Casting or AirPlay not working on your Wi-Fi?

1. Is the phone on Wi-Fi, not mobile data? Google says a phone or tablet can't cast while it's on the mobile network. If your phone keeps slipping onto mobile data, see our guide on a phone that keeps dropping off Wi-Fi.
2. Are both on the same network name? A name ending in "Guest", or an old router's or extender's name, is a warning sign.
3. On, close together and up to date. Apple's first steps are to make sure devices are on, near each other and updated; Google says the casting app must be the latest version.
4. Is AirPlay receiving allowed? When an iPhone or Mac is the receiver, Apple says to allow AirPlay receiving: on an iPhone under Settings > General > AirPlay & Continuity, and on a Mac under System Settings > General > AirDrop & Handoff.
5. Restart both ends. Apple says to restart the AirPlay devices; for a Chromecast or Google TV Streamer, Google says to unplug it, wait a few seconds, plug it back in and give it a couple of minutes.

Before you can cast, your phone has to discover the TV or speaker, and that's the step network problems break. Apple explains that its discovery system, Bonjour, works by sending multicast traffic: one message that announces a service to every device listening on the local network. Because multicast traffic is usually not routed across subnets, Apple says Apple TVs and AirPrint printers must be on the same IP subnet as the iPhone, iPad or Mac that uses them. A subnet is the block of local addresses one router hands out; as an illustration, devices given addresses starting 192.168.1 by your hub and 192.168.0 by a second router are on different subnets. Google is just as direct: Chrome can't find Google streaming devices on different networks.

The Apple TV exception

Apple says an Apple TV also broadcasts a Bluetooth Low Energy signal carrying its IP address, so nearby Apple devices (generally in the same room) can set up AirPlay over the existing network, as long as no firewall stops the phone reaching the Apple TV. It can also use peer-to-peer AirPlay, a temporary direct network between the two devices, which needs an Apple TV HD with tvOS 9 or later or an Apple TV 4K with tvOS 11 or later, and an iPhone, iPad or Mac from late 2012 or later on the latest software. With these, Apple says devices don't need to share a network to AirPlay to an Apple TV. That's why an Apple TV can work when an AirPlay speaker or smart TV doesn't; for those, get everything onto the same Wi-Fi network.

A TV joined to the wrong network during setup can go unnoticed, so check each device.

• Android phone: Google says to go to Settings > Network and Internet > Internet; the network you're on shows as "Connected".
• iPhone or iPad: the Wi-Fi page in Settings shows the network you've joined.
• Google streaming device, Nest speaker or display: Google says to open the Google Home app, tap the device's tile, then Settings > Device information, which shows its Wi-Fi network.
• Smart TV or AirPlay speaker: look in the network settings menu or the maker's app; wording varies by brand.
• Your hub's device list: your provider's app or the router's settings page may list what's connected. On EE, guest devices are labelled "Online (Guest)" in the device list in the EE app, so a stray TV is easy to spot. Our guide to logging in to your router settings explains how to open them.

If you see more than one name, work out what each is: a second band of the same router, a guest network, an extender or a second router.

A guest network gets visitors online while keeping them away from your own devices. That separation is also why casting fails across it.

• eero says devices on its guest network get addresses from a different subnet, and can't communicate with devices on the main network or with each other. Its example: a guest laptop can't stream music to a Sonos speaker on the guest network or an Echo on the main one.
• EE says guests' devices are kept separate from your main WiFi to help keep your home devices safe.
• Virgin Media says a guest network gives guests internet access but limited or no access to other connections in your home network, which can stop them using linked devices.

So the phone, the TV and any speakers belong on your main network; on eero, putting everything on the guest network doesn't help either. BT's help pages describe a guest network in its Whole Home Wi-Fi app, but we found no official Sky or BT Smart Hub help page describing one (checked October 2026). Whatever kit you have, if casting fails from a network with "Guest" in its name, test from the main one.

When visitors want to cast

Google says Chromecast guest mode is no longer supported; guests cast by joining the host's Wi-Fi. On Google Nest Wifi and Google Wifi, the guest network can share devices you choose, such as a streaming device, smart TV or speaker (in the Google Home app: Favourites > Wi-Fi > Network settings > Guest network, then Shared devices). Otherwise, either give a visitor your main Wi-Fi password, which puts their phone alongside everything you own, or cast for them from your phone.

Some routers have a setting called AP isolation (access point isolation, sometimes described as client or wireless isolation). TP-Link, for example, describes it as a security feature that isolates all the devices connected to the same wireless network from each other, so two devices on that network can't communicate. That is exactly what casting needs them to do, so it can fail even with every device on the right network.

Google's help for casting from Chrome on a computer says that when Chrome finds a device but can't connect, the cause is usually router or network settings: make sure AP isolation is off and that no router firewall features block incoming connections to Cast speakers. If you rent your router, Google says to contact your provider about its firewall settings.

The BT, Sky, Virgin Media and EE help pages we checked don't mention an AP or client isolation setting on their hubs (October 2026). If casting fails with everything on a provider hub's main network, ask them. Don't switch isolation off on a guest network to make casting work; move the devices to the main network instead.

What to ask your provider

• Does my hub have an AP or client isolation setting, and is it on for my main Wi-Fi?
• Are any firewall features on the hub blocking connections between devices on my home network?
• Is my TV or speaker connected to the main network or the guest network?
• If you supplied my Wi-Fi boosters or mesh units, do they put devices on the same network as the hub?

A dual-band router broadcasts on two radio bands, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Some show both under one name, others give each its own, but two names from one router aren't two networks.

EE's Compatible WiFi, for example, is a separate 2.4GHz network, and EE lists TVs among the devices that may need it. EE says you can use the main WiFi and Compatible WiFi at the same time and that "All your devices still work together". Before relying on that, check the second name really belongs to your main router, not a guest network or second router.

Advice on naming differs. Apple recommends one network name for all bands, and says separate names for 2.4GHz and 5GHz may stop devices connecting reliably. BT, on the other hand, says its hubs use one name for both bands by default, that some devices, including some Apple devices such as Apple TV, don't handle that well, and its help page on 5GHz and dual-band devices explains how to give the 5GHz band its own name. For a Chromecast or Google TV Streamer with a weak connection, Google suggests putting it on the 5GHz band of a dual-band router.

If you change band names, change one thing at a time and re-test, and remember to check afterwards that the phone and the TV have rejoined names from the same router.

If casting works in one room but not another, look at any extra Wi-Fi kit in the house. The trouble starts when a second box acts as a router in its own right.

Apple's router guidance says NAT (network address translation, how a router shares one internet connection between your devices) should be on only the main router. With NAT on two devices, a "double NAT", Apple says devices may lose access to certain resources on the network or internet. Add Apple's subnet rule: a TV on a second router's Wi-Fi and a phone on the hub's may be on different subnets, and Bonjour announcements won't reach across.

Signs this is your problem:

• a second router or extender broadcasting its own network name;
• casting works when both devices are on the hub's Wi-Fi, but not when one is on the extra box;
• devices on the extra box get differently numbered addresses.

Because Apple advises keeping NAT on the main router only, one option is to run the extra router as a plain access point, leaving the main router to hand out addresses. Our guide to reusing an old router as an access point explains how, and mesh Wi-Fi vs Wi-Fi extenders compares the two. If you've given a TV or speaker a fixed address by hand, make sure it's in the same range as your main router's devices; our guide to fixed IP addresses for home devices explains the safer way to do it.

If you have Virgin Media WiFi Pods and Sonos speakers, Virgin Media has its own placement and wiring advice for them, covered in our Virgin Media WiFi Pods guide; the Virgin Media broadband deals page covers its packages.

Local Network permission on iPhone, iPad and Mac

Apple says that from iOS 14, any app that wants to interact with devices on your local network must ask permission the first time, and that if you tap Don't Allow, the app can still use system services such as AirPlay. But Google says Cast-enabled apps and Chrome need this permission (iOS 14 or later, macOS 15 or later), and without it you can't cast. So if the cast icon is missing in one app but AirPlay still works, turn the permission back on in Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network (on a Mac, System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network).

Apple also recommends keeping Location Services > System Services > Networking & Wireless on, as it helps devices find nearby devices and work well with AirPlay.

VPNs and proxies

A VPN (virtual private network) sends your traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server elsewhere. Google says to disconnect from VPNs or proxy servers when casting from a computer, because Google streaming devices can't communicate with a laptop over them, and to turn a VPN off when setting up a Chromecast. We found no Apple guidance on VPNs and AirPlay, but switching the VPN off is a free test. Our guide to using a VPN on home broadband explains more.

Casting from a laptop

• Google says firewall or antivirus software should be up to date and not blocking connections, and names AVG's web browsing protection and Kaspersky's encrypted-connection scanning as known causes of discovery problems.
• On Windows, Google says the network profile must be set to Private, not Public.
• A computer clock that's out of step with internet time can cause problems; Google suggests turning on automatic time sync.

An Apple TV decides for itself who may AirPlay to it. Apple's Apple TV 4K User Guide puts the controls under Settings > AirPlay and Apple Home on the Apple TV:

• AirPlay must be on, or nothing can stream to it.
• Allow Access has three options: Everyone; Anyone on the Same Network; or Only People Sharing This Home, meaning only people you've added to your home in the Home app. A phone on guest Wi-Fi won't get through with "Anyone on the Same Network", and a visitor's phone won't with "Only People Sharing This Home", even on your main Wi-Fi.
• Require Password asks for a password before anyone can stream.
• Peer-to-Peer Wireless is in the same menu; Apple notes that turning it off can save energy, so check it if you rely on the peer-to-peer AirPlay described earlier.

Two more Apple checks:

• Home app restrictions. For AirPlay devices set up in the Home app, Apple says to check that Home Settings (More > Home Settings > Speakers & TV) aren't restricting AirPlay.
• An unexpected password prompt. If an Apple TV asks for a password, Apple says to check its content restrictions or AirPlay password settings.

Placement and wiring

Apple advises connecting an Apple TV by Ethernet where you can, and always when your Wi-Fi uses DFS channels (dynamic frequency selection, a set of 5GHz channels) and you want peer-to-peer AirPlay. It says a cabinet, a spot behind the TV or objects between the devices can interfere with the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi signal, and that ideally your iPhone, iPad or Mac should be within 8 to 9 metres of the Apple TV. For Google devices, Google suggests moving the streaming device away from the TV and other cables, or using an Ethernet adaptor. If the TV is in a weak spot, our guide to finding Wi-Fi dead spots helps you check.

• Picture but no sound. Apple says to check the volume is up and not muted on both the iPhone, iPad or Mac and the TV or receiver.
• Some videos won't cast. Google says YouTube private videos, live content and videos not approved for mobile playback won't work with a Cast-enabled TV.
• It casts, then stutters. That's a different problem from discovery. Our guide to streaming that keeps buffering covers it, and our broadband speed test shows what your connection is delivering.
• The TV's own apps have stopped working too. That points to the TV, not casting; see smart TV apps that have stopped working.

If the device still won't appear, work through this order, re-testing after each step. It follows Google's troubleshooting advice.

1. Unplug the streaming device or speaker, wait a few seconds, plug it back in and wait a couple of minutes.
2. Power-cycle the router, the phone and the streaming device.
3. Update the router's firmware. If you rent the hub and can't find an update option, ask your provider.
4. Connect the TV or streaming device by Ethernet if you can, to rule out Wi-Fi.
5. Factory reset the streaming device only as a last step. You'll have to set it up again from scratch.

Call your provider if casting fails with the phone and TV both on the main network, nothing between them but the provider's own hub, and no VPN running. Take the question list from the client isolation section above, and tell them which devices you're casting between.

A faster package won't fix a discovery problem, because line speed isn't the issue. A new deal can help with the kit: if you've added extenders and second routers to reach the TV room, better hub coverage or a mesh system may let everything sit on one network.

You can compare deals at your postcode on our broadband deals comparison; before you order, ask the provider, or check its own pages and the contract summary, which router comes with the package and whether Wi-Fi boosters or mesh units are included or cost extra. If you'd rather watch through a provider's own TV box, see broadband and TV deals. Provider pages such as EE broadband deals and BT broadband deals, and the broadband providers hub, show what each provider offers. We compare deals through a partner's tool; you order with the provider you choose, and we don't switch you ourselves.