Wi-Fi & connectivity

[Jumper5]

Someone mentioned that sure, I could return my Roku Express to get the 5GHz wifi.  ** I shouldn't have to do that.**  It should be in plain English on the box that only 2.4GHz was supported, and not 5GHz.

Now?  I'll just live with the Express for a year or so, then I'll be smarter in terms of what I should buy next time.  But this is sold with the (ahem) express idea that it's easy to set up, easy to use, etc.  I shouldn't need a PhD in wifi technology in order to have gotten the right one.  I think it's purposefully misleading.

Single band wifi ... how am I supposed to know that single band wifi couldn't just be 5GHz?

[atc98092]

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@Jumper5 wrote:

Single band wifi ... how am I supposed to know that single band wifi couldn't just be 5GHz?

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No such animal from any manufacturer. Single band devices are always 2.4 GHz only. 

[Spoonmi]

Hmmm, I have the Roku Ultra model 4660x2 and use Tmobile home internet, when the tr-band router switches to channel 146 the Roku will not connect, Will connect on channel 40... Is there a fix or new device available

Thanks

[atc98092]

@Spoonmi No, there is no fix. Roku devices will not use DFS WiFi channels. You must use a channel 48 or below or channel 149 or higher. DFS channels are not legal to use in some areas, so Roku does not support their use. 

[Vicky2003]

@SpoonmiDFS channels use a 802.11AC or 802.11AX connection.  These channels are shared with radar and must be vacated as soon as interference is detected.  DFS opens up a lot of extra channels, but if you live in an overcrowded WiFi environment where there are lots of signals that can reach you, these channels turn out to be a problem because your stream is interrupted every time the channel hops. 

I avoid DFS channels everywhere I can, but my cable box uses DFS channels, and at dusk our channel hops so often that we can not watch TV during that time slot.  So we stream. 

[AvsGunnar]

@Vicky2003 

It is not really that your cable box "uses" DFS Channels (52-148), but more that your cable box "supports the use of" DFS Channels.

If you disable the use of DFS channels at your router (either by manually assigning a 5ghz wireless channel, or looking for a setting that disables the use of DFS in auto channel selection), then your cable box (and other 5ghz wifi connected devices) will simply move to the non-DFS channel automatically assigned by the router during detection of congestion/interference.

With DFS, the router either allows the use of or does not allow the use of DFS channels. (most do).  The client device (Roku, cable box, phone, game system, network extenders, etc), either supports or does not support DFS use.  Inherently, at the network chip level, most do, but its use may be disabled for any number of reasons and thus remain uncertified to use DFS.  As such, if you have uncertified/unsupported devices on your network that need to use the 5ghz band, it is a matter of practicality (ease of use) that the use of DFS be disabled at your router.

[KIT4242]

When you post links maybe you should take a look at what the link offers, in this case, nothing more than obfuscated **bleep**…

[atc98092]

@KIT4242 no idea who you're responding to, but looking back in this thread I see no links to anywhere until you go way to to February, and those specific links certainly were valid then and now. Not really helpful to comment about something so old. 

[AvsGunnar]

@KIT4242 

If you are referring to the links provided in the original solution, keep in mind this thread is 2 years old and any links previously mentioned may have moved or no longer be available.

Current link is https://www.roku.com/products/players

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All current Roku devices are now 5ghz capable including the Roku Express (model 3960).  Any previous Roku Express with a different model number other than 3960 is 2.4ghz only.

[KIT4242]

My apologies. You’re right I did ignore or did not bother to check the date. Although, it would be nice if there was some clear and concise information provide not just Roku, but all companies.