There is no way to connect a Roku to the network without a remote, and the app won't work until the Roku is connected to the network. Your Roku doesn't have an IP address until it connects.
Unless your Roku is a Streaming Stick, you can buy an inexpensive universal IR remote at almost any store that sells remotes. Just make sure they list Roku as a supported device. I've seen them in our local general merchandise store for under $10.
If you have a Streaming Stick, you must have a genuine Roku WiFi Direct remote, but it has to be the right model. If your Stick is the old purple model 3500, new remotes are no longer available. You can sometimes find used ones on eBay, but you'll end up paying as much as you'd pay for a new Roku. Also, if you have an older Stick, you'll find the latest Roku models perform far better, and in some cases your existing Roku might not even support some of the latest channels.
Dan
Roku Community Streaming Expert
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