So you’re wondering if you can connect Roku to a hotspot. I have some good news for you. In this article, I’ll show you how to connect your Roku to your mobile hotspot and also cover some important tips and suggestions.
Luckily for you, it’s very easy to connect Roku to a hotspot. If you have unlimited data on your mobile network, using a Roku with a hotspot is a great idea. It’s much easier than connecting a Chromecast to a mobile hotspot.
Here’s how to do it:
Can You Connect Roku to a Hotspot:
Yes. To connect Roku to a hotspot, first, turn on your phone’s mobile hotspot. Next, use the Roku remote to navigate to Settings, Network, and Wireless. Scan for nearby Wifi networks, select your hotspot, enter the password, and connect.
If you have sufficient data and cellular network speed on your phone, the Roku services will work as usual. The steps are the same for connecting to your home network.
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Roku Not Connecting to Hotspot Fixes
In some cases, the Roku can disconnect from your hotspot and struggle to reconnect. The issue will vary depending on the Roku model and your phone.
It seems like hotspots from Apple products have issues with Roku. Nevertheless, here are some things you can try if you’re Roku is not connecting to a hotspot.
Change to 2.4 GHz Wifi
Many new phones have the option to create a hotspot using 5 GHz and it’s often enabled by default.
The problem is not all Roku devices can see 5 GHz hotspots. If you have a 5 GHz hotspot or Wifi network, the Roku simply won’t find the network.
The solution is to start the hotspot again using 2.4 GHz. Your Roku should be able to find and connect to the hotspot now.
Reset Roku Network Settings
Use the Roku remote to open Settings. Navigate to System and Advanced.
Here you should see a feature called Network Connection Reset. It will remove and delete all configurations for network connections. Next, try to reconnect the Roku to your hotspot.
Remove Special Characters from Hotspot Password
If you use special characters for your Roku password, remove them. Limit the password to only lowercase numbers and letters. The Roku software doesn’t seem to work well when passwords use special characters.
Reset the Phone’s Hotspot
Reset your phone’s hotspot. Change the name, and password, and remove all connected devices. Try connecting the Roku again, it should work.
Another note: if you’re using an IOS product, leave the hotspot setting menu open on your phone while you connect to it from the Roku. I found this fix on a forum and it might help you.
Follow those three tips and you should be able to reconnect your Roku to the mobile hotspot to continue streaming your favorite media.
Update Roku’s Firmware
Roku’s will automatically update, but you can manually check for updates too.
To check for an update, press the home button, open Settings, select System, and choose System Update. The Roku will check if there’s an update available and download and install it.
I suggest doing this as soon as you set up your new Roku. Bear in mind, that if there’s an update, the device will install it and restart. It’s always a good idea to keep your Roku’s firmware updated.
For additional network troubleshooting tips, take a look at my Roku not connecting to Wifi guide.
Roku Remote Not Working?
If your Roku remote is not working or your misplaced it, you might think it’s impossible to use your Roku. Well, what you can do is download the Roku app on your phone. It allows you to remotely control your Roku.
Just select your Roku from the list on the app and it will automatically pair it. Now you can use the app to connect your Roku to your hotspot. Pretty cool.
Why Use Roku with a Hotspot?
There are many reasons why someone would want to use a Roku with a hotspot. The most obvious is for travel purposes, for example, you’re somewhere that doesn’t have strong Wi-Fi or none at all.
Cellular networks usually have very good coverage and you can access data even when you’re out in the boonies camping or whatnot.
The second reason could be your internet is either slow or has data limits while your cellular plan offers unlimited and faster speeds.
There are some countries where Wi-fi and other internet connections are notoriously slow while the mobile networks are fast.
Granted, that works best when your phone has unlimited data plans. You don’t want to be streaming HD media on limited data plans!
So if you’re in a situation like the ones mentioned here, you’ll be happy to know the Roku works with a hotspot, and you can continue streaming your favorite online shows.
Conclusion:
Thankfully almost all Roku models are compatible with mobile hotspots and it’s super easy to connect them.
It’s way easier than Chromecasts and other streaming sticks because Roku has its own operating system and controls.
Hopefully, now you have the information you were looking for. Do you have any other issues with Roku and hotspots? Leave a comment below and I’ll try to help out.
Wondering what else you can connect to a hotspot? Check out our guides on connecting Chromecast, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire Sticks to hotspots.
My tv says its connected to Hotspot but its lchecking for new software then says can’t update sw try later don’t no what to do
Sorry to hear that, have you tried taking a look at this article? https://support.roku.com/en-gb/article/115002796148
Hello well I hooked up my Wi-Fi hotspot to the Roku and it says there’s a wireless connection but then I get a red X for internet connection I don’t understand this. I hooked up my other phone to the hotspot and the hotspot is working perfectly with internet and everything. So do you have any idea how to fix this? Thank you
Sorry, I can’t help much, I never had that problem with my Roku. From what I understand, the red X means the Roku can’t connect to the internet. Maybe you can try making a new hot spot with different credentials and try connecting to that? I’m not sure. It’s probably best to contact Roku’s official support about it.
My Roku tv has no way to connect without remote to navigate. There are no buttons on the tv. How do I connect my hotspot without having the remote available. It’s saying connect with the same WiFi.
Hey there. You should be able to use the Roku mobile app on your phone to control your TV.
So my insignia roku tv has had no issues connecting to either phone network I have until today. I’ve reset network on my mobile hotspot as well as the tvs network. Even unplugged and plugged back in to no solution. The hotspot is working because I was able to connect to a different device. When I scan for a wireless connection it looks like it only trys to scan like a millisecond and doesn’t pick up any connection. Do you have any solutions to my problem. Thanks in advance.
Sorry, I’m not familiar with that Roku, so I can’t say. Have you tried contacting Roku’s support about it?
The best reason for using the Roku with a hotspot is that when travelling, it is difficult to negotiate hotel WiFi landing pages with a Roku which you have to do every day. With Android, I can connect to the hotel’s WiFi on my phone, and hotspot it to the Roku without having to deal with the hotel’s landing page on the Roku.
Yeah, that’s one way to do it.
Hi. Which roku model is best using a hotspot? Thanks
I can’t really say, sorry. I think most of them should work about the same.
So my only problem is i dont have a roku remote and im trying to set my roku up to hotspot i get to the point where it asks me are you at home or in a dorm and then my roku renote app stops working
You could try using this Google Chrome-based app to control the Roku from a laptop or computer. You might also want to look for a replacement remote. It shouldn’t be hard to find online.