Roku mobile app

[mcp]

UPDATE TO ORIGINAL POST: I thought I had found a solution to this problem by turning off the privacy settings on my iPhone WiFi settings. This stopped working pretty quickly. Then the app started working randomly again for a few days, without having to change any iOS settings! Unfortunately, the situation has now reverted to not being able to connect. I have confirmed that the app works with Roku’s at other houses. My internet provider says the issue is not theirs. Does Roku have a solution yet? 

My roommates and I have been using the Roku app as a remote for our Roku Express specifically because of the ability to play audio through headphones and not disturb each other. It was working for months, but in the past few weeks the app would randomly drop the connection then have to reconnect. Today, the app could not connect to the device at all. I have restarted the app and the device, checked the WiFi setting, and even factory reset the device. The phone and the device are linked to the same WiFi, the IP addresses are both 192.168.1.XX. No VPNs are involved. The connection on the Roku device says it is excellent. When I try to connect manually with the IP address, the app says there is no device found there. I am inputting the correct address, as I am copying it directly from the “About” section from my TV screen. Control by mobile apps on the device is set to default. The WiFi is Spectrum. We only have one network available, and we cannot even access the Access Point settings. The phones have local network access enabled for the app. We have tried with multiple phones, all iPhones running the latest iOS, so we believe it is a problem with our device or the app, not the phones. We have gone through every step given by Roku’s troubleshooting guide, and nothing has changed.

[renojim]

When you say, "we cannot even access the Access Point settings", is that because it's some kind of public Wi-Fi or it's under someone else's control?  It's possible a setting was changed that keeps connected devices from communicating with each other.

[mcp]

No, it is a private home WiFi. Spectrum just does not allow you to even touch the access point settings or anything so advanced, at least when you are using their equipment. If the setting was changed, it was not on our end.

[RokuEuniceL]

Hi @mcp,

Thank you for keeping us posted here in the Roku Community!

We appreciate you letting us know about your problem with the Roku Mobile app being unable to find your Roku device. We will work with you to know what went wrong so we can assist you further and fix the issue. Please tell us more details so that we can better understand the problem you are having.

• When did the issue start?
• Have you tried uninstalling the Roku mobile app from your mobile phone?
• Have you tried restarting your modem and router to refresh your Wi-Fi connection?
• Have you tried it on an Android phone to see if the issue is persistent?

Please elaborate on the issue that you are experiencing so we can further assist you. We'll be waiting for your response.

Best regards,
Eunice

[mcp]

Hi. The issue with the connection dropping out began in mid-January. Every 15 minutes or so, the app would just disconnect from the Roku, and it would take a few minutes to reconnect, often only by restarting the app. Often, the app would not connect to the Roku at all until we "checked connection" through the settings. On the app, it would say there were no Roku devices on the Wifi, even though it was definitely all on the same Wifi network. Then, this weekend, the Roku would not connect to any of our phone's apps, no matter what we did. Yes, we have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Roku app from our phones, and we have refreshed the Wifi connection. We have gone through the whole troubleshooting guide provided by Roku. Connecting manually with the IP address does not work, even though we have confirmed that we are inputting the correct address both through the Roku settings and on the Spectrum app. Our phones are definitely connected to the same Wifi, and our phone IP addresses also start with the same 7 digits as the Roku. The Roku device is working fine with the provided remote, but it just will not connect to the app anymore. We do not have an Android to try it on.

[RokuEuniceL]

Hi @mcp,

Thank you for the quick response!

We understand you are having problems with your Roku mobile app. We would be happy to look further into this issue, but we need more details. Kindly provide us with the following information:

• Roku device model, serial number, device ID, and software OS/version (these can all be found in Settings > System > About)
• Brand, model, and current OS that the mobile device is running
• The version of the Roku mobile app that your mobile device is using

Once we have this information, we will be able to investigate further.

Best regards,
Eunice

[mcp]

Roku information:

• Model: 3930X - Roku Express
• Serial number: X004006NAFHA
• Software version:  12.5.5 - build 4174-AE
• Device ID: S008326NAFHA

My phone information:

• Brand: Apple
• Model: iPhone 14
• OS: iOS 17.2.1

Roku app software version: 10.0.2.109208292.11

[mcp]

I have found the solution to connecting over Wifi for iPhones. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, turn off "private wi-fi address," and then the Roku device can be registered in the app. The connection still drops every so often, but it does reconnect much faster now. Something must have changed in the privacy capabilities with the new iOS updates, so I hope Roku can find a solution.

[mcp · Accepted solution]

That setting was available for me to change on the app when this problem was happening. Then the UI was changed significantly and the setting is no longer available. Regardless what the real issue was, replacing the router with a new one fixed it finally. The connection between the app and the Roku device can still get unstable at times, which can generally be fixed by turning the WiFi on and off again on my phone, but it is far easier to connect.