Google's support page about changing the Wi-Fi network on its streaming devices separates two groups. The Google TV Streamer and Chromecast with Google TV are changed from the TV. Older Chromecasts are changed in the Google Home app. Google also says these devices remember only one network at a time.
Steps
- Work out which device you have
A box with a remote and its own home screen is a Google TV Streamer or Chromecast with Google TV. A small puck with no remote is an older Chromecast, set up from the Google Home app.
- Open Settings on the TV
Google says Settings is at the top right of the screen.
- Find the Wi-Fi network option
Select your current network.
- Choose Forget network
Google lists this step. It removes the old name and password.
- Set up the device on the new network
Follow the on-screen setup, or the Google Home app, with the new Wi-Fi name and password.
- If it has no network at all, reset first
Google says to perform a factory reset, then set it up on the new network.
- Test with a show you know
If video buffers, restart the router, move the device out from behind the TV, or use an Ethernet adapter if your model supports one.
Why does it need setup again after I swap routers?
Because it stored the old network name and password. A new router with a different name is a new network. You can avoid the whole step if you give the new router the same name and password as the old one. See setting up a new router.
What does buffering look like on a streamer?
The picture pauses and shows a spinner, or drops to a blurry picture. Test the same video on a phone next to the TV. If the phone plays fine, the streamer's Wi-Fi spot is the issue. The checks in one device is slow apply.
Does a Chromecast stream from my phone or from the internet?
Both kinds exist. A Chromecast usually fetches the video itself over your connection, while your phone just tells it what to play. Either way, the video comes down the High Desert line. The guide smart TVs and streaming boxes has more.
Do I need to go outside or touch the antenna for this?
Keep your feet on the ground while you do this. A problem at the antenna or the radio is a phone call, not a climb.
Sources
- support.google.com/chromecast/answer/7331010?hl=en (Google Streaming Help, Change the Wi-Fi network of Google streaming devices, read 2026-10-15; the one-network note was read through a search summary on 2026-10-15)