Forum Discussion
internet
Do you have to have a smart tv to use T mobile internet
If that is a Sony audio/video receiver and it has an Ethernet port or is WIFI enabled that could be connected to the gateway. IF the receiver has no network capability then it is of little use for this.
The main part is having a device that can run/host the steaming applications. An AV receiver may be able to have multiple devices connected to it but if those devices do not run the streaming applications say Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, or Paramount+ etc… then it would not really help much.
The best and simple solution would be to get a TV that has the "smart TV" capability. I have a Sony Wegagate vintage 60" TV which is NOT a "smart TV". I send the digital delivery to it from one of several internet capable devices that do have the applications that allow us to see the programming. It is not a difficult solution to set up but my components are not old, other than the TV itself. I have been asked why I still run the large older TV but I only care about 1080p resolution so it works for me. Sure a newer 4K TV might be nice to have but it is not a necessity to me. When this fails I will replace it. My gear is getting older so it does limit some of my options but that is not important to me.
The capability of the components in the solution is important. It would take more work and time to sort out what you have and know if it could provide a solution. Again the simple fix, if you are not technical or do not have access to someone that is would be to buy a smart TV. You could still use your old TVs for reception with the antenna you have for that programming. A newer smart TV would open up more options for programming. If you bought a smart TV from Best Buy for instance, you could have them deliver it and set it up for you and you would be all set. If you are not technical this is a great way to get it done and use the gateway for steaming and basic browsing etc…
If you know the model numbers for the TVs and receiver that is easy to look up. If you don't have any devices that can run the streaming applications for viewing the programming options then that is what you would need to have to get started. You can use a computer to do streaming. Getting the service to one of the TVs is another challenge.
The T-Mobile gateway is a cellular connection to the internet via a cell tower. If you are seeing 3-5 bars on the LED display for the cellular connection then you have a link to the tower and the internet. You can connect your devices to the WIFI network and there is the Ethernet port for connecting devices with Ethernet cables. Once you have it located so it receives a strong, clean signal there is not much you HAVE to do. Of course as long as it is working that is the case. If you have a audio/video receiver that has steaming devices and the AV receiver is connected to the WIFI then you are there.
Think of it like a modem but you have no cable for the uplink to the wide area network. It uses the cellular signals to communicate out to the internet. If all your devices connect to it via WIFI then you can access the internet via the cellular connections to the tower. There should be a primary and secondary signal to the cellular tower. The primary will be a 4G LTE signal and the secondary will be a 5G signal. The gateway will use the secondary signal for downloads and the primary for uploads of data.
If you want to see the user interface you can use a browser and enter 192.168.12.1 and then you can use the graphical user interface for the gateway. If you want to/need to make configuration changes to the device you enter the "admin" username and password to be in administrative mode. The gateway has a sticker on it on the backside with the admin login information. If you did not change the default login for the "admin" account then the password/passphrase is on the sticker on the gateway.
If that is a Sony audio/video receiver and it has an Ethernet port or is WIFI enabled that could be connected to the gateway. IF the receiver has no network capability then it is of little use for this.
The main part is having a device that can run/host the steaming applications. An AV receiver may be able to have multiple devices connected to it but if those devices do not run the streaming applications say Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, or Paramount+ etc… then it would not really help much.
The best and simple solution would be to get a TV that has the "smart TV" capability. I have a Sony Wegagate vintage 60" TV which is NOT a "smart TV". I send the digital delivery to it from one of several internet capable devices that do have the applications that allow us to see the programming. It is not a difficult solution to set up but my components are not old, other than the TV itself. I have been asked why I still run the large older TV but I only care about 1080p resolution so it works for me. Sure a newer 4K TV might be nice to have but it is not a necessity to me. When this fails I will replace it. My gear is getting older so it does limit some of my options but that is not important to me.
The capability of the components in the solution is important. It would take more work and time to sort out what you have and know if it could provide a solution. Again the simple fix, if you are not technical or do not have access to someone that is would be to buy a smart TV. You could still use your old TVs for reception with the antenna you have for that programming. A newer smart TV would open up more options for programming. If you bought a smart TV from Best Buy for instance, you could have them deliver it and set it up for you and you would be all set. If you are not technical this is a great way to get it done and use the gateway for steaming and basic browsing etc…
If you know the model numbers for the TVs and receiver that is easy to look up. If you don't have any devices that can run the streaming applications for viewing the programming options then that is what you would need to have to get started. You can use a computer to do streaming. Getting the service to one of the TVs is another challenge.
No.
You can simply use PCs or steaming devices that you may have. If you don't have a "smart TV" it does not matter. It might be nice to have a TV with wireless built in with apps but it is not necessary for use of the T-Mobile home internet solution.
Ok! Thank u! But how do u work this thing? I have it hooked to the Wi-Fi but where do u go from there?
If you see 5 bars on the LED that is excellent. If you see 3-4 bars on the LED on the gateway that is good so more bars on the display are better. You need to find a location in the home where you get the best cellular reception to the gateway. The bars on the LED screen are a generic reading but still provide an indication of signal strength. With the cellular gateway location for the gateway for the best signal is important. If you only get 1-2 bars on the LED try it in another location. Commonly you will want to have it close to a window and higher up is better, in most cases, than down low. If it is close to a window where the signal is strong but the heat from the sun through the window is not too bad that is good. If you have excellent cellular signal throughout your home as you are close to a tower then nitpicking the location may not be as necessary. Some users have to work harder than others to get the strongest signal. It is best to know where the tower is that sends the signal to your area as that helps for placement. Rural customers often have to work at getting a stronger signal. It really depends upon a number of factors and a major one is the distance to the tower. Too many trees or hills or buildings etc… between your home and the tower can present a problem and lead to a weaker degraded cellular signal. Hopefully that is not the case for your location.
The goal is to get a solid clean cellular connection in a location where you also can have good distribution of the wifi signals in your home. It is often a balancing act in some cases as the best cellular signal location for the gateway is not always the best for wifi coverage. If you use devices mainly in a family room or great room area then trying to get cellular signals there may be what you want to do. It really depends upon where you also need the WIFI coverage.
I’ll just have to call them.
But how do you pull something up to see on your tv?
OK so what type of TV do you have and what connects to it? Any streaming devices? Do you have like an internet/wifi connected DVD/Bluray player or something that connects via wireless but delivers a connection via HDMI cable to the TV?
If you want internet delivery to your TV for streaming then you need a device that is internet connected and it feeds your TV. It will depend upon how old your TV is and what input ports it has on it. Knowing the TV Brand & Model would help to know what it is capable of. If the TV has say an HDMI input and you have or get a streaming device then you can use an application on the device to select the video service streamer. If you don't have a device capable of steaming other than your PC then you can use your PC or pick up a streaming device. The other aspect of this is having a subscription for services.
So you have to have an internet capable device to receive the streams first. Then you have to determine a service that provides the programming you want and how much you will spend a month to have that service. There are many choices of course. The cost of subscriptions for services for shows can get expensive rather quickly.
https://www.softwaretestinghelp.com/video-streaming-services/
You can use a PC and send the signal to your TV as long as there is a way to get the signal to the TV. If the TV has an HDMI connection and your PC has HDMI out then you could do that but it is not always the best or easiest solution for proper display. If you want a much simpler solution you can buy a TV that is a smart TV and it will connect to the WIFI and have applications that allow easy access to services you may have subscriptions to. You need to consider if the TV also supports the specific services you really want. Decisions, decisions. It takes time to work it out.
We have a Emerson and a Sony. All we have plugged into them is a tv antenna. Or attached to it. Our Sony is about 10 years old.
