SmartThings Hub is Samsung's control center for connecting your TV and other smart home devices

SmartThings Hub is a small device that sits between your Samsung TV, your home network, and other smart devices you own. It acts as a bridge—translating commands from your phone or voice assistant into instructions your TV and other gadgets understand. Without it, you can control your TV directly through its remote or app, but the Hub lets you automate routines, control multiple devices at once, and use voice commands across your whole home.

The Hub itself is a physical box about the size of a hockey puck. It plugs into power and connects to your home Wi-Fi. Once set up, it communicates with your TV, smart lights, locks, thermostats, and other compatible devices using wireless protocols like Zigbee and Z-Wave—standards that many smart home manufacturers use. Your phone talks to the Hub through the SmartThings app, and the Hub talks to everything else.

Key Takeaways

  • SmartThings Hub is a separate device that connects your Samsung TV and other smart home devices so they can work together and be controlled from one app.
  • The Hub uses Zigbee and Z-Wave wireless protocols to communicate with compatible devices, which is different from the Wi-Fi your TV uses directly.
  • You can automate routines—for example, "when I say goodnight, turn off the TV and lock the front door"—only through the Hub, not through the TV app alone.
  • The Hub is optional if you only want to control your TV; it becomes useful when you have multiple smart devices and want them to work together.
  • Setup requires the SmartThings app, a Samsung account, and a home Wi-Fi network; the Hub itself costs money and is purchased separately from your TV.

What the Hub actually does that your TV remote cannot

Your Samsung TV can be controlled without a Hub. You can use the physical remote, the SmartThings app on your phone, or voice commands through a separate Alexa or Google Home device. The Hub becomes necessary when you want your TV to react to other devices or to trigger other devices when something happens to your TV.

For example, you can create a routine that says: "When I arrive home, turn on the living room lights, unlock the front door, and switch the TV to my favorite channel." Without the Hub, you cannot chain these commands together. You would have to do each one separately. The Hub also lets you set automations based on time—like "turn on the TV at 6 p.m. on weekdays"—or based on sensor data, like "if motion is detected in the living room after 10 p.m., turn on the TV to the news channel."

The Hub also improves reliability. If your Wi-Fi drops, devices connected through Zigbee or Z-Wave to the Hub can still talk to each other, whereas Wi-Fi-only devices lose connection entirely.

How the Hub connects to your TV and other devices

The Hub uses three different wireless technologies depending on what device it is talking to. It connects to your home Wi-Fi network like any other device. Through that Wi-Fi connection, it communicates with your Samsung TV and other Wi-Fi-enabled smart devices. But it also has built-in Zigbee and Z-Wave radios, which are lower-power wireless standards designed specifically for smart home devices like door locks, motion sensors, and smart bulbs.

When you set up the Hub, you open the SmartThings app, create or sign into your Samsung account, and add the Hub to your home network. Then you add each device one by one—your TV, your lights, your locks—and the app discovers them and pairs them to the Hub. Once paired, all these devices appear in one place in the app, and you can control them individually or group them into routines.

Not every smart device works with SmartThings. The Hub is compatible with thousands of devices, but you should check the SmartThings app's device list before buying a new smart lock or light to make sure it will pair with the Hub. Samsung publishes a compatibility list in the SmartThings app itself.

Whether you actually need the Hub for your TV

If you only own a Samsung TV and no other smart home devices, the Hub adds little value. You can control your TV through the SmartThings app or a voice assistant without it. The Hub costs money—prices vary by retailer, but it is a separate purchase from your TV—and it requires setup and maintenance.

The Hub becomes worth buying if you own three or more smart devices and want them to work together, or if you want voice-controlled automations. If you have a smart light, a smart lock, and a Samsung TV, the Hub lets you say "Alexa, goodnight" and have all three devices respond at once. Without the Hub, you would need to set up each device independently with your voice assistant, and they would not coordinate.

If you already own a Samsung SmartThings Hub for other devices, your TV will work with it automatically once you add the TV to the SmartThings app. You do not need a second Hub.

Setting up the Hub with your Samsung TV

Setup takes about 15 minutes. First, plug the Hub into power and place it in a central location in your home—not in a closet or behind metal objects, which block the Zigbee and Z-Wave signals. Connect it to your home Wi-Fi through the SmartThings app. You will need your Wi-Fi network name and password.

Once the Hub is online, open the SmartThings app and tap the plus icon to add a device. Select your TV from the list of discovered devices, or search for it by model number. The app will pair your TV to the Hub. After that, your TV appears in the SmartThings app alongside any other devices you have added, and you can control it from there or create routines that include it.

If your TV does not appear in the app, make sure your TV and Hub are on the same Wi-Fi network and that your TV is turned on. Restart both devices if pairing fails. Samsung's support site has troubleshooting steps for specific TV models.

Voice control and automations through the Hub

Once your TV and other devices are connected to the Hub, you can use voice commands through Alexa, Google Assistant, or Samsung's own Bixby voice assistant. You can say "Alexa, turn on the TV" or "Google, set the TV to channel 5." These commands work because the voice assistant sends the command to the Hub, and the Hub sends it to your TV.

More powerful are automations and routines. In the SmartThings app, you can create a routine called "Movie Time" that turns off the lights, closes the blinds, and switches the TV to your streaming app—all with one voice command or button tap. You can also set automations that run on a schedule or in response to a sensor. For example, "if the front door unlocks, turn on the entryway lights and the TV in the bedroom."

These automations run through the Hub, so they work even if your phone is not home or your internet connection is slow. The Hub processes the logic locally, which makes automations faster and more reliable than cloud-based systems.

Troubleshooting common Hub and TV connection problems

If your TV stops responding in the SmartThings app, the first step is to check that both the Hub and TV are powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. Look at the Hub's LED light—it should be solid blue or green, not red or blinking. If it is red, the Hub has lost its internet connection; restart your Wi-Fi router and the Hub.

If the Hub is online but your TV does not respond, try removing the TV from the SmartThings app and re-adding it. Open the app, find your TV in the device list, tap the three-dot menu, and select "Remove." Then add it again by tapping the plus icon and searching for your TV model. This usually fixes temporary pairing issues.

If the Hub frequently loses connection, it may be too far from your Wi-Fi router or blocked by walls and metal objects. Move the Hub closer to the router or to a more central location in your home. Zigbee and Z-Wave signals have shorter range than Wi-Fi, so the Hub needs a clear path to your devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a SmartThings Hub if I only have a Samsung TV?

No. You can control your TV through the SmartThings app or a voice assistant without the Hub. The Hub is useful only if you have multiple smart devices and want them to work together or respond to automations. If your TV is your only smart device, skip the Hub.

Can I use my Samsung TV with SmartThings without buying a separate Hub?

Yes. Your TV connects to SmartThings through Wi-Fi and can be controlled through the app and voice assistants. The Hub is optional and only needed if you want local automations or to connect non-Wi-Fi devices like Zigbee locks and sensors.

What happens if the Hub loses power or internet?

Your TV can still be controlled through the SmartThings app as long as your phone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. Automations and voice commands will not work until the Hub is back online. Devices connected through Zigbee or Z-Wave can still talk to each other through the Hub even if the internet is down, but you cannot control them from your phone.

Is the SmartThings Hub the same as a Samsung TV remote?

No. The Hub is a separate device that coordinates multiple smart devices. The remote controls your TV directly. You can use your TV without the Hub, but the Hub cannot control your TV without being connected to it first through the SmartThings app.

Can I use the Hub with non-Samsung smart devices?

Yes. The Hub works with thousands of smart devices from other brands, including Philips Hue lights, Yale locks, and Arlo cameras, as long as they use Zigbee, Z-Wave, or Wi-Fi. Check the SmartThings app's compatibility list before buying a new device to confirm it will work with your Hub.