Apple TV 3 won't connect with Ethernet cable after 5.1.1 update

I'm having the same problem. I'm in University housing and I can't access the wifi network on my ATV3, so I absolutely need ethernet to connect. It worked fine yesterday, and when we bought a new ethernet cable to rearrange our living room, it suddenly stopped working. It now won't work with any cable, on any port. I was able to connect through the mobile hotspot on my iPhone, though.

I've tried resetting, and also restoring to factory settings, and nothing will work.

Hmmm I was able to do all of that, but now I can't seem to connect to the iTunes store.

James,

I have the same problem with my ATV3. Wireless seems to work, however, no connestion to itunes store when hooked up to ethernet cable.

This whole experience has been frustrating for me and I presume for many other ATV users. For the time being my solution was to downgrade to 5.0.2. Ethernet connection works, and I have access to the itunes store.

APPLE is dragging its feet on this whole issue. At the very least they should advise ATV users that there is a problem, and that they are working on it (hopefully)!

Good luck.

After downgrading to 5.0.2 I still could not get an Ethernet connection, so I took it to the Apple Store to see if it might be a hardware issue. Surprisingly, it worked perfectly fine on the Apple Store's Ethernet, so I'm not sure what the issue is anymore. They suggested that my hardware address may have been blocked by the University for some reason and I should contact my system admin. I'm not sure if anything will come from doing that, but I've temporarily set up an Internet sharing option by connecting my ATV and MacBook via Ethernet and everything works fine. Better than nothing I suppose, especially since we also have a Roku that can handle the bulk of our streaming (albeit, much more slowly), but for the times I really need my iTunes movies/tv shows/YouTube, I can bother with the second cable.

I've seen this issue everywhere, and it's a little disappointing that something isn't being done about it.

I've seen this issue everywhere, and it's a little disappointing that something isn't being done about it.

What exactly do you think Apple can do if your university has decided to implement security measures which don't allow the Apple TV to work properly. Do you complain to Toyota when the Highway department close the road.

I don't mean my issue in particular, I mean the Ethernet issues in general. Before I learned that it may be my university's network, I did some research, and I found a lot of people complaining about Ethernet connectivity problems after upgrading to 5.1.1. I was commenting on the previous poster's statement, I'm sorry for not making that clearer.

I'm having the same issue. Wi-Fi works great but ethernet will not connect.

It is a relief to find I am not alone with this appalling issue of not being able to use the ethernet connection!

I would love to know where to find an old firmware as I seriously regret upgrading. It crashed my Apple TV and I had to connect up to a borrowed computer (I am travelling and only have an iPad). It took about ten attempts to download the current firmware from Apple's servers as the download would repeatedly fail part way. All searches on the applesite for the error code pointed to fixing network connections but that only made sense if the download had failed at the start and not after 500MB.

I am so disappointed with the performance of this box, I wish I could take it back. Unfortunately, as I bought it in another country, and there are no Apple stores near me, I may have to leave it to gather dust for a few months and hope a fix is produced.

When I do operate it on wifi, the mirroring is flakey, and sometimes shows a black screen instead of my iPad desktop, and changing photos too quickly leaves it confused, and I havto wait while it catches up.

Anyone with a link to a working firmware, please share it...

I have this exact problem on two seperate AppleTV's. Both worked flawless prior to the next to the last update. Sometimes the ATV doesn't even see the network - but it does see the ethernet cable is plugged in because it doesn't fail over to the wifi connection.

The wifi is connected to the exact same network system as the ethernet - both worked flawless until I ran the updates. The updates added more viewing options and iTunes Radio - all are nice but not really anything I'm interested in.

I would enter my username and then the password and click the SUBMIT button. Then I'd get the unable to connect to the itunes store error like the rest of you. I took one of my ATV's to a friend's house and connected it to his network. Via ethernet, no connection. I unplugged the cable and it failed over properly to wifi and worked flawlessly.

Back home, I tried ethernet - no luck. Wifi works perfect.

So - it MUST be an issue with the last 2 ATV updates that are somehow killing functionality of the RJ45 port.

2 devices tested on 2 different networks - all with the same results.

Hopefully Apple is working on a resolution.

Just wanted to add in my 2 cents. ;o)

Ron

I have the same problem not being able to connect via ethernet.

ATV 3 is now 6.0.2.

It had worked before but not anymore.

I am using powerline ethernet adapters.

I thought the powerline eithernet was the problem.

So I plugged the same cable into my notebook and the notebook connects fine.

I disconnect the notebook, and plug the cable into the ATV 3 which detects the ethernet cable and disconnects the wifi. There's no IP address (except the self-generated one).

Next, I ran an ethernet cable directly from my router (in another room) to ATV 3. This works !

So for some reason, ATV 3 does not like powerline adpaters.

I moved ATV 3 to another room which has a different brand of powerline adapter.

Same problem - no IP address 😟

I ran a cable fromthe router to that room and connected the ATV 3 to it. It works.

I tried the same in the third room (yet again a different brand of powerine adapter).

So, after the update, ATV 3 ethernet port does not work with various powerline adpaters 😟

I cannot use wifi as it's too slow to stream HD video (buffering, stutter, etc).

I have tried factory resets, restarts, etc but without joy.

Is there any way to downgrade the update and go back ?

Message for Apple Marketing: no we do not use the extra (paid-for) marketing rubbish you added to the update except break the ATV 3 and making it useless !😠