Activating apple tv

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Level 1

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Activating apple tv

I just ordered the Apple tv from the store and I can't figure out how to activate it and get passed the setting time and date. I've tried lowering my security on my router, restarting and restoring, hooking up the Apple tv to the router and the modem, unplugging everything and waiting. Nothing seems to work. When it first starts up I have even tried helping it to set to the right country and city. The wheel just keeps spinning until the screensaver comes on and when I push an arrow key on the remote it just keeps spinning round and round for hours. What am I supposed to do?!

Apple TV (3rd generation)

Posted on Aug 18, 2015 5:24 PM

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Answer 1

iW00

Level 6

8,542 points

Aug 19, 2015 1:29 AM in response to Baybe0x

In UK there seems to be some issues with BT -> i have just purchased an apple tv and cant get past the set date and time page,please help!

If you have an iPhone, there is a workaround.

1. Setup Personal Hotspot on your iPhone: Share your Internet connection with Personal Hotspot - Apple Support

(If you don't have an iPhone, check if your phone allows to Share Internet with other devices, if yes, then look in your phone manual how to turn on this option)

2. Reset All Settings on your Apple TV: How to restart your Apple TV - Apple Support

3. Instead of connecting your Apple TV to your home WiFi, try this time to temporarily connect an Apple TV to Personal Hotspot connection created from your iPhone.

4. Finish setup of your Apple TV.

5. Reconnect your Apple TV to your home Wifi: Get help with Wi-Fi networks and Apple TV - Apple Support

If that setup worked, call your ISP and asked them to unlock for you ports listed in this article:

If your Apple TV stops at the date and time screen during startup - Apple Support

TCP and UDP ports and protocols used by Apple TV - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,560 points

Aug 19, 2015 3:25 AM in response to Baybe0x

For whatever reason it's not seeing the internet.

I think you suggest you've connected via ethernet - odd that that doesn't work unless ethernet is faulty..

What security setting are you using? WPA2 is generally best, there used to be issues with the less secure WEP.

If you can get to the Settings menu try resetting the AppleTV.

If you are using custom DNS servers of some kind, might be best to revert to default ones in the router - Google's DNS services caused issues in the past.

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Answer 3

Baybe0x Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 19, 2015 12:01 PM in response to Alley_Cat

When I first received it I had it set to WEP2 which was the highest security of my internet then I switched it to WEP and it still didn't work, then I tried hooking it up straight the the wifi router and then I hooked it up straight to the modem and that didn't work. Last night we tried again and had set so it would turn off so it would stay at the set date and time and this morning it was still going. So I'm not sure what else we can do with it.

And we can't use our cell phone to connect to the internet either because there is no cell service where we live and it won't connect.

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Answer 4

Alley_Cat

Level 7

20,560 points

Aug 19, 2015 3:26 PM in response to Baybe0x

Can you try it at a friend's house just to see if it can connect via a different network ? It's possible you have a lemon though, and you might want to get it exchanged or a refund if possible.

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Answer 5

dave31

Level 1

0 points

Aug 20, 2015 12:48 AM in response to Baybe0x

THis was happening to my newly bought apple tv too. I turned off the wifi and used the personal hot spot on my iPad to activate the Apple TV . It worked straight away. I turned the wifi back on and everything was ok.

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Answer 6

Baybe0x Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 21, 2015 9:38 AM in response to Baybe0x

I have tried my personal hotspot on my cell phone, but still nothing.

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