SOME Internet apps not working on Panasonic FreeSat TV with BT Parental Controls turned on

[TimCurtis · Accepted solution]

@juddster27 

I assume that the TV gets it's connection details from the HomeHub using DHCP, which would also let it use BT's DNS servers.

I recall that someone else had similar problems to yours a few weeks ago and I suggested manually setting the network details in the TV itself and using Googles DNS servers. That seemed to resolve the issue. It was BT's DNS servers seemingly causing the issue somehow.

The basic details you'll need would be the TV's IP Address , say, 192.168.1.50 , default gateway 192.168.1.254, subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and 8.8.8.8 & 8.8.4.4 for the DNS server(s).

Worth a try.

[kwaker5]

@JohnC2  We have a Sony TV but the apps are accessed via a Firestick (all working OK). 

I turned off BT PCs and iPlayer and Amazon prime worked.  I turned the PCs back on and they both stopped working again.

Not keen to have to have the PCs off permanently though...

[juddster27]

@JohnC2 - Hi yes our Sharp TV (which has a very limited set of Apps) picks up BBC iPlayer, Sport, News & Netflix ok with PC turned on.

@TimCurtis - Bingo 🙂  Left IP address set to DHCP, but changed the DNS address on the TV to 8.8.8.8 and they all bounced into life with PC still turned on.

Interestingly the Panasonic wanted to do a software update immediately after I changed DNS, so maybe it was also choking on the update for some time prior for the same reason...

All my apps still working after the software update, with DNS set to 8.8.8.8  I'll leave it like that now it's working and monitor again.  (Sharp TV set to BT DNS btw)

Many thanks, much appreciated.

[TimCurtis]

@juddster27 

Glad to have helped.

I think the other person I suggested this to also had a Panasonic , not using Parental Controls though.

Best if you could mark my post as the solution.

[kwaker5]

@TimCurtis

Can you please give me an idiots guide to how to change these setting and where I will find them? Thank you

@JohnC2 

I do think BT need to sort out their parental controls though because it has not always been an issue and I have not changed the settings at all to cause this to happen.

[TimCurtis]

@kwaker5 

I'll do my best, luckily I have a couple of Panasonic TVs and the settings are consistent across the whole range.

Go into Menu -> Network->Network Connection->Custom

Assuming wired then you need to change the "Acquire DNS Address" to Manual & enter 8.8.8.8 using the red button to delete any remaining numbers in each cell, and the Return.

If it's wireless then you'll have to setup the wifi connection first.

Hope that helps.

[kwaker5]

Thank you @TimCurtis 

Took me a few days to find the time but they were very clear instructions and iPlayer and Amazon Prime now work on both TVs.

What is a DNS address?!

[TimCurtis]

@kwaker5 

I glad that resolved your problem. It seems that some Panasonic TVs are having problems using BT's DNS servers but there is this easy fix.

DNS - Domain Name System is a system which translates the domain names you enter in a browser/device to the actual IP addresses required to access those sites. In this case BT's system seems to be unable to do this in some circumstances when the device is a Panasonic, wheras Google's has no problem.

As an example when you come to this site your browser uses https://community.bt.com and the DNS server translates that to the actual dynamic address where the website is currently located.