Roku setup

[BradleyandCindi]

I have a Roku Express that I haven't used in awhile. I went to set it up again, the remote doesn't work so I can't connect it to the new network. The device shows in my Roku Account, but not under devices on my Roku app on my phone, so I can't use it as a remote. Any suggestions?

[RokuJohnB]

Hi @BradleyandCindi,

Thank you for your first post here in the Roku Community!

We will be more than happy to assist you further with this concern that you have with the Roku Express since it will not connect through your Roku mobile app. Please be advised that you need to connect your Roku device to the same wireless network as your mobile device to use the Roku mobile app. The Roku mobile app is a free app for iOS and Android devices that turns your phone or tablet into a remote for your Roku device. If your Roku device is not connected to the wireless network connection, you may need to purchase a new Roku remote.

Please keep us posted if there's anything else that we can do to assist you.

All the best,
John

[HDMIGuy]

@BradleyandCindi You are going to need a remote to set the Roku Express to the same wifi as your phone so you can use the phone app as a remote.  One possibliliy is you appear to have other Roku devices.  If any of your other Roku devices have a voice remote and not a Roku TV remote, you could pair the existing voice remote to your Roku Express. Once you have changed the wifi on the Express you can then repair the voice remote with the device it was being used for previously.

[makaiguy]

@BradleyandCindi -

The Roku app on a phone can only be used with Rokus that are already connected to your home network, so you have to use a method other than the Roku app to set up a new net connection.

If you have a Roku with an Ethernet port, connect to that if you can and it should find and connect to your local network without problem the next time you power the Roku up. Then you should be able to use the Roku remote app on your phone again.

Otherwise, you have several options, of increasing complexity.

FIRST METHOD

Normally a remote compatible with your Roku model is used to set up the Roku's net connection. This is by far the simplest method.

If necessary, report back with your Roku model (and model number if you have it) and we can advise you on which remote you need.

SECOND METHOD

You will need all of these:

-- A Roku that is still set up for its prior network. If it was no longer connecting to that network when you shut it down, if you have cleared its network settings, or if you have done a factory reset, your only recourse is to use a compatible Roku remote to set the Roku network connection up.

-- Knowledge of the network name (SSID) and password from your former network that the Roku is currently configured to use. Again, without this, your only recourse is to use a compatible Roku remote to set the Roku network connection up.

-- A phone or other mobile device with the official Roku app (not TheRokuChannel app) installed.

-- Access to your new router's control panel. If you don't have this access, scroll down to the third method.

If you have ALL of the above:

Go into your router's control panel and set it to use the same network name (SSID) and password as your previous network.

Pull the power plug on your Roku for a few seconds then plug it back in. When it boots up it should connect to your reconfigured net.

Now when you connect your phone to this same net you should be able to use the Roku app to control your Roku once again. Any other devices that you may have already configured to the new network will need to be set back to the old network connection settings.

THIRD METHOD

(I successfully used this method recently when visiting my timeshare. I brought a Roku from home and needed to configure it for the timeshare's network, but found the remote's batteries were dead, rendering the remote useless.)

This method is more complicated, but if you really need it …

In addition to a Roku still configured for its prior network and knowledge of the prior network's SSID and password as listed for method two, you'll also need:

-- A mobile phone with WiFi hotspot capabilities.

-- A second WiFi-equipped mobile device, either a phone or tablet, with the official Roku (not TheRokuChannel) app installed.

If you have all these things, here's how you do it:

1.) Configure the WiFi hotspot on your mobile phone to use the same network name (SSID) and password from your former home network that the Roku is currently configured to use. If your hotspot can use the 5 GHz WiFi band, switch it to the 2.4 GHz band for now for compatibility with all Roku models.

2.) After you turn on this hotspot, pull the power plug on your Roku for a few seconds then plug it back in. When the Roku starts up it should connect to the hotspot and through the phone to the internet. You just won't be able to control the Roku yet.

3.) Connect your second device (phone or tablet) to the first phone's WiFi hotspot network.

4.) Now that this second device and your Roku are both connected to the same WiFi hotspot, you can run the Roku app on the second device to gain control of your Roku using the app's remote control capabilities.

5.) Using the app on the second device, set up the new network on the Roku, via Settings > Network > Set up network, using the new network's SSID and password.

6.) When the Roku connects to the new network, disconnect the second mobile device from the WiFi hotspot and connect it to the new home network (SSID and password).

7.) You can now continue to use the Roku app on the second device to operate your Roku on the new network.

8.) The Roku is no longer connecting to your phone's WiFi hotspot, so you can shut that down. If you wish, you now can also connect this phone to your home WiFi and use the Roku app on this phone to control your Roku.

If you use method two or three I'd still suggest acquiring a compatible remote to make it possible to recover if your Roku ever drops its network connection and needs to be reconnected, and much simpler if you need to change to a new network again.