Connecting Smart Tv, Internet And Sky Box

[gumboot]

Hi all

At the moment, the ethernet cable at home from my router is plugged into my Sky box situated under my smart TV. I can only access the apps, youtube etc on my smart tv by unplugging the cable from the sky box and plugging it into the back of the tv. Trying to access the web without plugging the cable into the tv results in a "no internet connection" box displayed on the TV screen.

I can't figure out how to get access to the apps etc via the Sky remote control so I assume I need some way to split the ethernet signal into two and provide one feed to the sky box and the other to the TV. Does such a device exist? I'm thinking along the lines of something simplistic that works like a telephone cable splitter/combiner.

I've looked online at various switching boxes but I'm not certain which to buy. If this is what ai need do these devices need a separate power supply? Can I have some links to recommendations please?

Thanks for all your help.

[hc4361]

Something like this:
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[hc4361]

Or this
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[hc4361]

You plug one end of either of these devices in to your router and your sky box and smart tv in to the other ends. The switch or adapter are just cables that don't require another power supply.

[Prudie]

Have you set up the wifi connection (your router password) with the TV? You shouldn't have to use an ethernet cable at all unless you don't have wifi at home.

[gumboot]

Thanks both.

I think I'll order your second suggestion hc4361 as the first would appear to either allow signal to the sky box or TV ie one device at a time.

Prudie, I do have wireless at home but having looked on the LG (TV manufacturers) forum, the advice given about connecting wirelessly involves plugging a wireless dongle into the TV and then setting up the connection on screen from there.. I don't have such a device as it wasn't provided with the TV or router. I'm really not sure if I can make a wireless connection without such a dongle.

[hc4361]

A wireless dongle is cheap and easy.

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[hc4361]

What model is your tv?

[whiskeryron]

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[hc4361]

That's a rip off, WR. That dongle does no more than a £5 one.

[gumboot]

It's a LG 42LW550T hc4361. Thank you all for your continuing help.

[hc4361]

It is incomprehensible to me that a smart tv isn't smart until you buy an optional extra, but that is the case here.

If your tv is close to your router (and it seems that it is) ethernet cable is by far the most reliable connection and I would buy something like the switch in my second suggestion. That should solve the problem cheaply and effectively.

[gumboot]

Thanks hc4361. I've just bought a TP link box as per your second suggestion.

The router sits on a shelf in a room about 10 metres away from the TV and on the other side of a dividing wall. I laid an ethernet cable to the tv by taking an ethernet cable up the wall from the router, along under the floorboard and down to the back of the TV. It was done this way to avoid the need for redecoration.

My plan now is to take the ethernet cable out of the Sky box, plug it into the TP link box and then run two ethernet patch leads to the TV and Sky box respectively. I'm hoping this will do the job.

[hc4361]

Let us know!

[SlackAlice]

The router you already have, has only one lan cable output?

[gumboot]

I think it has five ethernet outputs SlackAlice.

[hc4361]

Plug your devices in to those spare ports, gumboot.

[SlackAlice]

So you need one ethernet cable to the Skybox (which you already have) and another ethernet cable with an RJ45 end to plug into the rear of your TV. Other ends of both ethernet cables into the router.

[gumboot]

As I tried to indicate in my penultimate post, I can no longer run another ethernet cable to the router. The floorboards that were lifted to run the first cable have now been carpeted over.

Drilling holes through walls downstairs between the two rooms is no longer practical. Mrs Gumboot would be aghast at the thought.

I agree that if access wasn't a problem, laying in a new Ethernet cable to the router would be the preferred option.

[gumboot]

Could I ask if there's potentially a problem with the signal strength if I split it into two as proposed in my method? Would the box only provide half the signal to the Sky box and TV respectively?

[hc4361]

I am concerned now that both devices I linked to won't work. :(

Time for a rethink.