Android TV slowing down your connection? Here’s the hack they don’t want you to know

Surprise! That shiny Ethernet cable you plugged into your Android TV for “the fastest speeds” might actually be working against you. If you’re scratching your head wondering why your 4K TV’s streams are buffering or why game streaming feels like you’re playing in slow motion, hold tight—because here comes the hack they don’t want you to know.

The Surprising Bottleneck in Android TV Internet Speeds

Just about every TV sold in France these days is 4K, and—lucky us—they’re nearly all Smart TVs (or, as the French prefer, “télés connectées”). Many of these smart TVs, especially from big names like Philips, Sony, or TCL, run on Google’s Android TV system. Android TV brings two major perks to the living room, but here’s the twist: on a lot of models, it also brings a drawback—your connection speed can be throttled when using wired Ethernet.

The prevailing wisdom says an Ethernet RJ-45 cable delivers faster, more stable speeds than Wi-Fi—true for your PC or PS5, sure. But, curveball: on many Android TV sets, plugging in this cable does not guarantee better performance. In fact, in some cases, Wi-Fi 6 will leave Ethernet eating its dust.

Why Is Wired Slower Than Wireless?

Let’s break it down. Most connected TVs have a built-in operating system, and a truckload of 4K TVs run Android TV. While high-end televisions sometimes have souped-up Ethernet cards, most don’t. Especially if your Android TV fits one of these criteria:

• It’s a bit older.
• You bought it for somewhere between 300€ and 600€.
• You dream of ultra-premium speeds and own a fancy Ethernet cable.

If that sounds like your TV, there’s a good chance your Ethernet speeds are capped by a slow network card, no matter how good your internet or wiring may be. Real-life example? Some users found themselves getting just 90 Mbps over Ethernet—but when switching to Wi-Fi, speeds shot up to almost 300 Mbps. That’s more than a little backwards!

How to Test If Your Android TV is Holding You Back

Curious if your TV is secretly keeping your connection under its thumb? There’s an easy way to find out:

• Download the SpeedTest app directly on your Android TV for a quick diagnosis.
• Don’t want another app? No problem! You can also check your speed from within the Netflix app. Both tests will show you exactly how your wired and wireless speeds stack up.

You’ll quickly see whether your Wi-Fi is actually outperforming your hardwired connection (and we promise, you won’t be the first to have your mind blown by this discovery).

Two Simple Fixes for a Faster TV Experience

If your tests confirm that Ethernet’s holding you back, don’t panic. You have two main options to escape this bottleneck:

• Option 1: Go Wireless. Drop the cable and embrace the freedom of Wi-Fi. If your home’s equipped with modern Wi-Fi (think Wi-Fi 6) and your subscription is up to the task, wireless can outpace your Ethernet connection, minus the cable clutter.
• Option 2: Plug in an Adapter. Most connected TVs offer USB-A ports. For less than 20€ on sites like Amazon, a simple USB-to-Ethernet dongle can replace your TV’s built-in, slow wired connection and may offer dramatically better speeds.

And here’s some friendly perspective: the overwhelming majority of users don’t need monster download speeds from their smart TVs. Unless you’re into heavy duty activities like cloud gaming or streaming uncompressed 4K Blu-rays, a connection of 15 to 20 Mbps is probably more than enough. For typical streaming—think Amazon Prime, Disney+, Twitch, or even Netflix in 4K—a standard connection will do just fine. No need to lose sleep or raid your wallet for maximum bandwidth.

So next time your TV buffers mid-cliffhanger, don’t just blame the Wi-Fi. Maybe, just maybe, the old rulebook needs a rewrite!