How to Setup Chromecast to New WiFi
Only a handful of gadgets allow you to cast your music and videos from your smartphone or tablet to your PC or Smart TV. But, perhaps amongst all these gadgets, the Google Chromecast is the smallest and most portable.
However, there is a catch; Google Chromecast can only recall one WiFi link at a time. So if you move around with your Chromecast a lot or you have more than one WiFi link in your house, you’ll need to change the WiFi constantly.
Changing the WiFi link on your Chromecast is pretty much straightforward if you had already set up Chromecast with a WiFi network and the Chromecast is still connected to that network. However, this start getting tricky when you change your WiFi router.
This means that the Google Home app on your Android or iOS smartphone won’t recognize your Chromecast and you have to reset the device. Let’s look at the step-by-step prompts you should follow to set up a new WiFi connection on your Chromecast and how to reset it as well.
Switching Chromecast from One Active WiFi to Another Active WiFi
- Ensure your Chromecast is linked to the same WiFi as your smartphone and smart TV
- Turn on your TV and make sure that Chromecast is powered on and well connected to the back of your TV
- Proceed to launch the Google Home App on your Android or iOS smartphone
- On the home screen, click the 3-line menu icon on the top-left corner
- A new menu will appear, then click on “Devices”
- From the drop-down menu, click on “Settings”
- On the settings menu, you will see the WiFi option; click on it
- A pop-up will appear with all your WiFi network names; click on it
- You’ll see all your WiFi networks and click on the new network you want to use
- Enter your WiFi passcode in the text box provided
- Click Ok to complete the setup
Resetting Chromecast from Non- Active WiFi connection
If your Chromecast is still linked to an old WiFi network, but the WiFi is currently non-active, then there is no option but to reset the device and set it up with a new WiFi. Unfortunately, the Google Home App will not verify your Chromecast if the old network is not detected.
But your Chromecast doesn’t know this, and it will keep on trying to connect to the old network. Since your old WiFi network doesn’t exist, then you cannot prompt your Chromecast to forget an unavailable network.
There are reset steps for the 1st Gen device and the 2nd and 3rd Gen devices combined.
1st Gen Chromecast
- Ensure that your Chromecast is plugged into the TV and the power supply (no need to turn on Chromecast it’s automatic)
- Proceed to hold down the reset button, which is next to the Micro USB port, for about 15 seconds
- As you’re holding down the reset button, you’ll see a static white light turn red and start flashing
- Wait for the flashing red light to turn to a flashing white light, and then you can release the reset button
- The Chromecast will reset itself to default factory settings and then restart
2nd and 3rd Gen Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra
- Ensure that your Chromecast is plugged into the TV and power supply (Check that the Chromecast is turned on)
- Proceed to hold down the reset button, which is on the side of the device, for about 15 seconds
- As you’re holding down the reset button, you’ll see the LED flashing an orange light
- Wait for the flashing orange light to turn to a white light, and then you can release the reset button
- The Chromecast will reset itself to default factory settings and then restart
Setting Up Another Network On Chromecast
- Launch Google Home App
- On the top left corner, you will see a plus (+) sign
- Click on the first option that says “Set up device”
- Click on “Set up new devices”
- The App will search for your device
- You’ll be asked whether you want to connect to Chromecast click “Yes”
- After connecting the app will ask if the code on the TV and phone are the same
- Check to see the codes are identical and click “Yes”
- Follow the instructions until you get to the WiFi page
- Choose your WiFi network and enter the password
- Allow the device to connect to the internet and finish the process
Final Thought
To sum it all up, setting up a new WiFi on your Google Chromecast is pretty much straightforward, as illustrated above. The only limitation with the Chromecast is that it can connect to one WiFi network at a go.
