- 
    +  Delete the Hub 3 Reserved IP entry for the TV.
    + Also delete the 2.4 GHz only rule too.
    + Make sure on the Hub 3 there are no Wi-Fi Pausing entries and no MAC Filtering entries,
        these are on two different screens of the Hub 3 menu.

    Please share with us the  : TV's IP, Subnet, Gateway and DNS settings.  
    We don't need to see the MAC. 


  • JohnOrrett's avatar
    JohnOrrett
    Up to speed
    21 days ago

    Hi, many thanks for the response. 

    The TV is not showing up in the list of connected devices (although there are 2 'unknown', but with a different MAC address). I have reset the TP Link and paired it again to the Hub, all lights show blue. I have already deleted the 2.4GHz rule. 

    I'm not sure how to delete the Hub 3 Reserved entry for the TV.

    Settings are:

    IP - 192.168.0.100

    Subnet - 255.255.255.0

    Gateway - 192.168.0.1

    DNS - 194.168.4.100

    • Adduxi's avatar
      Adduxi
      Very Insightful Person
      21 days ago

      Those IP settings look fine and should work. 

      Have you checked the TV MAC address is not blocked on the Hub?  Go into the Hub's admin console and clear the MAC filters.

      Is the time on the TV correct as this can prevent connection. Have you tried a factory reset on the TV?

      What lights are showing on the TP extender?

      • newapollo's avatar
        newapollo
        Very Insightful Person
        21 days ago

        Incorrect date, time and location are often responsible for the inability of a TV to  connect to the internet. I suggest checking date, time and location on the TV and setting it manually if necessary.

  • JohnOrrett's avatar
    JohnOrrett
    Up to speed
    21 days ago

    Hi Adduxi,

    No MAC addresses showing as blocked on the Hub. I'll check the TV time, and will also check if there is any firmware upgrade available. TP extender has full blue lights, power, Wireless, RE and signal strength. 

    • Adduxi's avatar
      Adduxi
      Very Insightful Person
      21 days ago

      The only other thing I can suggest is a full 60 pinhole reset on the Hub as below;

      Remove any ethernet cables from the Hub and hold the pinhole reset switch for 60 seconds.  Do NOT reboot the Hub, just let it do it's thing. Note you will need the passwords from the bottom of the Hub afterwards, so make sure they are legible. NOTE this will remove any custom settings you may have set in the Hub, and they will all have to be setup again.

      Apart from this, perhaps you could get a temporary long ethernet cable and try a direct connection from the TV to the Hub.?  I keep a 30M Cat 6 cable for such testing and find it comes in very handy for such times.

      As for WPS, it's not really necessary, as you can configure those TP-Link units via a web browser. I know, I have one for emergency's.

      • JohnOrrett's avatar
        JohnOrrett
        Up to speed
        21 days ago

        Cat5 works perfectly, but not a solution. I'm looking at the hub now, and will reset it if needed and report back. 

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    21 days ago

    Refer to Page 23 : https://static.tp-link.com/res/down/doc/TL-WA850RE_V1_UG.pdf 

    IP - 192.168.0.100 suggests the IP is from the DHCP server of the TL-WA850RE, 
    not from the VM Hub.

    In this configuration, the TV will not be seen in the Hub's Connected devices because it is only connected to the TL-WA850RE,

    We would expect the TL-WA850RE to be shown as a Connected device.

    I would prefer to have a simpler DHCP arrangement, with just the VM Hub performing DHCP so as to avoid the connectivity problems that come from use of Double NAT.

    • Adduxi's avatar
      Adduxi
      Very Insightful Person
      21 days ago
      Client62 wrote:

      IP - 192.168.0.100 suggests the IP is from the DHCP server of the TL-WA850RE

      Yes, it could be, but the DHCP serve on the extender should not be on as it's not required.  The extender should, from memory, have a static IP address set outside the scope of the Hub?

      I did use one of these quite successfully when I had to fall back on a MiFi SIM router.  As the MiFi had no ethernet, I was able to use this as a "wireless bridge" and plugged the switch into the ethernet of the extender.  It all worked with the MiFi doing the DHCP service.

  • JohnOrrett's avatar
    JohnOrrett
    Up to speed
    21 days ago

    Just an update,

    I have the TV currently working, but only connected to the range extender by Cat5, the TV picking it up as a wired connection. Date and time and location, firmware were up to date.

    I spent a good time troubleshooting. One thing that made a difference was lowering the Hub's security settings down from WPA2-PSK. Once I then tried choosing 'Wireless connection' on the TV, it gave me a list of the available networks (previously, all I had seen was the option to set up a Custom Network using WPS or WPS pin, neither of which worked and timed out after 2 minutes). Problem was, it then gave a screen with no config on at all, all zeroes, and a message saying 'The MAC Address is invalid. Contact Samsung Customer Service for information'. 

    Plugging the Cat5 into the router, I chose 'Wired Connection', and this picked everything up again.

    I'm still baffled as to why the wireless is acting up though. The TP Link is now showing in the connected devices section of the Hub setup, and no filters on anything.

    I appreciate the assistance so far.

  • JohnOrrett's avatar
    JohnOrrett
    Up to speed
    20 days ago

    As for the Hub, it is only 3.0, so will get a Hub 5.0 and see if that makes a difference.

    • Adduxi's avatar
      Adduxi
      Very Insightful Person
      20 days ago

      It may make things worse, as the Security on the Hub 5 is stronger.  There are many posts here about older IoT not working with the Hub 5.  I believe the extender is quite an old model (?) and you may be better to replace it with a modern equivalent to suit the Hub 5.

      EDIT - Something like this perhaps? TP-Link Wi-Fi Range Extender AC1750 | Toolstation

      • JohnOrrett's avatar
        JohnOrrett
        Up to speed
        20 days ago

        Thanks for the comments. I was hoping that the Hub 5 might have better WiFi strength. 

        I'm beginning to wonder if powerline extenders might be the best way to go, although I was hoping to show no cables, as there is not enough room behind the wall mounted TV for the adapter.

  • JohnOrrett's avatar
    JohnOrrett
    Up to speed
    19 days ago

    Virginmedia said that they would increase the speed from 250 to 350, but refused to upgrade the Hub, and will post a pod on Monday. 

    • Adduxi's avatar
      Adduxi
      Very Insightful Person
      19 days ago

      A speed upgrade will NOT improve your Wifi.  Try with the Pod and see how you get on.  You will have to remove the TP-Link as it may cause more configuration issues.  Don't forget the Pod has to go in an area of decent Wifi signal, not in the Wifi black spot.  It needs a signal to extend so it can't if there isn't one ...  ;-)

      I assume as you are on the M250, you will be paying Pod rental at £8 pm.  In that case it would be better to provide your own newer solution, rather than rent a Pod from VM?

  • JohnOrrett's avatar
    JohnOrrett
    Up to speed
    18 days ago

    Not so much the speed increase improving the WiFi, I was hoping that a Hub 5.0 may have a better chip or something. If Powerlines aren't the solution, I'll probably buy the modern extender that you kindly provided the link for.