Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Apple TV won't find our network even though all other devices connect to wifi no problem?

There are 3 phones, 2 iPads and a PS3 connected to wifi, so I know it is working. But the Apple TV won't even find the network when it turns on. I bought it used from a friend. Some other step I need to do?

iPhone 6s, iOS 8.2

Posted on Nov 24, 2015 6:27 PM

Reply
11 replies

Dec 28, 2015 7:31 AM in response to shayj613

I Have the exact same issue.


3rd gen ATV won't see any of our wifi networks after previously being connected, while there's a 4th generation ATV/2 iPhones/iPad connected and working fine.


It connects very occasionally and will work for 10-15 minutes then just drop the wifi altogether.


Have tried restarting, resetting to factory and hard reset and nothing has fixed it.


4th gen works a treat.


Help!

Dec 30, 2015 8:30 PM in response to Cmad182

IM having the same issue with my Apple TV 4th gen. It connected without issue to my wifi network until this evening, bought it right after the 4th gen came out. All of a sudden I can't connect to the wifi, it detects the network but when I enter the password I get an error: "couldn't connect to the wifi network. Try again."


I know the wifi is working because I'm using it to post this message and have been using it to research the issue. I've reset the router and the Apple TV multiple times now to no effect.

Feb 6, 2016 5:34 PM in response to sir_camel

The same thing started happening to my Apple TV 2 this morning after three years of no problems. If I connect the ATV to my router with an ethernet cable and then restart it, it works, and then I can disconnect the cable and it holds the connection. But if I turn off the ATV I have to start all over again with the ethernet cable. What changed?

May 18, 2016 5:16 AM in response to shayj613

I've got a similar issue. The wifi network was mostly working fine with the Apple TV 4 (OK, occasional drops). But now it won't connect to the network at all. It sees the network, it lets me enter the password, and then nothing. No Netflix, no Plex - it just tells me I'm not online. iPhones and iPads beside the Apple TV are picking up the wifi network no problem. I've restarted the Apple TV a couple of times and it doesn't seem to have helped. Next step: restart wifi network (i.e. unplug and then plug in Apple Extreme).

May 28, 2016 9:15 PM in response to Lost in Asia

But today that method doesn't work. Every week or two the Apple TV simply won't log in to the wifi network. It sees it on the screen. I enter the password. And then it tells me it can't connect to the Wifi network. Ten days ago unplugging and restarting both the Apple Extreme and the Apple TV "solved" the issue. Today it's not working. I'm at something of a loss.


The wifi network works fine. It was working fine with the Apple TV last night. Today it's working with two iPhones, one iPad, and an Android phone - and the Apple TV can see it, but refuses to log in.


When the Apple TV works, I really like it, but man, it seems like I'm spending 30 minutes or more on networking problems every other day - enough that I'm more often thinking "Screw it, I'll just watch on my computer instead."

May 30, 2016 10:02 AM in response to Lost in Asia

Can you check for interference at the ATV location? There may be other strong networks, and ATV 4 is somewhat fussy. A different WiFi channel might work better. If you have an Android phone, there are several apps available; I use Netgear Analytics which works and is not obnoxious.

Also, users have found that using only WPA2-AES (CCMP) encryption on the WiFi helps. That means disabling any dual mode including TKIP in the router WiFi settings.

Please report if you have any success (or not...).

May 31, 2016 7:35 AM in response to Diana.McCall

Thanks Diana.McCall. I'm still trying to find good ways to check for interference; last time I looked into this, I only found programs that could work on my computer, but since that's a desktop, I can't move it around to check how network varies. (I've got several iOS devices as well, but no Android.)


Eventually it started working. After turning everything I could think of off and on repeatedly over 20 minutes, and failing to improve the situation (actually it made things worse - it all started from Plex not connecting, and went to no wifi at all), I went online for a bit to look for solutions - which was when I posted above. Thirty minutes later I tried again, having changed nothing, and it was working again. I have no idea why.


I do suspect interference is the problem, but if that's the cause, wow, is it ever a problem. My desktop and iPad are both wifi-only and I've had vanishingly few issues over the years, but I seem to have problems with the Apple TV every other time I turn it on. I'm in a high-rise apartment building and the Apple TV sees five or six wifi networks. There are apartments directly above and below (with microwaves?), and I'm starting to suspect the little beeper we use to activate the elevator also breaks the wifi connection (the elevator shaft is directly behind the TV).


All that being said ... I'm confused about what's going on when the ATV sees the network, and I enter the password, and then ... nothing. Sometimes it just returns to the password entry screen. No error message or anything. It still sees the network. Would that be interference or some kind of bug? I at least expect an "Incorrect password - please try again" or "Connection cannot be made" (which I do sometimes get, but not always).

May 31, 2016 11:29 AM in response to Lost in Asia

Please check the WiFi encryption settings on the router, as I suggested before. Change it to WPA2-AES (CCMP) only, no TKIP. That may help, especially with the mysterious connection failure.

If the router can do 5 GHz, try setting up a separate network (different SSID) on 5 GHz and connect the ATV to it. It's help performance for your other devices as well. There are usually fewer networks on 5 GHz, and it doesn't travel as far, so any interference is weaker. If you're already on 5 GHz, try another channel.

If you cannot use 5 GHz, try channels 1, 6, and 11, see if any works better.

The tough thing about interference is that it's transient. When someone else using your channel downloads a movie, it can knock you out. But then things return to normal. You can download WiFi "stumbler" programs for Windows and for Macs, and I believe OS X has some functionality built-in. They'd show the channels used by the strongest networks, ones that you want to avoid.

Apple TV won't find our network even though all other devices connect to wifi no problem?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.