I have a smart tv but I'm unable to connect it to the internet via a cable, what is the best way of going about connecting it via wifi? Stupidly, the manufacturer has not included this.

Is there a USB dongle? What are the various options?

Why are you unable to connect it to the internet via a cable, does your TV not have an ethernet socket?

What's the make & model of your TV?

The best way is to buy a TV with WiFi built in. You will be able to buy a dongle though they cost a few bob. A Samsung dongle for example is £50

If you know that the TV's Ethernet socket can actually be used for a network connection rather than just for firmware updates, then the simplest thing is a Wireless Bridge (A.K.A. Gaming Adapter). Basically this is a little box with wireless antennae that then picks up the house Wi-Fi signal and gives you an Ethernet socket on the rear for connecting something such as a Smart TV.

Unlike USB dongles there's no installation process for the TV to go through, so there's no compatibility issues for the TV either! It's like plugging in a long Ethernet lead, albeit a little bit slower because it's wireless, but without the hassle of running the cable.

Beware 3rd party USB dongles.

Manufacturers make their own brand products more expensive than off-the-shelf Wi-Fi dongles because the TVs are preloaded with the install file. This means that the TV only works right with the branded 'correct' version of the hardware. Every now and then some enterprising soul finds a TV that will work with a specific 3rd party dongle, but it is set specific. Don't buy a cheap dongle expecting it to work.

I'd consider Powerline/HomePlug adaptors.

Winston_1 will be along shortly to administer your beating. Prepare yourself.

Particularly if the OP has dared to buy a Panasonic TV which is "hobbled" to only work in the UK......

4hrs 15 mins and counting, Winston is slow today.

Would this work?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300MBPS-WI...UAAOSwMmBV3uGf

No.

With these types of queries, it's helpful to provide the make & model of the relevant equipment (your TV initially in this instance) so we can check its specs and capabilities.

The more information you give, the more likely you are to get the best solution to your issue.

Actually, yes that would work in theory. However, a Powerline adaptor would be a faster and more elegant solution.

Absolutely not. They are bad technology that will cause interference to your neighbours.

But apart from that if a cable does not work, homeplugs nor a wi-fi bridge will work, presumably the TVs RJ45 socket cannot be used for an ethernet connection.

PLTs are not particularly fast and are NOT elegant. They cause interference to other users of the RF spectrum.

The OP doesn't say he's tried using a cable connection and it doesn't work - simply that he is 'unable' to connect it by cable - presumably the router is not next to the TV or is even in a different room.

Look - I know your preference is people should fully wire their house to Cat 5 or Cat 6 standard to allow for devices to be connected to the internet but unless you're in the throws of re-wiring and re-decorating a house that's not a practical solution.

Whether you like it or not, PLTs ARE legal for both sale and private use - if there was a problem then the relevant authorities would be taking action - they're not. That should tell you everything you need to know.

There are many things which cause interference - including fluorescent lights - which of course is the basic technology pretty much all of the new energy saving light bulbs use.

And those affected by the use of PLTs disrupting the RF spectrum are about as numerous as those affected by Panasonic's decision to supply UK tv's which only work in the UK - i.e. not very many.

We have been through this before. Interference from other sources like fluorescent lights is incidental to their operation and can and should be suppressed. PLTs rely on their operation by generating hash over large areas of the RF spectrum. If you suppressed this they would not work.
Yes PLTs are legal for sale. Causing interference is illegal however so by definition using them must be illegal. The relevant authorities have done and do take action when there is a complaint.

And how many cases have been brought against people using PLT devices for "causing interference"?

Not many, I suspect - in fact even the number of complaints being logged has declined:

"Ofcom has maintained statistics on PLT since July 2008. As of December 2013 there have been a total of 289 reports of interference attributed to PLT. Every report of interference concerns an inability to receive a transmission on the shortwave band and is made by amateur radio users.

Complaints of PLT interference have shown considerable decline. Since January 2012, 2 complaints have been identified as PLT related (compared with 287 between July 2008 to December 2011). This is against an increased take-up of the technology."

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/enf...forcement/plt/

As other parts of that page mention, Amateur Radio users have no more right to expect the spectrum to be kept 'clean' of interference than any other user. And the problem is radio hams are using extreme areas of the spectrum, which the vast majority of the public are ignorant about.

I'm not going to stop recommending PLTs to posters on here when they come on asking for advice if it is a sensible way to address their problem. Doubtless you will continue to follow any such posts with "but they're bad technology etc etc" - that's fine, but what you need to remember is most people who come on these boards asking for advice are not 'techies' and instead what a simple, easy and usually inexpensive way to fix a problem, ideally one they can fix themselves.

Nothing to do with amateur radio as most amateur radio frequencies are notched out. Many of those complaints were made by SW listeners not amateurs. Which rather sadly shows that the "experts" at Ofcom don't even know what an amateur is.

Amateur radio users don't use extreme ends of the spectrum either. Amateur bands are dotted all over the spectrum. Public ignorance is not and never has been an excuse for breaking the law, and there is a law about causing interference.

The OP never asked about PLT anyway, his query was how to connect via wi-fi The correct answer would to have suggested a wi-fi booster which the OP suggested himself later anyway.

The tplink wr702n is a great device for creating a wifi bridge.

Very easy to setup. I have two ethernet only devices connected to wifi using these.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-W.../dp/B007PTCFFW

Totally incorrect - OP needs a wifi bridge not a wifi booster!