Can you connect a non-smart TV to the Internet? (2023)

FAQs

Can you connect a non-smart TV to the Internet? ›

How to connect your TV to your Wi-Fi network. To connect an older TV to the internet, you can use a dedicated streaming device, HDMI cable, Blu-ray player or gaming console.

You may convert TV to smart TV in several methods, the best of which is to purchase an intelligent media player (also known as a streaming device) and connect it to your TV's HDMI connector. Smart media players come in various sizes and styles (and smart operating systems).

To check if your TV is a smart TV, use your TV remote to go to the Settings menu and look for Network Settings. If you have that option, you can scan for, and connect to, your wireless network. Alternatively, you can look for the Wi-Fi symbol or Wi-Fi Alliance logo (both pictured below) on your TV.

"The Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google TV and Apple TV products come with a remote control which is easy to use and will also allow you to control the volume of the TV." You can also use a games console like a PlayStation or Xbox, or a set-top box like a Fetch TV box, instead of a streaming device.

How Can I Get Netflix on a Non-Smart TV? The best way to get Netflix on a non-smart TV is to use a streaming device like Chromecast, Firestick or Roku. Alternatively, you can connect your laptop or phone to your TV with an HDMI cable.

While you can not connect an old TV to Wi-Fi the same way you might connect a new smart TV to the internet, there are external devices you can use to browse streaming apps and play online games from your old TV.

Get a TV with either an HDMI port or Wi-Fi.

You don't have to have a Smart or Internet TV to watch streaming television over the Internet. As long as your TV has an HDMI port or Wi-Fi, you can use any streaming box (or their stick-like counterparts) to watch shows from a variety of subscription services.

Today, almost all TVs have built-in WiFi. In the network settings menu of your TV, you should have the option to connect to the internet using WiFi.

Over-the-Air TV. Over-the-air (OTA) TV is a great way to catch your local channels without spending the big bucks for cable. OTA TV offers high-definition television broadcasts from your local television stations. All you need to start is a TV and a digital antenna.

If your TV doesn't support the Hulu app, you can install it on another device, such as a streaming device or game console, and connect it to your TV. You can also cast the Hulu app from a mobile device to your TV using a Chromecast (unless your TV supports direct casting).

Can you get internet through HDMI? ›

The HDMI Ethernet Channel allows internet-enabled HDMI devices to share an internet connection via the HDMI link, with no need for a separate Ethernet cable. It also provides the connection platform that will allow HDMI-enabled components to share content between devices.

Most non-smart TVs come from lesser-known brands, such as Insignia and Sceptre. Bigger brands still produce non-smart TVs in 2023 — but you may have to pay more for them or take extra steps to make your purchase.

Android Phones and Tablets

The most common method is to use a “casting” app, such as AirBeamTV. Our apps allow you to wirelessly connect your phone to any popular TV. Once connected, you can “cast” the content on your phone's screen to your TV, and watch movies from your phone on your TV without HDMI.

TVs without built-in internet and smart functionality are often referred to as dumb TVs, since they remove the "smart" features that define smart TVs.

Amazon Fire TV Stick

You can watch all of the major streaming services on your non-smart TV with a Fire TV device, including Prime Video (obviously), Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, and Peacock. All Fire TV devices allow you to cast content from your Android or Google Chrome web browser.

Investing in an HDMI cable is another inexpensive option for making your TV a smart TV. Many of today's smartphones, tablets and laptops use HDMI cables (or an MHL or HDMI adapter), so you can directly hook them up to your HDTV.

Your Roku streaming device can be connected to any television with an HDMI^® port. To make this connection, a Roku player requires an HDMI cable while a Roku Streaming Stick connects directly with its built-in HDMI connector.

To watch TV shows and movies offline at any time, download them from the Netflix app. Learn more about finding, downloading, and watching downloaded TV shows and movies below.

The good news is that users don't need a smart TV to use their Fire TV stick. Instead, it can be used with any old TV that has an Hdmi port, as the Fire TV stick comes with an Hdmi connector to connect to any LCD or Oled television.

Antennas allow you to watch dozens of channels — including the biggest networks on the air — often in full high-definition clarity. You simply make a one-time purchase to get the antenna, hook it up to your TV and you'll be watching all kinds of popular shows and live events. Antennas come in a variety of styles.

Do you need cable for Wi-Fi? ›

If you don't have (or want) a physical cable connecting your home to the internet, you can still connect with a wireless internet connection. There are tons of different options, including fixed wireless, 4G and 5G home internet, mobile hotspots, and satellite.

Smart TVs are TVs that connect to the Internet, allowing you to stream content from your favorite website and services. They can also play games, show your social media feeds and more.

Roku can work perfectly without an internet connection. There is a limit to the features you can access on Roku without the internet. But there are many things you can enjoy on Roku without an internet connection.

WiFi is a wireless technology that establishes a wireless network to allow computers and devices with the required wireless capacity to communicate via radio waves. The Internet, on the other hand, is a global network of networks where computers communicate with each other via Internet Protocol.

Roku streaming players and Roku TVs need Internet access to stream content. They use wireless to connect to your home network, or you can choose a model that offers a wired Ethernet connector.

How Can I Watch Amazon Prime on My TV? You can watch Amazon Prime on your TV by installing the app. If you don't have a smart TV, you can use a streaming device like Firestick to watch Amazon Prime shows and movies on a non-smart TV.

Easiest method: Add the Netflix app to a streaming device, such as Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, or Amazon Fire TV Stick. Next easiest: Connect to your Netflix account using a gaming console, including Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo Wii U. Alternatively, you can connect a laptop to a non-smart TV to cast Netflix to it.

Is Hulu free with Amazon Prime? No. Hulu and Amazon Prime are competitors, and so you can't get either of them as an inclusion with your subscription to the other.

Is an HDMI cable the same as an ethernet cable? ›

HDMI and Ethernet are two data transmission cables that cannot be more different. HDMI transmits audio and video signals, while ethernet cables transmit regular data. However, there is HDMI with Ethernet, a cable combining both features for multimedia purposes.

How to connect TV to ethernet. First, find the ethernet port on the back of your TV, and the password to your WiFi. Connect the ethernet port on the back of the TV and the port on the back of your router with an ethernet cable. Go to Network Settings, and then use wired internet.

Like an HDMI cable, Wireless Video HDMI does not require a Wi-Fi connection. It creates its own direct wireless signal between the transmitter and receiver. So if your internet cuts out, you will still have access to all your devices.

Not all TVs are smart; a "dumb" TV doesn't connect to the internet, so it's simply a display device for whatever you connect to it (much like a computer monitor).

Go to Settings from the home screen or your remote. Scroll until you find Preferences. Click Preferences, then you'll see your Privacy Settings. In Privacy Settings, you can turn off Device Usage Data, Collect App and Over-the-Air Usage, and Interest-Based Ads.

Via Hotspot

You can use the Hotspot function on your Android device to screen mirror to TV without WiFi or an Internet connection. By putting on the mobile Hotspot feature on your device, your phone can create a temporary WiFi network that other devices, such as a TV, can connect to.

Set up a mobile hotspot on your phone by going to the settings, look for the "Mobile Hotspot" or "Tethering" option, and turn it on. Connect the TV to the mobile hotspot by going to the TV's settings, look for the "Network" option, and select the mobile hotspot from the list of available networks.

Chromecast. The most recent Chromecast is a complete streaming gadget to convert normal TV to smart TV. The new Chromecast has Google TV integrated, whereas previous Chromecasts only enabled you to stream movies, programmes, and other material through an Android or the Chrome web browser.

Outside of a few “skinny bundles,” most streaming packages are just as expensive as cable TV. We still consider streaming TV a cheaper alternative in the long-term, however, since price increases tend to be less severe with streaming services than they are with cable TV.

Your streaming device connects to the internet through either an ethernet cable or Wi-Fi. It connects to your television through the HDMI port. Connect your device to a power source and the HDMI port on your television, then use the TV remote to change the source or input to the corresponding HDMI port.

Can we convert any TV to smart TV? ›

Smart set-top-box – This is perhaps the most convenient way of converting your regular TV into a somewhat Smart TV. If you already have a cable connection, chances are that your provider would also have an option to upgrade to a smart set-top box.

The short answer is yes, you will need internet in order to make a TV smart, and possibly wireless internet at that. Though some streaming devices featuring Ethernet connections do exist, the main way most streamers connect is via Wi-Fi.

Most non-smart TVs come from lesser-known brands, such as Insignia and Sceptre. Bigger brands still produce non-smart TVs in 2023 — but you may have to pay more for them or take extra steps to make your purchase.

If your TV doesn't support the Hulu app, you can install it on another device, such as a streaming device or game console, and connect it to your TV. You can also cast the Hulu app from a mobile device to your TV using a Chromecast (unless your TV supports direct casting).

Android Phones and Tablets

The most common method is to use a “casting” app, such as AirBeamTV. Our apps allow you to wirelessly connect your phone to any popular TV. Once connected, you can “cast” the content on your phone's screen to your TV, and watch movies from your phone on your TV without HDMI.

The cheapest live TV services for cord-cutting are the free ones: Pluto TV, Xumo, and Local Now. There are paid ones that cost very little, like Philo, Frndly TV, and Sling (especially the individual Blue or Orange plans).

A smart TV costs more than a comparable set that lacks smart services. However, that price difference is quickly evaporating, and soon most sets will have smart services built in. In 2022, it's hard to even find a 4K TV that doesn't have smart capabilities and internet connectivity.

The first and simplest device is the casting stick. These essentially operate as a portable receiver, connecting your TV directly to your broadband via your WiFi or a USB port. Most are controlled by an app on your phone or computer and are readily available to purchase online or at your local electronics store.

Yes, any modern TV or Smart TV with an HDMI port will work with a Fire Stick. You can also connect via MiniPort or DVI with an adapter should you have no free HDMI ports, though streaming quality can be affected (sometimes positively).