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How to Setup Ethernet-connected Apple TV

With the new Apple TV Remote app how do you set up an 3rd Gen Apple TV that is connected via ethernet? It seems that the Apple TV Remote app requires the Apple TV to be connected via WiFi.

Apple TV (3rd generation), iOS 9.3.4

Posted on Aug 8, 2016 7:44 AM

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17 replies

Sep 3, 2017 4:23 AM in response to Noble F Frye

Hi Noble F Frye. Based on your information, it could be anything.

What version Apple TV do you have? See link: Identify your Apple TV model - Apple Support if not sure.

Is your Apple TV connected directly to the router, not through a switch?

Have you tried a different ethernet cable? A different router port?

Is the router connected to the internet?

What do you see in Settings > Network? Does it say ethernet? Does it have an IP address, router, and DNS address?

Have you tried connecting Apple TV on WiFi?

Apr 14, 2017 7:54 AM in response to williamfromchappaqua

Have you ever gotten a solution to this? I have the same issue when wired. As soon as I unplug the Ethernet cable, the pairing option shows up and the Remote app works. I have the Apple TV wired through a (dumb) network switch to a Google Fiber network box, which is handling DHCP for wired. The GF network box is hardwired to a Google WiFi mesh router, which is handling DHCP for wireless (because the GF network box and the Google WiFi don't play nicely with each other, despite being made by the same company).


All wired devices (NAS, laptop, BluRay player) connected via the switch to the network box work fine. Only AppleTV insists on having WiFi to pair.


[EDIT]: Fixed. Had to hook AppleTV Ethernet cable to Google WiFI LAN port and not dumb switch.

Aug 8, 2016 7:54 AM in response to williamfromchappaqua

the ethernet port is on the back


your router needs to enable DHCP, if you are having issues with wired connection you may wish to reset the router to the factory defaults. See the developers webpage for the information on doing that.


the remote does not connect over wi-fi so it does not matter if the device is on a network or not as far as the remote is concerned.


Apple TV (3rd generation) - Technical Specifications


if you are unable to remedy this go to the settings, forget the current wi-fi network and restart the device

Settings > General > Network > Wi-Fi

Settings > General > Restart

If you are still unable to connect over wired connection check the connection on the cable and verify the cable is working.

.

Aug 8, 2016 7:55 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

You missed my point and I have a typo in my post. I have the newest Gen 4 (not Gen 3) Apple TV. It is already connected via ethernet not via WiFi, and is functioning as it should.The new iOS application -- Apple TV Remote app -- does not see this ethernet-connected Apple TV at the start of its setup process. It instructs the user that the Apple TV must be on the same WiFi network as the iPhone device that is running the Apple TV Remote app. There appears to be no option to setup the Apple TV Remote app to control an Apple TV that is connected vi ethernet. Advise how a user can setup the Apple TV Remote app to control an Apple TV that is connected via ethernet.

Aug 8, 2016 8:04 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

Seems as though you're coming off a long night shift. Typing "Gen 3" and meaning "Gen 4" is a typo too. You still are missing the point. An ethernet-connect Gen 4 Apple TV is NOT RECOGNIZED by the new Apple TV Remote app. So how does one set up the Apple TV Remote app to control a Gen 4 Apple TV that is connected via ethernet an not connected via WiFi. The link you sent does not address this condition.

Aug 8, 2016 8:17 AM in response to williamfromchappaqua

Are you able to see your ATV for AirPlay from the device running the Remote app? If not, your router may not be routing the necessary multicast packets between the wired and wireless subnets. This is a problem with many older routers. If you can see ATV for AirPlay but not for Remote, try restarting the router, then power cycle ATV. Remote and AirPlay are both Bonjour services advertised by ATV in the same way.

Aug 8, 2016 8:23 AM in response to williamfromchappaqua

the link I posted above to the apple documentation shows how to pair the device to an ethernet connected 4th gen apple TV and it most certainly does address the condition

After you select Set Up with Device, unlock your iOS device. Check that Bluetooth is on and make sure that you're connected to Wi-Fi.


this is the answer provided by Apple.

Aug 8, 2016 8:57 AM in response to Diana.McCall

Yes I am able to see the ATV for AirPlay from all iOS devices. Yes I can control the ATV with the OLD Remote app.


My routing is handled by a Verizon FiOS Actiontec MI424WR Gen 3i at IP address 192.168.1.1. Sixteen (16) static IP addresses are manually configured in the range 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.99, and DHCP addresses as needed are assigned automatically in the range 192.168.1.151 to 192.168.1.254.


IP addresses 192.168.1.100 to 192.168.1.150 are reserved for Verizon FiOS devices that are connected to the Actiontec router via a COAX connection (e.g., Arris set top boxes).


My WIRELESS network is handled by two current-generation Apple Airport Extremes connected to the wired network, with static IP addresses 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.3 as reserved by the Actiontec router. They both operate with routing off in bridge mode. Both these Airport Extremes create a wireless net of the same name in different physical locations. On wireless devices that can support it I regularly seen data rates north of 700 Mb/s.


Depending where a wireless device physically is in my location, it connects to whichever Airport Extreme that provides the best quality signal, and an IP address as assigned by the Actiontec router in the DHCP range.


The ATV is connected to the wired network at 192.168.1.4.


It is beyond my competence to say if "multicast packets between wired and wireless subnets" are being properly routed in the architecture described above.


I experienced no problems setting up the OLD Remote app in this architecture. It in fact still works.


What do I need to do to set up the new Apple TV Remote app?

Sep 4, 2016 5:02 AM in response to turingtest2

I'm having the same issue described by williamfromchappaqua and I'm wondering if its a known issue since its hard to find any solution using a google search. The issue seems to be related to the bonjour service when connected via ethernet. I have two ATV4's, both connected via ethernet. The remote app and air play are both glitchy (work sometimes and sometimes not) when connected to the ethernet, but when connected to wifi they work beautifully.


So the question should be, how does a user simulate the wifi connection using ethernet? I stream movies through PLEX and wifi just isn't enough to keep up with the quality.

Sep 4, 2016 5:12 AM in response to MD1078

a lan network is a lan network if wifi and ethernet are kept as two separate networks then it's because the router is setup to keep the networks as two separate networks in which case the user who wish wifi and wired devices to communicate needs to bridge the networks, this is handled in the wifi routers configuration and how it's handled varies from wifi router to wifi router

Sep 4, 2016 5:19 AM in response to MD1078

Hi MD1078. Yes, it's a known issue. Bonjour uses multicast packets to publish and discover resources. By design, these don't propagate very far due to a small time to live. Most routers handle it if the ethernet connections are to the same router that controls the WiFi. More complex configurations may not work as well. Can you please describe your network configuration, including routers, switches, wireless access points, WiFi extenders, etc.? Are you using DHCP for the ATVs?


Relating to performance of wired vs WiFi. If your router supports 802.11ac, and you configure a 5 GHz network, WiFi should outperform the 10/100 ethernet on ATV.

How to Setup Ethernet-connected Apple TV

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