Forum Discussion

Streamer1791's avatar
Streamer1791
Reel Rookie
3 years ago
Solved

Unable to "see" Roku 4K Stick from iPhone 13 Pro Max for Airplay or Roku App

 recently got the Roku 4K Stick. I have it setup to use my iPhone hotspot without any issues. That is, the Roku has no issue connecting to my hotspot, and I can stream to my heart's content. However,...
TV & Player Setup
  • atc98092's avatar
    atc98092
    3 years ago
    Streamer1791 wrote:

    So how do I stream/airplay to the Roku when at a hotel, since that is not 'private' network?

    You can't.

    Now that I've said that, there actually is a couple of ways but it's a bit geeky and don't always work. If the hotel room offers a wired Internet connection, you can connect any simple router and create your own private WiFi network. However, almost all hotels are now WiFi only, so that option isn't available. But there are still ways to make a private network on a hotel connection.

    One is to use a travel router, and place it in "bridge" mode. This way the router connects to the hotel via WiFi and provides a private WiFi network that you control. I had one for years, and while it usually worked there were times I simply could not get it to connect to the hotel network. Also, it's a bit techy to get it connected, and honestly might not be something the average user can configure. 

    There's one other option, and this is assuming you have a Windows laptop with you. You can connect the laptop WiFi to the hotel, take care of the authentication, then connect a router or access point to the Ethernet jack of the laptop and "share" the WiFi connection across the Ethernet connection. The Windows computer acts as a router and hides your internal connection from the hotel connection. Again, this is a bit geeky, but I used it successfully in a hotel I was staying at long term. All my internal devices (two Roku players, a smart TV, two laptops and two cell phones) were all connected, but all the hotel ever saw was the single Windows PC. And because it was a private network, things like screen mirroring or using the Roku app worked just fine. 

    As you can tell, all options will require additional hardware. There is simply no way to use AirPlay or the Roku app when directly connected to a public network like a hotel. 

atc98092's avatar
atc98092
Community Streaming Expert
3 years ago

When the phone is being used as a hotspot, it generally won't work as a control device on the network. This is usually due to security settings that make connected devices hidden from other devices. To use something like Air Play or the Roku phone app, both devices need to be connected to the same private network that does not have any security enabled to block connected devices from seeing each other. 

This isn't something that can be "fixed" by Roku. This is simply the way the hotspot works on most phones. I don't have an iPhone 13, but on my iPhone 11 and my XR there are no settings that would disable this security function. 

Streamer1791's avatar
Streamer1791
Reel Rookie
3 years ago

So how do I stream/airplay to the Roku when at a hotel, since that is not 'private' network?

 

 

  • atc98092's avatar
    atc98092
    Community Streaming Expert
    3 years ago
    Streamer1791 wrote:

    So how do I stream/airplay to the Roku when at a hotel, since that is not 'private' network?

    You can't.

    Now that I've said that, there actually is a couple of ways but it's a bit geeky and don't always work. If the hotel room offers a wired Internet connection, you can connect any simple router and create your own private WiFi network. However, almost all hotels are now WiFi only, so that option isn't available. But there are still ways to make a private network on a hotel connection.

    One is to use a travel router, and place it in "bridge" mode. This way the router connects to the hotel via WiFi and provides a private WiFi network that you control. I had one for years, and while it usually worked there were times I simply could not get it to connect to the hotel network. Also, it's a bit techy to get it connected, and honestly might not be something the average user can configure. 

    There's one other option, and this is assuming you have a Windows laptop with you. You can connect the laptop WiFi to the hotel, take care of the authentication, then connect a router or access point to the Ethernet jack of the laptop and "share" the WiFi connection across the Ethernet connection. The Windows computer acts as a router and hides your internal connection from the hotel connection. Again, this is a bit geeky, but I used it successfully in a hotel I was staying at long term. All my internal devices (two Roku players, a smart TV, two laptops and two cell phones) were all connected, but all the hotel ever saw was the single Windows PC. And because it was a private network, things like screen mirroring or using the Roku app worked just fine. 

    As you can tell, all options will require additional hardware. There is simply no way to use AirPlay or the Roku app when directly connected to a public network like a hotel. 

    • Streamer1791's avatar
      Streamer1791
      Reel Rookie
      3 years ago

      I see. I guess I will be returning the Roku as 'broken' as none of these limitations are contained in the advertisements.

      • atc98092's avatar
        atc98092
        Community Streaming Expert
        3 years ago

        Those limitations will apply to any streaming player. It's not just Roku. And those sort of WiFi networks all have a security function that blocks connected devices from seeing each other. And trust me, you want that security enabled. You don't want any other random network users to be able to see your devices and potentially attempt some sort of attack. 

        So no, the Roku isn't "broken", and you wouldn't be able to do what you asked with any other device.