Connect TCL Roku TV to WiFi Without Remote [Works 100%]

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I once moved to a new place and forgot my TCL Roku remote in my old room. I wanted to watch some TV but couldn’t because, without the remote, I was unable to connect my Roku to the new Wifi.

But the internet has all the tricks, so I found a couple of ways to connect TCL Roku TV to Wifi without remote.

If you are in a similar situation and want to know how I did it, this article is for you.

If your Roku remote is not connecting to your TV, read our detailed guide about troubleshooting a green blinking remote that won’t pair to your TV.

But if you have lost your remote or your remote is damaged beyond repair, below are alternative ways to connect TCL Roku TV to Wifi without it.

You Cannot Use Roku Remote App

Roku official app is a very well-designed app that works great with any Roku-powered TV and has some extra functions too.

Installing this app on your mobile lets you set up a virtual remote, and you can use it just like a regular TV remote.

But the Roku app works only when your Roku TV is already connected to the Wifi network.

As most smartphones nowadays do not come with an IR emitting sensor, to use the Roku app you will need to first connect your phone to the TV over the same WiFi network.

Here is the problem! You cannot get to settings on TCL TV without remote and for the remote, you need to be already connected to the internet.

A bit of a chicken & egg problem.

So, if you have read it somewhere that you can connect your Roku TV to the WiFi using the Roku TV app, it is not correct.

You cannot use the Roku TV or any other virtual remote app to connect your TV to the WiFi.

If you have a smartphone that has an IR signal-emitting sensor, your phone can serve as a virtual TV remote that you can use first to connect the TV to Wifi and then use the App to operate the TV further.

Alternatively, you can try the below methods.

How to Connect TCL Roku TV to WiFi Without Remote?

Now, let’s look into the various ways of connecting the TCL Roku TV to Wifi without a remote control.

1. Use Ethernet Connection + Roku App

The very first method is by using an ethernet cable. If your TCL Roku TV has an ethernet port, you can use the ethernet cable to connect the TV to the internet.

The good thing about ethernet connection is that it doesn’t need any settings. You can insert your ethernet cable in the port and instantly connect to the internet.

However, you still need a remote to control and run your TV, and we have a clean solution.

We can now use Roku App with an ethernet connection.

Now that your Roku is connected to the internet via ethernet and you want to switch to Wifi connection, follow the below steps.

1. Connect your Roku TV to the WiFi router using the ethernet cable.
2. Connect your mobile phone to the same WiFi network.
3. Download and install the Roku TV app on your TV
4. Open the app, and you will see an icon like a remote control.
5. Select the remote, and your mobile will work as a virtual remote for your TCL TV.
6. Now open the Settings on your TV using the phone.
7. Go to Connection or Network settings and open the Wifi option
8. It will search for the available Wifi networks
9. Look for the name of your Wifi connection and select it
10. Enter the password to connect to the Wifi
11. Now your TV has a Wifi connection
12. The same procedure applies to android as well as iOS TVs

This is convenient, but it requires an ethernet port on your Roku TV.

If your TV doesn’t support an ethernet connection, use the below methods for the WiFi connection.

2. Same Network Trick

This trick is very useful if your TV was previously connected to a network and now you have moved it to a new location where the previous network is unavailable.

But you remember the previous network name and password [important!]

If your TV was previously connected to WiFi, the login credentials should already be in its settings. The TV preserves Wi-Fi settings even after it is turn off or the Wifi is turned off.

You can use your new Wifi router or your mobile’s hotspot to trick the TV into thinking it is still connected to the old network.

Both methods are described here.

Using the WiFi Router

You can change the name and password of your new internet router to the name and password of your old Wifi network.

This will enable you to connect your TCL TV to the new WiFi router without any configuration. Your TV will think it is still connected to the old network.

This works the same on both Android and iOS devices. If you don’t know how to do so, here are the steps to perform this task:

1. To change the WiFi name and password, you must know the IP address of your WiFi router.
2. Every router comes with a local IP address, and you can find it on the back of your WiFi router. Usually, it is 127.0.0.1
3. Go to the browser and enter the IP address in the search bar
4. Now, it asks you for the login information (username and password). Type admin as the username and the password, which is the default username and password.
5. If this does not work, you can find the default username and password from the back of your router.
6. After logging in, you will see the configuration page of your router. Find the wireless option and select it.
7. Now, look for the SSID, which is your WiFi network’s name. Change the name of this WiFi router exactly to the name of your old WiFi network.
8. Now, find the security option where you will change the WiFi password.
9. Find the password option on the left side of your screen and change the password to your old network password.
10. Save your settings and restart your router.
11. Now, your TCL Roku TV will automatically be connected to your new WiFi, thinking it’s the same Wi-Fi it was in your old location.

Using the Mobile Hotspot

The same trick is also possible on your mobile hotspot. You need to set the same name and password on your phone hotspot, which the TV remembers.

In this way, your TV connects to your mobile hotspot, as the TV thinks it is connecting to the same WiFi network to which it was connected earlier.

To try this technique, use the following steps:

1. Go to your phone settings
2. In the phone settings, look for the hotspot option.
3. In most smartphones, you have an option saying mobile hotspot, portable hotspot, or hotspot & tethering. Sometimes the hotspot option is present in network & internet settings.
4. Select the hotspot icon and turn it on
5. Go to the hotspot settings to find the WiFi name and password.
6. Change the WiFi name and password to the one the TV previously connected to.
7. Now your TV will be connected to your mobile phone hotspot, thinking it’s the same previously connected network.

3. Get a Universal IR Remote

If you have tried the above methods but still can’t connect to the internet for some reason, here is a cheap way to resolve the issue.

You can buy a universal remote and use the TCL codes specified for the remote to use it with the TCL Roku TV.

Follow the steps in the manual provided with the remote to use it with your TV. Use the following steps to set the remote for your TV.

1. Press and hold the Setup button until the red light on the remote turns on
2. Select a TV option on the remote, for example, DVD
3. Now, enter the code for the Roku TV given in the remote’s manual. If it works, the red light will turn off, and the TV will turn on
4. Now, you can test the different remote buttons to see if the TV responds as expected.
5. If the TV does not respond properly, go to step 1, repeat the process and use another code
6. Now you can use this remote for your TCL Roku TV and connect it to WiFi
7. To connect to the WiFi, open the Settings on your TV using the remote
8. Go to Connection or Network settings and open the Wifi option
9. It will search for the available Wifi networks
10. Look for the name of your Wifi connection and select it
11. Enter the password to connect to the Wifi
12. Now your TV has a Wifi connection

4. Buying a New Roku Remote

If you are still not connected to the Wifi despite trying everything listed above, perhaps it’s time to buy a new Roku TV Remote.

They are cheap, and you can order one from Amazon.

How to connect TCL TV to wifi without remote – Final Words

TCL Roku TV requires a remote control to use and perform different tasks, for example, changing a Wifi connection.

But you can change the Wifi connection by other methods described in this article.

Using the ethernet cable, you can connect the Roku TV to the internet router. Another way is to trick the TV using the credentials of the previous WiFi network.

You can always buy a universal remote and use it for your TCL Roku TV. All these tricks are explained in this article.