LG TVs Drop Wi-Fi, Prompting 8.8.8.8 DNS Fixes and Ethernet Fallback

Q: Why do premium smart TVs still use outdated Ethernet ports that secretly throttle your high-speed internet?

Premium smart TVs still ship with 10/100 Ethernet because manufacturers see it as “good enough” for mainstream streaming and cheaper to include, even on expensive sets. For Netflix, Disney+ and most other services, 4K playback usually needs only about 15 to 25 Mbps. A 100 Mbps port easily covers that, and video apps buffer ahead, so TV makers prioritize panel quality, processors and software over a faster wired controller. In their cost calculations, Gigabit Ethernet adds components and validation work without improving the experience for most buyers. The catch is that this makes the wired port look better than it is. Many buyers assume Ethernet is automatically the fastest option, but on most TVs it is capped at roughly 90 to 100 Mbps in real use. Modern Wi‑Fi 5, 6 and 6E can often beat that, so a TV on Wi‑Fi may test faster than the same TV on its built-in LAN port. That bottleneck matters more for people using Plex or Jellyfin, streaming very high-bitrate 4K files, cloud gaming, or trying to take advantage of 500 Mbps or gigabit home internet. In those cases, the TV’s Ethernet port can become the limiting factor even if the rest of the network is faster. There are workarounds. Some LG owners use a USB-to-Ethernet gigabit adapter, which can raise speeds well above the built-in port, though TV USB bandwidth often limits real-world performance to roughly 250 to 420 Mbps. A streamer with native Gigabit Ethernet, such as Apple TV 4K or similar devices, is often the cleaner fix.

2 articles · Updated · Boy Genius Report · Sep 5

LG TV owners facing repeated Wi-Fi dropouts should first test the set on a phone hotspot to determine whether the fault lies with the TV or the home router.
8.8.8.8 DNS, IPv6 shutdown, location resets, and a Wi-Fi toggle refresh are among the main TV-side fixes; router-side steps include disabling band steering, switching from 5GHz to 2.4GHz, and using WPA2-AES or WPA-AES.
A factory reset is the last software step before checking the TV’s Wi-Fi module, where loose ribbon cables, bent connectors, or hardware failure can cause persistent disconnections.
Ethernet offers the most direct workaround if wireless remains unstable, while Roku and Amazon Fire TV sticks can bypass LG’s built-in webOS connectivity issues altogether.