Why won't my LG TV turn on when I start an Activity, even though everything works once it's on?
In short
LG webOS TVs can only be powered on over the network with Wake on LAN, so the TV has to be listening for it while it's off. Turn on the TV's network power-on setting. Use Ethernet if you can. Make sure the MAC address in the Activity's +WAKE ON LAN step belongs to the connection the TV is actually using. The LG ThinQ app waking the TV doesn't show that Wake on LAN is working, because ThinQ goes through LG's cloud.
How Roomie wakes the TV
An Activity that controls an LG TV starts with a +WAKE ON LAN step. Roomie broadcasts a "magic packet" on your network addressed to the TV's MAC address, and the TV should wake when it sees it. There is no other network power-on command for these TVs, so if the TV doesn't respond to that packet, it stays off.
1. Turn on the TV's setting
On the TV, turn on the setting that allows it to be powered on over the network. Depending on the webOS version, it's called Turn On via Wi-Fi, Mobile TV On, or LG Connect Apps. It's usually under All Settings › General › Network, or under Network in the main settings menu. If your TV has Quick Start+, turn that on too.
2. Prefer Ethernet
Many LG TVs reliably wake from a wired connection but ignore wake packets on Wi-Fi after a long standby. Some routers also don't pass broadcast packets to a sleeping Wi-Fi device. If the TV is on Wi-Fi and wakes only sometimes, a network cable is the most dependable fix.
3. Check the MAC address
A TV that has been connected by both cable and Wi-Fi has a different MAC address for each. Roomie fills in the one it found during discovery, which may not be the one in use. Compare the MAC address shown in the TV's network settings (usually under Advanced) with the one in the +WAKE ON LAN step of your Activity. If they differ, type the TV's address into the step's MAC Address field.
4. Keep the address stable
If the TV's IP address keeps changing, add a DHCP reservation for it on your router so Roomie always finds it at the same place once it's awake.
Still not waking?
On the controller you use, turn on Collect Diagnostics (Settings › Controllers, then that controller). Start the Activity once with the TV off, and send diagnostics to support with the time you tried. The log shows whether the wake packet went out and which MAC address it used.
In the QuickStart Guide
Distilled from real support conversations, with details generalized. Every setup differs — if this doesn't resolve it, contact support with diagnostics.
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