How to Play a Movie from Your Laptop to Your TV via Wi-Fi: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Wirelessly streaming movies from a laptop to a big-screen TV via Wi-Fi has become a standard feature of modern devices, but many users still encounter issues: video stutters, audio lags behind the picture, and the connection constantly drops. The cause is often not a weak router signal, but rather the wrong choice of streaming technology or incorrect codec settings.

This article will help you understand what protocol is - Miracast, DLNA, Google Cast or AirPlay — which is suitable for your equipment, how to set them up without losing quality, and what to do if the TV doesn't see the laptop on the network. We tested all the methods on devices from different brands (Samsung, LG, Sony Bravia, Xiaomi TV) and collected working solutions even for older models without Smart TV.

We will pay special attention to The hidden problem of 2026: a conflict between Wi-Fi 6E protocols and legacy Intel Wireless-AX200/201 drivers, which can cause the broadcast to interrupt every 10-15 minutes. There's a solution—read the troubleshooting section.

1. Which broadcast method to choose: a comparison of technologies

Not all Wi-Fi video transmission methods are equally effective. The main differences lie in latency, format support, and hardware requirements. Here are the key selection criteria:

• 🎮 Miracast — the best choice for gamers and presentations (latency <50ms), but requires modern Wi-Fi 5/6 and does not work with DRM-protected content (e.g. Netflix in a browser).
• 📺 DLNA/UPnP - universal for older TVs, but does not support subtitles and often lags at higher resolutions 1080p.
• 📱 Google Cast (Chromecast) - optimal for streaming with YouTube, Kinopoisk or Disney+, but requires a separate device (or built-in support in the TV).
• 🍎 AirPlay - ideal for the ecosystem Apple (MacBook + Apple TV), but on Windows it only works through third-party programs with loss of quality.

If your TV was released before 2018, it most likely only supports DLNA or Miracast with restrictions. For models Samsung 2019-2022 (series QLED/QN) is available Google Cast No additional devices required, but only for selected applications. Check compatibility in the menu. Settings → General → Apple AirPlay and HomeKit (For Apple TV) or Settings → All settings → Connection → Connection devices (For LG webOS).

2. Preparing your laptop and TV: essential steps

Before setting up a broadcast, make sure both devices meet the minimum requirements:

• 🖥️ Laptop: Wi-Fi adapter with support 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or newer. Older adapters 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) may slow down at higher resolutions 720p.
• 📺 TV: ports HDMI 2.0 (for external consoles) or built-in support Miracast/DLNA (checked in the "Network" menu).
• 🌐 Router: dual-band (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), because Miracast And Google Cast require frequency 5 GHz for stable operation.

Update your laptop's Wi-Fi adapter drivers:

1. Click Win + X → select device Manager.
2. Expand the section Network adapters → find your Wi-Fi module (for example, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 or Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4).
3. Right click → Update driver → Automatic search.

⚠️ Note: If streaming becomes interrupted after updating your drivers, please roll back to the previous version. There is a known driver issue in 2026. Intel PROSet/Wireless 23.20+, which conflict with Miracast on Windows 11.

On your TV, turn on the reception modes:

• For Samsung Tizen: Settings → General → External devices → Connection devices → Miracast.
• For LG webOS: Settings → Network → Miracast/Screen Share.
• For Android TV (Sony, Xiaomi): Settings → Display & Sound → Screen Sharing.

3. Broadcast via Miracast (Windows 10/11 and Android)

Miracast — is a wireless screen sharing standard built into Windows and Android. It mirrors the image from a laptop to a TV with minimal latency, but does not support protected content (such as movies from Netflix or Kion in the browser).

Instructions for Windows:

1. Click Win + K (or open Notification Center → Connect).
2. From the list of available devices, select your TV (model name, for example, LG OLED55C2).
3. Confirm the connection on TV (you may be asked to enter a PIN code).

If your TV does not appear in the list:

• 🔄 Restart both devices and the router.
• 📶 Make sure your laptop and TV are connected to the same network 5 GHz (V 2.4 GHz Miracast will not work).
• 🔧 Turn on WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) in the TV settings (for Sony Bravia: Settings → Network → Wi-Fi Direct).

⚠️ Attention: On laptops with hybrid graphics (NVIDIA Optimus or AMD Switchable) Miracast may not work due to a driver conflict. Solution: in NVIDIA Control Panel → Managing 3D parameters install for the application Connecting to a wireless display discrete graphics card.

For Android (for example, on Samsung Galaxy or Xiaomi Redmi):

1. Open Settings → Connections → Screen Mirroring (or Smart View).
2. Select a TV from the list.
3. Confirm the connection on TV.

Why is Miracast lagging in 4K?

At a resolution of 3840×2160, Miracast uses H.264 compression with a bitrate of up to 20 Mbps. If your router doesn't support MU-MIMO or is operating in the crowded 5 GHz band, the image will disintegrate into artifacts. Solution: Force the resolution to 1080p in the Miracast settings (in Windows: System Settings → Display → Resolution after connection).

4. Using DLNA to play movies from your laptop

DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) lets you stream media files from your laptop to your TV without screen mirroring. Unlike Miracast, it has no DRM restrictions, but the control interface is less user-friendly—you have to select files through the TV menu.

For Windows:

1. Install a server program, for example, Serviio or Plex Media Server (free versions have limited functionality).
2. Add movie folders to the program library (for example, D:\Films\).
3. On your TV, open the app DLNA client (on Samsung — Smart Hub → Multimedia, on LG — Home Dashboard → Devices).
4. Select your laptop from the source list and play the file.

For macOS:

• Turn on Media sharing V System Preferences → Sharing.
• On the menu Parameters tick the box Home Sharing Media Server Sharing.
• On TV with Apple TV or supporting DLNA select General → [Your Mac's name].

⚠️ Warning: When playing files .mkv with multiple audio tracks via DLNA TVs Samsung And LG often "lose" the Russian track. Solution: re-encode the audio to AAC or AC3 by using HandBrake.

5. Google Cast (Chromecast) and AirPlay: broadcasting from streaming services

If you watch movies through YouTube, Kinopoisk, Disney+ or IVI, more convenient to use Google Cast (for Android/Windows) or AirPlay (for macOS/iOS). These protocols are optimized for streaming and support DRM.

For Google Cast:

1. Connect Chromecast to the TV (or use the built-in support on Android TV).
2. Make sure the laptop and Chromecast on the same Wi-Fi network.
3. Open a supported application (eg. YouTube in the browser Chrome) and click the icon Cast (📺).
4. Select your device Chromecast from the list.

For broadcast local files via Google Cast:

• Install the extension VideoStream for Google Chromecast V Chrome.
• Drag the file into the browser window or select it through the extension interface.
• Click Cast and select the device.

For AirPlay (macOS → Apple TV):

1. Make sure that MacBook And Apple TV connected to the same network.
2. Turn on AirPlay on Apple TV: Settings → AirPlay and HomeKit → AirPlay → For everyone.
3. On MacBook open the video in QuickTime Player or Safari (for example, a movie on Apple TV+).
4. Click the icon AirPlay (📺) in the control panel or in the playback window.

⚠️ Note: When broadcasting via AirPlay from Windows (for example, via 5KPlayer) the sound may be delayed by up to 1 second. This is due to the lack of hardware support for the protocol on the PC. Solution: use Miracast for local files or connect Apple TV to MacBook.

6. Troubleshooting: Why is the broadcast slow or interrupted?

If the video is lagging, the sound is distorted, or the connection is disconnecting, check the following:

• 📶 Wi-Fi signal: The level must not be lower -60 dBm (checked in the program) NetSpot or Wi-Fi Analyzer). If it’s weaker, move the router closer to the TV or use Mesh system.
• 🖥️ CPU load: When transcoding via Plex or Serviio CPU usage shouldn't exceed 70%. If it's higher, reduce the video resolution or close background programs.
• 🔌 Laptop power supplyWindows automatically limits Wi-Fi performance when on battery. Connect your laptop to the network.
• 🔄 IP conflictIf the TV and laptop receive the same IP address from the router, the streaming will be interrupted. Go to the router settings (192.168.1.1) and bind the MAC addresses of the devices to static IPs.

Diagnostics via Windows command line:

ping 192.168.1.1 -t

If the ping exceeds 50 ms Or there is packet loss, a network issue. Try:

• Switch the Wi-Fi channel in the router settings (for example, from 36 on 48 in the range 5 GHz).
• Disable QoS (Quality of Service) in the router - sometimes it incorrectly prioritizes Miracast traffic.
• Enable mode WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) in the router's wireless network settings.

For Intel Wi-Fi 6 adapters (AX200/AX201) in Windows 11:

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=restricted

This command disables aggressive TCP optimizations that may interfere with video streaming.

How to check if your TV supports Miracast?

On the remote control Samsung click Source → Screen MirroringOn . LG — Home → Screen ShareIf these items aren't listed, your TV doesn't support Miracast. Alternatively, buy an adapter. Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter (~3000 rub.).

7. Alternative methods: if Wi-Fi doesn't work

If wireless streaming is not possible due to a weak signal or device incompatibility, consider alternatives:

• 🔌 HDMI cable: The most stable solution for 4K HDR. Use a cable HDMI 2.1 for higher resolutions 1080p@60Hz.
• 📶 Wi-Fi Direct: Direct connection between laptop and TV without a router. Enabled in the Wi-Fi adapter settings (on Windows: Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi → Hidden networks → Add Wi-Fi Direct).
• 🖱️ USB-C/Thunderbolt → HDMI: For laptops with USB-C (For example, MacBook Pro or Dell XPS) an adapter will do USB-C to HDMI (For example, Anker 565).
• 💽 External storage: Copy the movie to a flash drive (FAT32 or exFAT) and connect it to the TV's USB port. Please note: Samsung does not support NTFS.

For older TVs without Smart TV:

• Use Android TV box (For example, Xiaomi Mi Box S or Nvidia Shield) with support Google Cast And DLNA.
• Connect Raspberry Pi 4 With LibreELEC (free firmware for media center) - it supports all formats, including HEVC And DTS:X.

⚠️ Caution: When using adapters USB-C → HDMI on laptops with hybrid graphics (NVIDIA + Intel) video may be played through the integrated graphics, which will cause lag. To connect an external display to the discrete graphics card, NVIDIA Control Panel configure the parameter Handling multiple displays.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Streaming Movies on TV

Is it possible to stream Netflix from a laptop to a TV using Miracast?

No. Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming services block playback via Miracast due to security issues. Widevine DRM. Use Google Cast (if TV supports) or HDMI cable.

Why is the audio separate from the video when streaming via DLNA?

This is because asynchronous buffering Audio and video streams. Solutions:

1. In the DLNA server settings (Serviio/Plex) reduce the buffer size to 2-5 seconds.
2. Recode the file to HandBrake with parameters Constant Framerate (CFR) And AAC sound.
3. Use Miracast instead of DLNA - there is better synchronization.

How to mirror your MacBook screen to a Samsung TV without an Apple TV?

Options:

• Install the app on TV AirScreen (available in Samsung App Store) - it emulates AirPlay.
• Use Google Cast via browser Chrome (required) Chromecast or built-in support in TV).
• Connect HDMI adapter (For example, USB-C to HDMI) for direct image output.

Please note: Miracast Not officially supported on macOS.

What is the maximum quality that can be transmitted over Wi-Fi?

Depends on protocol and equipment:

• Miracast: to 4K@30Hz (on Wi-Fi 6) or 1080p@60Hz (on Wi-Fi 5).
• DLNA: usually 1080p@24Hz, because it uses compression.
• Google Cast: to 4K@60Hz With Chromecast Ultra or Android TV.
• AirPlay: to 4K HDR With Apple TV 4K (2nd generation).

For 4K HDR with a higher bitrate 50 Mbps It is recommended to use HDMI 2.1.

How to reduce lag when streaming games?

Suitable for gaming only Miracast with a delay 20-50 msTo reduce lag:

1. Use a router with support Wi-Fi 6 (For example, ASUS RT-AX88U) and turn it on OFDMA in the settings.
2. Set Miracast resolution 1080p@60Hz instead of 4K.
3. Disable background programs that consume network bandwidth (torrents, cloud synchronization).
4. On the laptop in NVIDIA Control Panel set Miracast priority Maximum performance.

For competitive games (eg. CS2 or Valorant) it is better to use HDMI cable with support VRR.