Wi-Fi & connectivity

[IndyIndiana]

I am trying to connect a Roku to a shared WiFi connection through my Macbook air.  I have a Roku premier (4620RW) and a Macbook running Big Sur 4.11.  When sharing the WiFi through the mac the Roku will connect to the WiFi but it will not establish an internet connection.  I'm sure i am doing something wrong but can anyone help me out?

[DBDukes]

@IndyIndiana 

Just to be clear, your Mac is connected via Ethernet to your network? You added a USB Ethernet adapter or a Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter to your MacBook Air and are connected that way?

[IndyIndiana]

@DBSorry I should have been more specific with how I was trying to connect.  You are right.  I have my macbook connected to router via Ethernet cable with thunderbolt adapter.  Then sharing the internet via wifi.

[DBDukes]

@IndyIndiana 

Huh. I've not done it recently, but I have done it in the past. They were still using cat names then.

I'm not near my MacBook, so I can't set it up and try until much later. There are other Mac users here that may be able to assist.

But to the question in the title: yes.

[IndyIndiana]

@DBDukes 

I'm very glad to hear it can be done.  I do not want to have to add hardware and if this can work it would make things much easier.  And I'm sure I am missing a step or some configuration piece.  I am not very savvy with mac laptops so unfortunately I don't know where to even start to look. 

[prasanth]

@IndyIndiana 

Just to be clear, is your Mac connected via #Ethernet to your network?

Have you added a USB Ethernet adapter or a Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter to your MacBook Air and are you connected that way?

If yes, it will work if you find difficulties in that you can just restart the device and try connecting to the shared WIFI.

[IndyIndiana]

@prasanth 

My macbook is connected to the router via thunderbolt Ethernet adapter. 

The shared internet, via the macbook, is sharing to devices through wifi and i am trying to connect my Roku to the shared wifi but have not had success.  It will connect to the SSID setup on macbook but it will not connect to the internet for some reason.

I have restarted both the laptop and roku quite a few times but still no luck unfortunately.

[prasanth]

@IndyIndiana 

try connecting other devices like mobile or anyother wifi devices and check if it is working with that device    

[IndyIndiana]

@prasanth 

I can connect to the shared wifi from my macbook with my iphone and another windows laptop.  So the sharing is working, just not getting through to my roku for some reason.

[makaiguy]

@IndyIndiana-

What WiFi band is your MacBook shared WiFi using?

The Roku Premiere has a single band WiFi radio that can only use the 2.4 GHz band, and cannot even see the 5 GHz band.  If your MacBook is set to use the 5 GHz band, see if you can switch it to the 2.4 GHz band.

In addition, within the 2.4 GHz band, all Rokus support channels 1-11 as are used in North America.  If your WiFi sharing supports 2.4 GHz channels outside this range make sure it is set to use a channel in this range and that you aren't using an auto setting that could select channels outside this range.