Wi-Fi & connectivity

Having Roku connectivity problems? Get the help and troubleshooting tips you need for Roku wireless connection issues, ethernet connections, and more.
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Pseudolus3
Newbie

Re: Why is it so difficult to connect Hotel/Dorm option!?

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Following the Roku steps, you do only get a few seconds (if that) to log into the Roku Wifi Direct then into the hotel (or dorm) sign in page.  It can definitely be absolutely maddening! If you're really fast and willing to curse (usually loudly) a lot, you may eventually get it to work (and be extra thankful on those days where you get it to work on the first try!).

Once a hotel does their daily reset forcing you to log-in again...that's when the real problems start as you no longer even get the "I am at a hotel or dorm" message option. Roku never offers a good solution for this and the Roku support moderators on this site are the absolute worst as they offer incorrect or totally unhelpful advice on this issue.

The best work around for all of these issues is:

  1. Get the hotel to wipe your Roku's MAC Address (look in System section's About page to find it) from their network (a wireless Roku will only have one MAC address; a Roku with an ethernet port will have two types of MAC addresses so make sure they wipe whatever MAC Address option you're using to get to the internet, i.e. Ethernet or Wireless connection). That will force Roku to reload the "I am at a hotel" page when you try to log in to the network and then you can begin the maddening process of trying to re-login in the milliseconds that Roku gives you to connect to the Roku Direct Wifi then to the sign-in page of your hotel. You usually have to do this every day at the same hotel because the hotel requires a daily log-in. 
  2. The better option is to get your hotel to Whitelist your Roku's MAC Address for the duration of your stay. The hotel staff (or you) will likely need to speak with the hotel's Internet Service Provider, who will ask for a lot of information (e.g. the hotel name, hotel address, hotel zip code, your room number, your device's MAC address, the duration of stay, the device name, etc.). After the hotel's Internet Service Provider whitelists your Roku's Wireless MAC Address, you can then sign on to hotel's wireless network; and your Roku will immediately bypass the hotel's sign-in page. Tada!

 Good luck! This took me countless hours to learn.

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MilesT
Roku Guru

Re: Why is it so difficult to connect Hotel/Dorm option!?

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Fundamentally, hotels don't want to support guests streaming using their own devices, it reduces their revenue and increases their liabilities for network misuse.

What Roku offers is just about the best cheap hack they can do to work around this. Anything else requires a lot more software & hardware that isn't otherwise relevant for TV streaming. (A market opportunity for a companion device, maybe)

The only reliable options are: phone hotspot or mobile wireless router (4g/5g) with a big data plan, or a tablet or other network devoce running special software to create a router and WiFi hotspot (with VPN) which forms a good connection to hotel WiFi and creates a private local network similar to home.

 A more reliable travel option is a basic "casting" dongle and sharing mobile/tablet/laptop to hotel room TV, and streaming that way. These are cheap and simple, but may need extra streaming service subscriptions

 

Not a Roku employee
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ron92646
Binge Watcher

Re: Why is it so difficult to connect Hotel/Dorm option!?

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This solution doesn't work.  As others have said on this thread, the "connect to a hotel or dorm" network/password only stays on for about 2 seconds and after that the roku device thinks it's connected before I have a chance to pick the network and enter the password.

This roku device has worked about 5 times for me over the past month, but now today it does what I describe above.  I can make a hotspot on my phone and connect and update the software but that doesn't fix the issue.  I even did a factory reset and connected to my phone hot spot to logon, but then try to connect to my hotel wifi and the same issue happens as described above. 

This is disappointing since this worked great about 5 times over the past month, but now this roku that I bought specifically for travel is just a paper weight.  Can you somehow make this easier to connect to a hotel wifi?

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RokuDanny-R
Retired Moderator

Re: Why is it so difficult to connect Hotel/Dorm option!?

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@ron92646

Thanks for the post.

Can you please provide the serial number/device ID on your Roku device? I'll be able to assist you further from there.

 

Thanks,
Danny

Danny R.
Roku Community Moderator
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ron92646
Binge Watcher

Re: Why is it so difficult to connect Hotel/Dorm option!?

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Hi.  It's model 3941X, ser. no. s07p514ws9m9.  Are you looking for more info that I can only find when this roku device is turned on and and can see on the TV screen or is what I provided enough?  Thanks for helping!  

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SV650s
Newbie

Re: Why is it so difficult to connect Hotel/Dorm option!?

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Short version:  The instructions are flawed!  Fortunately my wife ignored the "follow the hotel tv screen instructions" and did the following:

1. She went to settings on her smart phone.

2, clicked wifi which populated available networks. 

3. One of the "networks" was the "DIRECT-roku......"

4. So, instead of typing into your smartphone/laptop browser the 'DIRECT-roku..." string per the tv instructions you simply click on it as one of the available networks.

5. Once you click on this "network" you'll see a box pop up requesting the passcode, 

6. Put the supplied passcode from the tv screen.

7. In our case the login for hotel popped up asking our last name and room number which she supplied.

8. Then then another box popped up on the tv that stated it was connecting to the wireless network and all was good. 

We were at a Hampton Inn.  I hope this helps someone!

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renojim
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Why is it so difficult to connect Hotel/Dorm option!?

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@SV650s, outstanding user name!

Roku Community Streaming Expert

Help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
If you appreciate my answer, maybe give me a Kudo.

I am not a Roku employee.
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ron92646
Binge Watcher

Re: Why is it so difficult to connect Hotel/Dorm option!?

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I tried this and the "DIRECT-roku..." network does not appear as a choice to pick from even though I've used it before.  I'm wondering if the roku device isn't broadcasting it until you initiate it per the "connect to hotel/dorm" function?  Question, prior to your step #1, are you connecting your roku device to the hotel network?

Separately, I wonder if because I always stay at Marriott hotels and the network always has the same name: "Marriott_Guest", that because I've been connected successfully before, that it thinks I'm connected and don't need to go thru the dorm/hotel steps?  

Thanks for your suggestion, maybe I need to try your suggested steps before I do anything else the next time I'm at a hotel which will be the week of Oct. 18 at the latest.  

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SeniorChief
Reel Rookie

Re: Hotel / Dorm Mode for Streaming Stick

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Danny,

The issue I am having (with a ROKU Stick-Roku Player 3500X) is when connecting to a particular Hotel Wifi (that requires additional log in) I am NOT being given the option to utilize Hotel/Dorm Mode.....so I never can complete the connection

RokuDanny-R
Retired Moderator

Re: Hotel / Dorm Mode for Streaming Stick

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@SeniorChief

Thanks for the post.

Please be aware that the Roku Streaming Stick (3500) is an older device and may not support the Hotel & Dorm Connect feature.

For more information about Hotel & Dorm Connect, visit our Support page here: Hotel and Dorm Connect


Thanks,
Danny

Danny R.
Roku Community Moderator
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