How to connect a Hisense TV to wi-fi without a remote

TL;DR: There are five ways to connect a Hisense TV to Wi-Fi without a remote. This guide explains how to use an Ethernet connection, a USB mouse or keyboard, a mobile hotspot, the TV’s physical buttons, or a replacement remote control to get your TV back online.

We’ve all been there, your Hisense TV suddenly loses its Wi-Fi connection and the remote is nowhere to be found. Or maybe you just moved to a new place and haven’t set everything up yet. 

Whatever the case, don’t worry. There are a few ways to get your TV back online without a remote, and we’ll walk you through them so you can choose the one that works best for you.

1) With an Ethernet cable

Get an Ethernet cable and connect one end to your internet modem and the other to the back of your Hisense TV. Your TV should connect to the internet right away without asking for a password. 

Now, if you don’t want a long cable sitting in your living room forever, here’s how you can use this temporary connection to switch to Wi-Fi and set up your phone as your new remote:

1. Make sure your phone is connected to your home Wi-Fi.
2. Open the VIDAA or Roku app on your phone. Since both your TV (through the cable) and your phone (through Wi-Fi) are connected to the same network, the app should detect your TV right away.
3. Using the app as a temporary remote, go to Settings > Network > Wi-Fi, select your home network, and enter your password.
4. Once the TV connects to Wi-Fi successfully, you can safely unplug the Ethernet cable.

2) With a USB mouse or keyboard

This option is super easy to use too! 

1. Just find a mouse or keyboard with a USB connector and plug it into the port on the back or side of your TV.
2. Turn on your TV using the physical power button, which is usually located on the side or at the bottom of the screen.
3. Then simply move the mouse or press any key on the keyboard, and a cursor should appear on the screen.
4. From there, just go to your TV settings, choose Network Settings, select your Wi-Fi network, and enter the password. That way, your TV will connect to Wi-Fi without needing a remote control.

Change the hotspot name and password so they are exactly the same as your old home Wi-Fi network. Not sure how to do that on an iPhone? Here’s how to change your iPhone hotspot name.

3) With a mobile hotspot

This option only works if you moved to a new place or got a new internet provider. It won’t work if you still live in the same home and your TV just got disconnected from Wi-Fi.

Your Hisense TV has a pretty good memory, so even in a new home, it still remembers the Wi-Fi name and password from your old place. Here’s how you can trick it into connecting so you can set up your phone as a remote. 

For this method, it’s best to Use a friend or family member’s phone and enable the mobile hotspot feature.

1. Take your friend’s or mom’s phone, go to Settings, and turn on the Mobile Hotspot or Share Internet option.
2. Change the hotspot name and password so they are exactly the same as your old home Wi-Fi network.
3. Turn on your TV. It will search for an internet connection, detect your helper’s phone, and think it’s your old Wi-Fi network. Since the name and password match, the TV should connect automatically.
4. Now connect your phone to that same hotspot network.
5. Open the VIDAA or Roku app on your phone. Since both your TV and phone are connected to the same hotspot, the app should detect the TV right away.
6. Use the app as a remote to open the TV settings, find your new Wi-Fi network, enter the password, and save it.

That’s it! You can now turn off the hotspot on the helper’s phone because your TV has successfully connected to the new Wi-Fi, and your phone should now work as the remote.

4) Buy a new TV remote

We had to include this one! We know it’s not the fanciest or most techy option 😂, but honestly, it’s probably the easiest method. All you need to do is order a remote control that’s compatible with your Hisense TV, and you’ll be able to connect your TV to Wi-Fi without much trouble.

You can find one on Amazon or at pretty much any electronics store. Just search for “Hisense compatible remote” and you’ll find plenty of options. Generic ones usually cost between $10 and $20 USD, so it’s a pretty cheap fix for an annoying problem. Got a Hisense Roku? Check how to pair your new Roku remote once it arrives.

5) Use the integrated TV buttons

Some Hisense models, especially older ones, come with an integrated navigation panel or a set of directional buttons. These are usually located right under the Hisense logo or on the lower back panel. You can use these physical buttons to move through the menus and get to the Wi-Fi settings.

💡 Pro tip: On newer Hisense models, the button is usually touch-sensitive and sits right below the Hisense logo, so try running your finger along that area if you can’t find it.

⚠️ Heads-up: Once you open the Wi-Fi section, a virtual keyboard will appear on the screen. Since you don’t have a remote, you’ll need to use the TV’s physical buttons to move through the letters one by one to type your password. It takes a little patience, but it gets the job done!

Last words

As you can see, there’s a solution for almost anything, even if it feels impossible to connect your Hisense TV to Wi-Fi without a remote control. You can choose the method that feels easiest for you or try a few different ones until one works.

And if it feels too complicated or you simply don’t want to deal with it, you can always call Geeks on Site. Our team is available nationwide, so they can help you set everything up without the stress, leaving you with only one important problem: deciding what to watch on your now Wi-Fi-connected TV.

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