How do I connect my laptop to my TV on WiFi? There are several ways to do this. There are two types of connections: DNLA file splitting and screen duplication. Before you transfer an image from your laptop to any of the following, you need to make sure that both devices are on the same network.
DLNA connection
Before you connect your laptop to your TV via WiFi via DNLA connection, you need to make sure that the TV has a wireless network module. If you don’t have it, you’ll need an external adapter. This technology allows you to set up your home network to connect mobile devices, laptops, TVs, etc.
The first step is to set up the router:
- Start the device. Turn on DHCP mode.
- Set the access code.
- Start the TV, open the main menu. There should be a wireless-connected item (for example, Sonia Bravia’s pairing is done through the “Network” menu item).
- In your wireless connection list, select your router’s network.
- When the device supports the WPS standard, it’s much easier to connect to the TV.
- Once the TV is connected to the home network, you need to link it to your laptop. To do this, create a media silver in the system. Collect all the videos, music, and photos you want to open on TV into one folder.
- In the end, you need to set up access to all users of your network to these files. You can use several different programs to connect your laptop to your TV—for example, Plex Media Server, SmartShare, ShareManager.
- The connection is now fully configured. You can watch movies on TV, play music, and flip through photos.
With WIDI Miracast
With Miracast technology, you can connect your laptop to your TV by adjusting the image. At the same time, THE TV will be like a full-fledged monitor. Miracast technology does not need a router-shaped intermediary, as there is a direct connection of devices to each other via WiFi Direct. Miracast is almost no different from Vidi (the latter is supported by computers exclusively with Intel processors).
For a Windows 10 laptop, it’s easy to set up a connection. It should be taken into account that TV should support this technology of broadcasting images (for example, Samsung Smart TV or LG Smart TV). Older machines will require additional equipment. The instructions for connecting the following:
1. Turn on the TV, turn on the function of broadcasting the image. More often than not, it’s already turned on, but you need to make sure of it.
2. On Samsung Smart TV, the relevant item is called “Mirror Screen Display.”. It can be found in the network section.
3. Once the TV is configured, we start to configure the laptop. Download Wireless Display, run. Click on the Wireless Monitor line. Sometimes you have to enter the code that is displayed on the TV display.
The connection is set up. Now, to transfer the image from laptop to TV, it is enough to click on the icon of the program in the third, choose the item “Devices,” then – “Projector.” In this window, you can choose a wireless screen for broadcast.
Before you use this method, you need to make sure that the TV supports the screen duplication function.
With Wireless Display
Intel Wireless Display lets you duplicate your laptop screen on TV with WIDI technology. The TV itself should support this technology—almost all models produced later than 2013 support it. The instruction is:
1. Open the smart TV menu by clicking on the appropriate button on the remote control.
2. The settings should have a paragraph called “Screen Share” or “Miracast/WIDI.” We activate it. On Samsung Smart TV, the setting is called Mirror Screen Display.
3. On the laptop, we run a utility (load and install if necessary).
4. The window will show a list of devices available to connect. Choose what you want.
5. Sometimes, you can’t display an image right away. You have to enter the password, which is displayed on the TV display. Everything, the connection is ready for use.
With Google’s Chromecast
Chromecast is an adapter that needs to be purchased separately. It connects through an HDMI connector. It can be used to broadcast everything that happens on your laptop screen to your TV display. Instructions on how to connect your TV to your laptop this way:
- Connect the adapter to the HDMI port on the TV (to connect it to an LG TV, for example, you need to find a connector on the side).
- Download and install extensions for the Google Chrome browser.
- Click on the extension icon in the browser itself to start using its features.
Tick in front of the “Cast whole screen” line. Transferring all the desktop content is still in the experiment stage. Originally Chromecast is designed to convey an image of browser content.
What if I don’t have a wifi module on my TV?
Without a WiFi module, you can’t sync an image between a TV and a laptop. You will have to purchase additional equipment or connect through the LAN cable. All new TVs are equipped with wireless modules, but they may not be available on outdated models. You can use special adapters that connect to the HDMI TV connector. For example, these are:
- Miracast adapter
- Compute Stick;
- Android Mini PC (provides a TV with a full-fledged Android system);
- Google Chromecast.
These devices will help you transfer an image from your laptop to your TV.
Problems with wirelessly connecting your laptop to your TV
When DNLA connects, you need to make sure that the TV supports opening files of the extensions you want to lose. If you don’t have support, you can convert files to third-party programs.
If you can’t connect your laptop and TV screen, you’ll need to check once again if they’re connected to the same home network. It’s also a good idea to update your network device driver on your laptop.
Sometimes the TV can’t see the laptop. We need to check if the computer is on.
