With online services rapidly replacing satellite and cable as the most convenient way to access content to watch on a TV, whether it’s for TV shows, movies, or even traditional TV channels, there is no denying that having a smart TV that is capable of connecting to the Internet is practically a necessity in today’s world.
On the flip side, one slight downside of relying on online services is the process of getting your smart TV to connect to the Internet, which may not always be the most straightforward task, as software bugs and incompatibilities can prevent a successful connection between your smart TV and your home network from being established in certain scenarios.
Today, we will be talking about solving one particular internet connectivity that you can face, particularly if you own an LG TV, where an error with the text “could not establish a connection to access point” pops up on the screen, informing you that the attempt to connect to the wireless network wasn’t successful.
So, how to fix the LG TV “could not establish a connection to access point” error?
Below, you can find the solutions that we recommend applying to fix the “Could Not Establish a Connection to Access Point” error that appears on your LG TV as a result of it not being able to connect to the wireless network:
- Soft reset your LG TV.
- Forget the wireless network on your LG TV and reconnect.
- Reboot the router (or access point) you’re trying to connect to.
- Connect to the wireless network by using WPS.
- Connect to a wireless network with a different frequency band.
- Bring the wireless router (or the access point) closer to the TV.
- Set up a wireless network with an SSID you haven’t used before.
- Hard reset your LG TV.
- Use an ethernet cable to connect your LG TV to the Internet.
Next up, we will be going into each of the solutions that you can utilize to resolve the “could not establish a connection to access point” error of your LG TV in greater detail, find out what causes this particular problem, and discuss the process of troubleshooting the case where the wireless connection of your LG TV is very slow or unreliable.
How to Fix the LG TV Could Not Establish a Connection to Access Point Problem?
Seeing the “could not establish a connection to access point” error message on the screen of your LG TV can be downright annoying, especially if you have been trying to get the wireless connection to work as intended for a while now and facing the same message all the time.
Below, you can find all of our recommendations for fixing the LG TV “could not establish a connection to access point” problem in their individual sub-sections, where we will take a deep dive into each potential fix and explain how it can be helpful to resolve the issue.
Soft Reset Your LG TV
Soft resetting is practically a staple of troubleshooting that applies to every electronic device, as it’s an extremely simple process that can automatically solve minor issues in some cases, and save you from having to deal with the more complex and time-consuming solutions.
Below, you can find the steps we recommend taking to soft reset your LG TV:
- Turn your LG TV off.
- Unplug your LG TV from power.
- Wait for roughly a minute.
- Plug your LG TV back into the power.
- Turn your LG TV on by using the power button on the TV.
Forget the Wireless Network on Your LG TV and Reconnect
Forgetting the wireless network and reconnecting is a simple fix that can practically apply to any electronic device with WiFi support, as it causes any information about the network (such as the password) to be deleted from the device and replaced with new data upon reconnection.
Below, you can find a step-by-step guide that you can follow to forget the wireless network on your LG TV:
- Press the Home button on the remote of your LG TV.
- Navigate to the Settings section.
- Navigate to the Network section of the Settings menu.
- Navigate to the Wi-Fi connection section of the Network menu.
- Move the cursor to the Wi-Fi connection you would like to forget.
- Press the OK button and hold it until the context menu appears.
- Choose the Forget option from the menu.
Once you forget the wireless network, try to connect to it as you usually would and see if it solves the problem.
Reboot the Router (or Access Point) You’re Trying to Connect to
Another simple but effective fix is rebooting the router (or access point) supplying the wireless network you’re trying to connect your LG TV, as this can sometimes resolve software bugs that can prevent your TV from correctly connecting to the wireless network.
To reboot the router (or access point) you’re trying to connect to, all you need to do is to switch the device off by using the power button (or by unplugging it if a power button doesn’t exist), leave it off for a minute or two, and then switch it back on.
This process will cause your router to reinitialize and start rebroadcasting the wireless network signal once it’s ready, at which point you can try reconnecting through the interface of your TV again.
Connect to the Wireless Network by Using WPS
Since using WPS will allow you to establish a connection between your LG TV and the wireless network without the need to use its SSID or password, it can sometimes make the connection go through as intended, even when the standard method of connecting with a password doesn’t work.
Here is a step-by-step guide that you can follow to connect your LG TV to the wireless network with WPS:
- Press the Home button on the remote of your LG TV.
- Navigate to the Settings section.
- Navigate to the Network section of the Settings menu.
- Choose the “Connect via WPS PBC” option for push button WPS or “Connect via WPS PIN” for PIN WPS.
If you have chosen the WPS PBC option, press and hold the WPS button on your router, which will allow your TV to connect automatically to the wireless network
On the other hand, if you have chosen WPS PIN, you will notice that your LG TV is displaying a PIN on the screen, which you will need to enter into the WPS section in your router for the connection to go through.
Connect to a Wireless Network with a Different Frequency Band
Connecting your LG TV to a wireless network on a different frequency band will resolve any potential issues arising from frequency band incompatibility, which is a factor responsible for a considerable number of connectivity issues.
For this solution, our primary recommendation is to disable the band steering feature of your router if it exists, as it’s a feature known to create connectivity issues across many devices.
Once you disable band steering, you can separate the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz WiFi signals by utilizing different SSIDs for both and try to connect your LG TV to either.
In most cases, utilizing the 2.4 GHz signal should do the job, as it has a more extended range and is supported by all wireless adapters due to being the standard.
Bring the Wireless Router (or Access Point) Closer to the TV
Shortening the distance between the wireless router (or access point) and your TV will ensure that the signal from the router reaches the TV without any issues and is strong enough for a reliable connection, ruling out any potential problems related to signal quality.
In cases where bringing the router (or access point) closer to your LG TV is not possible, our recommendation would be to add a WiFi repeater to your home network to increase the quality of the signal that reaches the TV.
Set Up a Wireless Network with an SSID You Haven’t Used Before
In some cases, connecting to a wireless network with a unique SSID that your LG TV hasn’t encountered before can help to resolve connectivity problems, as the TV won’t have any old data related to the network.
For this solution, all you will need to do is to change the SSID of your wireless network through the interface of your router and connect to the freshly-named wireless network from your LG TV as usual.
Please note that changing the SSID of your wireless network will cause all of your other devices to disconnect and require you to connect them back to the wireless network by using the new SSID.
Hard Reset Your LG TV
When all else fails, hard resetting your LG TV is usually the step to take, as this process will set the entire configuration of your TV to its factory settings and permanently erase any wireless network-related data on it.
Below, you can find the steps that you will need to follow to hard reset your LG TV:
- Press the Home button on the remote of your LG TV.
- Navigate to the Settings section.
- Navigate to the General section of the Settings menu.
- Scroll down to find the “Factory Reset” option, and click it.
While the exact location and the wording of the factory reset (for instance, it’s called “reset to initial settings” in some cases) option can vary across different models, you should be able to find it in the Settings menu in all cases.
Please note that this process will permanently erase all the data from your LG TV and return it to its factory state.
Use an Ethernet Cable to Connect Your LG TV to the Internet
While not a direct solution and definitely not a convenient one, connecting your LG TV to the Internet with an ethernet cable is an option that will allow you to bypass having to connect your TV to a wireless network, allowing you to avoid the problem at hand.
As using an ethernet cable also comes with the added benefit of the Internet connection being much more stable than Wi-Fi, especially in cases where the Wi-Fi signal is weak, we highly recommend cable over Wi-Fi whenever it’s possible.
What Causes the LG TV Could Not Establish a Connection to Access Point Issue?
Having a better understanding of the factors that can contribute to the occurrence of this particular issue is the best way to ensure that the problem does not happen again, as it will allow you to take the necessary preventative measures.
Below, you can find sub-sections for all the factors that can cause the LG TV “could not establish a connection to access point” issue, where we will examine each individual aspect in detail and discuss how they can contribute to the problem at hand.
WiFi Frequency Band Incompatibility
WiFi frequency band incompatibility is one of the most common reasons that can cause you to encounter the “could not establish a connection to access point” problem on your LG TV.
This incompatibility is often caused by a router feature called band steering, which causes both the 2.4 GHz and the 5 GHz band to be broadcasted on the same SSID, with the router dynamically steering the client towards the band that it thinks is optimal for performance.
Weak WiFi Signal
Another common issue that will prevent your LG TV from correctly connecting to the wireless network is the WiFi signal being way too weak for a reliable connection.
As it’s entirely possible for the WiFi signal to be too weak for a reliable connection but still get picked up by your TV, improving the signal quality through methods such as bringing the router (or access point) closer to the TV, removing any interference, and using the 2.4 GHz band will be necessary in cases where your TV shows that the signal isn’t strong.
Software Bugs on the TV Side
While this is a factor that is practically out of our control, software bugs on the TV side can easily be the culprit behind the issue that you’re facing.
In cases where software bugs on the TV side are behind the issue that you’re facing, factory resetting the TV, and if that doesn’t work, waiting for an update that fixes the problem to come out and applying it are often the only solutions that will be helpful.
Software Bugs on the Router Side
Similarly to the software bugs on the TV side, software bugs on the router side can also be the culprit behind the issues in some cases, as the router is the responsible party for supplying the wireless network signal after all.
In most cases, factory resetting the router and keeping the router firmware up-to-date should ensure that you’re not facing any issues caused by software bugs on the side of the router.
LG TV Bad and Slow WiFi – What to Do?
Getting your LG TV to connect to the wireless network successfully may not always be the end of your problems, as there are many reported cases where the connection becomes extremely slow or unreliable to the point where it becomes impossible to use any of the online services with it.
Provided that you have no issues with signal quality, our primary recommendation to solve the slow WiFi issue that you’re facing on your LG TV is to disable Listen Mode, which you can locate the setting for by navigating to the built-in Screen Share application and turn it off by choosing the Off option.
On the other hand, if you’re having trouble with signal quality, we recommend applying the standard solutions of switching the band (2.4 GHz for a more extended range, 5 GHz for faster speeds), bringing the router (or access point) closer to the TV, removing sources of interference (such as Bluetooth), and switching WLAN channels.
Conclusion
While there is no denying that the error message in this particular case does not tell a whole lot about the exact problem that is taking place, resolving the error once you know the correct steps to take is usually a straightforward process that doesn’t require a lot of technical expertise.
Below, you can find a summary of the steps that we recommend taking to resolve the “could not establish a connection to access point” error on your LG TV:
- Soft reset your LG TV to resolve potential minor software bugs preventing the connection.
- Forget the wireless network and reconnect to refresh the wireless network information.
- Reboot the router to resolve potential minor software bugs on the router side.
- Connect to the wireless network via WPS to bypass any potential issues that can stem from using the SSID or the password.
- Connect to the wireless network through a different frequency band to resolve incompatibilities.
- Bring the wireless router close to the TV to improve signal quality.
- Use a unique SSID to make your TV connect to a new network with no prior data.
- Factory reset your TV to potentially resolve a more major software bug preventing the connection from occurring.
- Use an ethernet cable to avoid using WiFi altogether.
Even though it should be pretty rare, in cases where you’re unable to resolve the error after applying the fixes we have mentioned, we would highly recommend getting in contact with LG support to rule out the possibility of a hardware issue.
Mark’s first real encounter with tech was when he had to format his computer with Windows 98 around the age of 6 to quickly get back to playing Heroes of Might and Magic III without having to send the computer in for a repair, which he strangely found to be rather enjoyable since it was a new challenge for him at the time.
While he has always been particularly interested in the software side of things, which eventually led to him becoming a software developer, he enjoys keeping up with the advancements in consumer electronics and smart home technology when he’s not busy coding.