Roku Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi? 8 Solutions to Get You Streaming Again!

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For those whose Roku can’t even detect a Wi-Fi network, check out our dedicated article on that topic here.

However, if, like many, your Roku spots the Wi-Fi but refuses to connect to it, like this user experienced, you’re in the right place.

In this guide, we’ve outlined seven effective solutions to swiftly get your Roku online from basic checks to advanced settings adjustments.

1. Basic Solutions From Roku

Often, your Roku network issues result from a minor user error or hardware/software glitch.

Before moving on to more advanced (and time-consuming) solutions, try the following basic solutions to see if they fix the problem.

• Double-check that you’ve chosen or entered the correct router name. Router names tend to be very similar, especially those created by the same company. Additionally, they may have hyphens, periods, or underscores that must be entered correctly.
• Typing in the wrong password is one of the most common reasons people struggle to connect their devices to Wi-Fi. So, take careful note of your router’s password, including its capitalization, before carefully entering it into your Roku.
• Routers may frequently experience outages, so ensure your router is functioning normally by trying to connect another device to it. If your smartphone or laptop can successfully connect to the network, then your router is working normally.
• Boost your Wi-Fi signal by following the tips outlined in our article What Materials Can Block Wi-Fi?
• Restart your Roku to refresh its software by disconnecting it from power for 30 seconds before plugging it back in.
• Restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds or pressing its Reset button, depending on the router’s make and model.
• If your Roku is being powered by your TV’s USB port, plug it into a power outlet using a USB power adapter instead.

2. Set Up the Connection

Sometimes, all it takes to resolve this network issue is to set up the connection from scratch. To do so, you’ll need to perform a system restart before trying to set up the connection again.

This solution may seem simple, but it’s worked for several Roku community members, including this user whose Roku TV randomly wouldn’t connect to Wi-Fi.

Follow the steps below to set up your Roku’s connection.

Step 1:  Open the Settings menu and navigate to System.

Step 2: Go to Power before selecting System restart.

Step 3: Click on Restart and wait for your Roku to reboot.

Step 4: Once your Roku has restarted, head to Settings and open Network.

Step 5: Go to Set up connection and choose Wireless.

Step 6: Select your home’s Wi-Fi network before correctly entering its password. Then, click Connect.

3. Turn Off the Bandwidth Saver Feature

The Bandwidth Saver feature automatically stops your Roku from streaming if the remote hasn’t been used continuously for 4 hours. This helps you save data and reduces the bandwidth usage on your current network.

However, there are instances where this feature might malfunction and lead to Wi-Fi connectivity issues, as this user has experienced. So you can try turning off the Saver to see if your problem is solved.

To disable the Bandwidth Saver feature and potentially solve these Wi-Fi problems, simply follow the instructions below.

Step 1: Go to Settings, then Network.

Step 2: Select Bandwidth Saver, and turn it Off.

4. Factory Reset Your Roku

While factory resetting other devices is a painstaking process that requires you to set it up from scratch, Roku players and TVs are a different story.

Factory resetting these nifty devices will simply log you out of your device.

Then, once the factory reset process is complete, you can log back into your account and your apps and information will reappear on your device.

So, you don’t have to worry about your Roku returning to its default settings and losing all your information/apps.

Still, several Roku users found that factory resetting their Roku fixed their network problems as soon as they logged back into their account.

Follow the steps for one of the two methods listed below to factory reset your Roku.

Method 1:

Step 1: Enter the following key sequence into your remote:

• Home key five times
• Fast Forward key three times
• Rewind key two times

Step 2: Now you should see the Secret Screen menu. From here, go to Factory reset.

Step 3: Take note of the PIN on-screen and enter it into the keypad. Then, click OK.

Method 2:

Step 1: Launch the Settings menu and go to System.

Step 2: Head to Advanced system settings and choose Factory reset from the right-hand menu.

Step 3: Type the PIN you see on-screen into the keypad before selecting OK.

Step 4: Finally, click on Start factory reset.

5. Change Your Wi-Fi Password

Sometimes, your Roku may struggle to connect to Wi-Fi after you’ve restarted your router.

This Roku user was facing this exact problem but was able to finally connect their Roku to the internet by changing their Wi-Fi password.

Please note that changing your Wi-Fi password will remove all devices from it until they are reconnected using the new password.

Remember to use a strong password so that random passers-by can’t connect to the network and eat up your bandwidth or compromise your cybersecurity.

Follow the steps below to change your Wi-Fi password.

Step 1: Connect your computer/laptop to your router’s network.

Step 2: Consult the sticker found on your router to find its IP address. Then, enter this IP address into your computer’s web browser.

Step 3: On your router’s login page, enter its Username and Password. In some cases, the Password section may need to be left blank.

Step 4: Every router brand’s settings menu will be a little different. To help you out, I’ll explain how I changed the password on my ASUS router.

Go to Wireless and find the WPA Pre-Shared Key section. Here, you can enter your new password.

Note: Using special characters (e.g. !@#$%) in your password may make it stronger, but make sure to use them correctly when typing your new password on your Roku.

6. Check If Your Router Has Been Set to g/n Settings

Routers can support two standards: b/g/n and g/n.

The standard b/g/n is g/n’s predecessor and is compatible with all Roku players and TVs, regardless of their age. However, only newer Rokus can connect to the g/n standard.

Additionally, routers can automatically change from the b/g/n standard to the g/n standard after being updated, making it impossible for older Roku models to connect to it.

So, it’s best to check which standard your router is set to and change it to b/g/n if needed.

Follow the steps below to verify and change your router’s standard. 

Step 1: Sign into your router’s admin page. (Consult Steps 1 to 3 in the above section to learn how to do so).

Step 2: On your router admin page, select “Wireless mode,” “802.11 modes,” “Mode,” or something similar to open the wireless settings.

Step 3: Adjust your router’s settings to b/g/n and uncheck Disable 11b if available.

7. Switch to Non-DFS Channels

Your Roku may be connected to a Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) channel. While these channels may work for organizations such as your local weather service and the military, they are incompatible with your Roku.

These DFS channels include those found in the 50 – 64 and 100 – 144 frequency ranges. 

Roku supports the following 5GHz channels: 36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161, and 165. All these channels are non-DFS and will allow your Roku to connect to high-speed and stable Wi-Fi. 

To adjust your Roku channel to a compatible non-DFS one, follow the steps below. 

Step 1: Log into your Roku admin page by following Steps 1 to 3 in Solution #4. 

Step 2: Find and open the 5GHz Wi-Fi settings and verify which 5GHz band your router is connected to.

Step 3: From here, you can select a Roku-compatible non-DFS channel. So, make sure your Roku isn’t connected to any channel within the 50 – 64 and 100 – 144 frequency ranges.

Step 4: Then, check if your router has an option to automatically connect to DFS channels. If it does, ensure this option is unchecked. Otherwise, your router will continue to connect to DFS channels.

8. Factory Reset Your Router

If you’ve been using your router for a few years, some of its settings may have started conflicting with one another, preventing certain devices from connecting to it.

Instead of going into your router’s admin page and changing random settings until you see results, it’s better to factory reset it and set up the connection again.

Don’t worry. The setup process only involves entering the router’s Wi-Fi name and password into your devices.

This solution is tried and true, as this user was successfully able to resolve their Roku network issues by factory resetting their router. 

To factory reset your router, simply find and long-press your router’s Reset button for 15 – 30 seconds, depending on its make and model.

Once your router factory resets, consult its setup guide to learn how to set it up again. The setup process may vary depending on your router’s brand.

If you have an ASUS router, you’re in luck! Here is ASUS’s setup guide from their official website.

Wrapping Things Up

If your Roku won’t connect to Wi-Fi, try performing some basic solutions recommended by Roku.

These solutions will address your Roku and router’s software by refreshing them. You should also ensure you’ve correctly entered your Wi-Fi username and password.

Restarting and factory resetting your Roku and router will reboot and wipe their software, ensuring there aren’t any glitches of conflictive settings preventing a stable network connection.

You may also need to change your Wi-Fi password and adjust a few router settings. If you do change your password, remember to enter it correctly when connecting your Roku to your router!

What’s your experience with your Roku not connecting to Wi-Fi/internet? And how did you finally manage to fix this issue on your Roku?

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