A Roku is a fantastic device for watching on demand TV shows, and movies. But, it doesn’t work at all when it isn’t connected to the internet. Sometimes you can run into problems with the internet connection on your Roku. So, I looked into how to fix it, and here’s what I found.
As a general rule, when your Roku isn’t connected to the Wi-Fi you should reset your Wi-Fi modem, and your Roku to fix the problem. To do that you should turn both devices off for 1 minute and then turn them back on again.
If it still can’t connect you’ll want to check your Wi-Fi is working by using another device such as your smartphone or a laptop. This will let you know if it’s a problem with your Roku or a problem with your internet.
There are a few more internet issues that can come up with your Roku, such as not automatically connecting to the Wi-Fi connection. So below, I’ll cover all the major issues that can occur with the internet on your Roku and how to fix them.
Roku Won’t Stay Connected to Internet
If you’re experiencing “Roku won’t stay connected to internet” issues, it can be frustrating and prevent you from enjoying your favorite shows and movies. This problem can occur due to a variety of reasons, ranging from connectivity issues to problems with your router or modem.
A Roku device may lose its internet connection for several reasons. One common issue is that some router updates have changed the router’s security setting from b/g/n to just g/n, causing some Roku models to lose their ability to connect to the network. To fix this, you can set the router’s configuration back to using b/g/n security. Another solution is to restart your router and Roku device.
A Roku device may lose its internet connection for several other reasons. Here are some of the common issues and their solutions:
Router security settings
Some router updates have changed the router’s security setting from b/g/n to just g/n, causing some Roku models to lose their ability to connect to the network. To fix this, you can set the router’s configuration back to using b/g/n security.
Wi-Fi band
Some routers have had their 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band turned off, leaving only the 5 GHz band operational. Devices with single-band Wi-Fi radios, notably Roku Express and Premiere models (but not Express 4K models), as well as many other single-band devices, cannot even see the 5 GHz band. To fix this, you can reconfigure the router and turn the 2.4 GHz band back on.
Restarting devices
Sometimes, a simple restart of the router (even if other devices are still connecting) followed by a restart of the Roku via Settings > System > System restart (for Roku TV it’s Settings > System > Power > Restart) will allow the connection to be reestablished.
If you need to make configuration changes on equipment supplied by your internet provider but you have no access to its settings, you may need to request your internet provider to make the changes for you.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on April 19, 2021.
Roku TV Keeps Disconnecting From Internet/Roku Keeps Losing Internet
One thing that can happen is you’re watching a show on your Roku TV, and then the show suddenly stops because it’s buffering. And it can be stuck buffering until the internet connection comes back on. Here’s how to fix this issue.
On the whole it means that your Wi-Fi modem is faulty. But, a first step is to restart both your Roku and your Wi-Fi modem. When a Wi-Fi modem is about to die the internet connection will drop off regularly. But, you’ll want to verify the issue by checking another device.
To get to the bottom of whether it’s your modem or the Roku causing the connection to drop off, you should connect your smartphone, tablet, or laptop to the Wi-Fi. And see if you can access different websites and stream videos.
When you can access the internet just fine, and it’s play videos without any problems but your Roku is disconnected from the internet, it means that there’s an issue with your Roku.
There are different error codes that will be displayed at the bottom or the box that comes up to tell you there’s an error. And each error code tells you exactly what’s wrong. Roku provides a list of each of the error codes and what they mean.
Roku TV Keeps Disconnecting From WiFi When Turned Off
When you turn your Roku device off because you’ve finished watching it, it should automatically connect to the internet when you turn it back on. However, if it doesn’t here’s how to make sure it does.
A Roku device that doesn’t connect to the WiFi when it powers on is solved by resetting the network connection. To do that go to the settings on your Roku, and select Advanced System Settings. From there select ‘Network Connection Reset’.
When you select it it will reset the network connections, and will restart your Roku. When you do a network connection reset, it will ask you to select the network you want to connect to. And you should select the network you want to use.
Once you select the connection that you want to use, your Roku should automatically connect to it next time you turn your Roku on and off again.
Roku TV Keeps Saying No Internet Connection
An error message you may get when watching your Roku TV is that it will say no internet connection. As the message implies it means it can’t find an internet connection. To connect it to the internet here’s what you need to do.
As a general rule your Roku needs to be in range of an active internet connection and therefore your modem might not be connected to the internet, or it might be too far away from your TV. The first thing you should do is verify that your Wi-Fi is connected and working.
After that you should reset your Roku device, and wait for it to power back up. When it starts up it will search for available networks, and ask you what one you would like to connect to.
If it can’t find the internet at all, then you should contact your internet provider to make sure your internet is working fine. And that there isn’t a special setting you need to enable with your internet provider.
If you’ve verified there’s nothing wrong with your internet connection. You should try adding and reading the internet connection to your Roku. To do that:
- Go to your Roku home screen
- Select settings
- Select advanced system settings
- Select network connection reset
Your Roku will prompt you to select what network you’d like your Roku to connect to, and select the internet connection you want to use. That should fix any issues with your internet but if it’s still not working you should turn your Roku device on and off again.
If that still doesn’t get it to work you should contact Roku support to fix the issue, as if your internet is working fine it means there’s an issue with the Roku itself.
Roku Won’t Find My Internet
A Roku will automatically detect any internet connections that are within range. But, when it can’t it see any of the available connections or can’t connect to them it’s a major pain. Here’s how to connect your Roku to the internet when it can’t find your internet connection:
As a whole you’ll want to verify that another device can connect to your internet. If your internet is working perfectly on another device, then you should reset your Roku. To do that unplug it and leave it off for a few minutes. Then plug it back in again.
However, when your modem is at the other end of the house, it can be difficult for it to reach. And the connection won’t show up on your Roku. To verify if that’s the issue, use your smartphone to do something on the internet when it’s next to your Roku.
But, make sure you’re using the internet connection that you want the Roku to use. For example, check that the internet works on your smartphone by using the WiFi connection not the 4G connection.
You can also isolate the issue by connecting your Roku to a different internet connection. For instance, you can set up your smartphone so that it’s a WiFi hotspot.
When it can connect to your Wi-Fi hotspot connection but not your home internet, then it’s definitely an issue with your home internet and you should contact your internet service provider to troubleshoot the issue.
Roku Connected to WiFi But No Internet Connection
A common issue that can be a bit confusing is your Roku will show that it’s connected to WiFi but you can’t stream any TV shows or movies. Here what causes this and how to fix it.
There are two separate connections between your Roku and your modem, the WiFi connection and the internet connection. A Roku can be connected to a modem via WiFi even if the modem isn’t connected to the internet. You should contact your internet service provider to fix it.
If your Roku is connected to the Wi-Fi but doesn’t have any internet it means something is wrong with the internet connection on your modem.
Once you fix the issue with your modem and your modem connects to the internet, your Roku will be able to connect to the internet. And you’ll have no issues streaming on your Roku.
When this happens it’s virtually always a fault with the modem, where it can’t connect to the internet. Either because it’s faulty, or in rare cases there can be an internet outage.
Roku Won’t Connect to WiFi Extender
A WiFi extender is a great way to get a solid WiFi signal throughout your whole home. When it works it’s also great! But, sometimes your Roku won’t connect to your WiFi extender. Here’s how you get your Roku to connect to your WiFi extender.
As a general rule a Roku should connect to a WiFi extender without any issues. When it doesn’t connect you should restart both your WiFi extender and your Roku. To do that unplug both of the devices and then plug them back in. After that try to connect your Roku to your WiFi extender again.
Your WiFi extender may have some specific settings it needs to be on to connect to your Roku. So, it’s a good idea to look through the user manual for your WiFi extender.
There are certain WiFi extender settings that you need to enable before it will work. Such as enabling WPS, which allows the WiFi extender to connect your WiFi modem. It’s recommended to run through the setup instructions for your WiFi extender to make sure you haven’t missed anything.
A Roku will pick up the WiFi setting coming from your WiFi extender if it’s all set up correctly, and if it doesn’t it may be a fault with either your WiFi modem, or your WiFi extender. A good first step is to turn your WiFi modem off and on again.
If that still doesn’t work it’s best to contact your internet service provider and they should be happy to help you get it all set up.
Roku TV Won’t Accept WiFi Password
When setting up your Roku with your WiFi you need to put the password for your WiFi connection in to connect it the first time. But, you may find your Roku TV says that the password you entered is incorrect. This is how to get it to work…
As a whole this issue is because you are putting the WiFi password into your Roku incorrectly. Your WiFi password may have changed recently. To verify what your WiFi password is you need to have administrative access to your modem. And to do that you should contact your internet service provider.
A very common issue with passwords, especially ones you don’t use that often are that numbers can look like letters. For example, the number zero ‘O’ can look like a capital o or ‘O’.
So, if someone sent you the password as a text message or an email, you might be putting in the wrong characters. And a lowercase ‘l’ for Larry, can look like the number 1 or an uppercase ‘i’.
You can try the different letters or numbers it could be. And to do that it’s helpful to write down each of the possible options and try them 1 by 1.
If you want to know for sure, you’ll need to verify it with your internet service provider. But, if you ask the person who gave you the password, they may know the exact spelling. For example, whether a letter is a l or a 1.
If you’ve got the exact password and it’s still not accepting it you should restart your Roku device, and your modem, and try your password again. If that still doesn’t work, you should contact your internet service provider to have a look into the issue for you.
Roku Won’t Automatically Connect to WiFi
A Roku is made to automatically connect to the WiFi after it’s turned on, and is really convenient. When it doesn’t connect on it’s own it can be a bit of pain. Here’s what you need to do to make sure it connects to the WiFi automatically.
To start with you should check that your internet connection is working correctly. To do that use another device like your smartphone or a laptop to verify the internet is working. After that you should delete your internet connection from your Roku and re-add it.
You can access that in the settings. To do that go to the homescreen on your Roku, and select Settings, then Advanced System Settings. After that choose Network Connection Reset. After you do that your Roku will restart.
Once, you have verified you internet is working, and you’ve added the internet connection to your Roku it will stay in your Roku settings and automatically connect each time you turn on your Roku.
If it doesn’t you should contact Roku support to fix the issue with your Roku.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on April 19, 2021.
Roku Not Connecting to My Hotspot
A hotspot is a handy way to connect a Roku to the internet and they come in many shapes and sizes. You can run a portable hotspot for your laptop, smartphone, or a dedicated device. However, how do you set it up the first time OR fix it when it has an issue? Here’s what you need to do.
As a general rule you should first try resetting your hotspot device by turning it off and on. Next, you should verify that your hotspot is connected to the internet. You should have some lights on the device which indicate that it is.
If you’re unsure whether your hotspot is connected to the internet it’s best to read the user manual for your hotspot. Once, it’s connected to the internet it will come up as an available network on your Roku device.
Your Roku will attempt to scan for available networks, and show which ones it can connect to. If your hotspot isn’t coming up, then you’ll want to reset your network connections. You can do that by following the instructions in the video I put above about how to reset your Wi-Fi connection.
If neither of these steps work, then it’s best to see if you can connect other devices to your hotspot. When you can connect other devices to your hotspot such as a smartphone or a tablet, then it means there’s an issue with your Roku. And you should contact Roku support.
If you can’t get the hotspot to connect to the internet, you might be out of data, or you need to fix something else in the settings. And you should contact the company that provides your hotspot internet to help you set it up so it connects to the internet and puts out a WiFi signal.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on April 19, 2021.