Got a used Roku thing to hook to my TV but the remote control does not work.
Tried to add the app to use my phone as the remote but I can only use the remote after I connect the Roku device to the Internet... But I can't connect it to the Internet without a remote.
Am I misunderstanding a step here or is it legit stuck in this annoying loop? Plz tell me there is a way around this that does not include having to purchase a new remote.
Sorry, there's no way around getting a physical remote. If you tell us what model number is written on it we can tell you if you can get away with a cheap universal remote, whether you need a proprietary Roku remove, or whether it's pretty much obsolete and and not worth getting a remote.
What kind of remote did you get with it? If there's a microphone button on the remote or a little button on the back or inside the battery compartment then the remote has to be paired before it will work.
.. and as a used Roku, you may not even have been supplied with a remote that's compatible with your Roku model.