How to Connect a Denon AVR-S960H to Wi-Fi and HEOS

To connect a Denon AVR-S960H to Wi-Fi, stand both antennas upright, press SETUP on the remote, and go to Network > Connection. Choose Wireless (Wi-Fi), open Wi-Fi Setup, pick Scan Networks, select your network, and type the password. Once the receiver is online, open the HEOS app on a phone that’s on the same Wi-Fi network. The receiver shows up in the app’s Rooms tab as “Denon AVR-S960H.”

These steps use the on-screen menu, so your TV needs to be connected to the receiver. No TV handy? The S960H also has a web-browser setup method, covered below. And if Wi-Fi is spotty where the receiver sits, a network cable from your router is the most reliable option.

Before you start

• Attach and raise the antennas. The S960H comes with two external antennas that attach to connectors on the back panel. They handle both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Denon says to stand them upright.
• Know your Wi-Fi name and password. Passwords are case-sensitive.
• Check your router’s security setting. Denon’s spec sheet lists WEP and WPA/WPA2-PSK (AES or TKIP) support. WPA3 isn’t listed. If your router is set to WPA3 only, switch it to a WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode, or the receiver may not connect.
• Either band works. The S960H supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n).

Pick a connection method

The S960H gives you six ways to get online. Most people should use Scan Networks.

Method	Best for	Needs a TV?
Scan Networks	Most home setups	Yes
Use iOS Device	iPhone or iPad owners who don’t want to type a password	Yes
WPS (Push Button)	Routers with a WPS button	Yes
Manual	Hidden networks that don’t show in a scan	Yes
Web browser	Setting up without a TV	No
Wired (Ethernet)	The steadiest connection, if a cable can reach	Yes, to select Wired

Connect with Scan Networks

1. Turn on your TV and the receiver, and switch the TV to the receiver’s HDMI input.
2. Press SETUP on the remote.
3. Select Network, then Connection.
4. Choose Wireless (Wi-Fi). This is the default.
5. Open Wi-Fi Setup and choose Scan Networks.
6. Select your network from the list. If it isn’t there, select Rescan.
7. Enter your Wi-Fi password and select OK.

First-time owners can do the same thing through the Setup Assistant. It’s at the bottom of the SETUP menu and includes a Network Setup step.

Use an iPhone or iPad instead

1. Make sure your iPhone or iPad is connected to your Wi-Fi network. It needs iOS 7 or later.
2. On the receiver’s Wi-Fi Setup screen, select Use iOS Device.
3. On the iPhone, open Settings > Wi-Fi.
4. At the bottom of the Wi-Fi screen, under SET UP NEW AIRPLAY SPEAKER…, tap Denon AVR-S960H.
5. Tap Next. The iPhone shares your network details with the receiver.

Use your router’s WPS button

1. On the receiver’s Wi-Fi Setup screen, select Push Button.
2. Press the WPS button on your router. How long you hold it depends on the router.
3. Within 2 minutes, select Connect on the TV screen.

WPS requires a router that supports WPS 2.0, set to no encryption, WPA-PSK (AES), or WPA2-PSK (AES). If your router uses WEP or TKIP, use Scan Networks or Manual instead.

Hidden network? Use Manual

Choose Manual, then fill in SSID (your network name), Security (match your router’s setting), and Password. Select Connect when you’re done.

Set up Wi-Fi without a TV

This method uses a phone, tablet, or computer with a web browser.

1. Turn the receiver on.
2. Press and hold TUNE + and TUNE – on the front panel for at least 3 seconds.
3. Wait for the display to ask you to connect to a Wi-Fi network called “Denon AVR-S960H.”
4. On your phone or computer, join the Wi-Fi network named Denon AVR-S960H.
5. Open a web browser and go to 192.168.1.16/settings/
6. Enter your home Wi-Fi details on the page.
7. Select Connect, then exit the settings page.
8. Reconnect your phone or computer to your normal home Wi-Fi.

Use a network cable instead

A wired connection skips all the Wi-Fi guesswork. Plug a LAN cable from your router into the NETWORK port on the back of the receiver. Then go to SETUP > Network > Connection and choose Wired (Ethernet).

Denon’s tips for a wired connection:

• Connect to a router, not directly to a computer’s network port.
• Use a shielded (STP or ScTP) cable, CAT-5 or better.
• Your router should hand out addresses automatically (DHCP), which almost all home routers do. The receiver doesn’t support PPPoE.

Check that the receiver is online

Go to SETUP > Network > Information. You’ll see the connection type, the network name (SSID), the IP address, and the Wi-Fi signal strength. If you see an IP address, the receiver is on your network.

For a full check, run Network > Diagnostics. It runs three tests, and the first one that fails tells you where the problem is.

Add the receiver to the HEOS app

HEOS is Denon’s system for streaming music and grouping speakers in different rooms. The S960H has it built in.

1. On your phone, search for “HEOS” in the App Store, Google Play, or the Amazon Appstore, and install the app.
2. Make sure your phone is on the same Wi-Fi network as the receiver.
3. Open the HEOS app.
4. Tap the Rooms tab. The receiver is listed as Denon AVR-S960H, or by the name you gave it.
5. Tap the receiver, then open the Music tab to pick a streaming service, internet radio, or music on your network.

The HEOS app gets updated over time, so its screens may not look exactly like Denon’s manual. Denon’s newer app still keeps a Rooms tab for controlling HEOS devices.

Note: Denon also publishes a separate “HEOS AVR” manual. That covers a different, older product that sets up Wi-Fi with an audio cable. Those steps don’t apply to the AVR-S960H.

Do you need a HEOS Account?

Not to play music. But Denon says you need a HEOS Account to use HEOS Favorites. The account also stores your streaming service logins, so you only enter them once. You can sign in from the receiver at SETUP > HEOS Account > I have a HEOS Account, or create one there with Create Account. You can also sign in from the HEOS app’s settings.

Keep Network Control on

Under Network > Network Control, leave the setting at Always On, which is the default. Denon says the HEOS app needs it to control the receiver. The tradeoff is a little more power use in standby. If you change it to Off In Standby, the app may not find the receiver when it’s off.

Rename the receiver

If you have more than one HEOS device, give the receiver a clear name. Go to Network > Friendly Name. Pick a preset like “Living Room” or “Home Theater,” or choose Other and type up to 30 characters. The new name shows in the HEOS app and anywhere else the receiver appears on your network.

If the receiver won’t connect

Problem	What to try
Wrong password or network	Recheck the network name, password, and security type. Passwords are case-sensitive.
Weak signal	Move the router closer, remove obstacles, and keep the antennas upright.
Interference	Move the receiver away from microwaves and other access points. Set your router to a less crowded channel.
WEP “mixed” security (TSN)	The receiver doesn’t support it. Switch the router to WPA2.
WPS doesn’t pair	Make sure WPS is on in the router. Select Connect within 2 minutes of pressing the router’s button. Use Scan Networks if your router uses WEP or TKIP.
iPhone method fails	Update the iPhone or iPad. It needs iOS 7 or later.
HEOS app can’t find the receiver	Check that the phone and receiver are on the same network, and that Network Control is Always On.

Still stuck? Reset just the network settings. Turn the receiver on and turn SOURCE SELECT to HEOS Music. Then hold ZONE2 ON/OFF and ZONE2 SOURCE together for at least 3 seconds, until “Network Reset…” appears. Wait for “Completed,” then set up Wi-Fi again. This keeps your speaker settings. Our AVR-S960H reset guide explains this and the other reset options.

What to do once you’re connected

• Check for new firmware. A network connection is how the S960H gets updates. See how to update the AVR-S960H firmware.
• Try AirPlay or Spotify Connect. Both work over the same network connection.
• Using Bluetooth headphones through the receiver? Denon suggests connecting the receiver to 5 GHz Wi-Fi or a wired network to reduce interference. More in our S960H Bluetooth guide.

Denon’s own reference is the Wi-Fi Setup page of the AVR-S960H manual.