Wi-Fi & connectivity

[Tomnukes]

My iPhone 13 needs to use Bluetooth with it’s personal hotspot. Does my Roku 4200x support this? Cannot find a way to do this

[renojim]

No Roku device supports a network connection through Bluetooth.  I'm not an Apple person, but I've never heard of a hotspot that requires Bluetooth.  The whole idea of a hotspot is to share a cellular network connection through Wi-Fi.

[UserOfStreamers]

@renojim 

Recent Android/iOS devices/software versions allow Hotspot/Tethering via several methods, including WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, and Ethernet (doable since these are all simple P2P connections...).  Bluetooth isnt required, but it is an option.

@Tomnukes 

You'll need to use WiFi for the HotSpot (or USB/Ethernet tethering, with a USB to Ethernet adapter):

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204023

[atc98092]

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@Tomnukes wrote:

My iPhone 13 needs to use Bluetooth with it’s personal hotspot. Does my Roku 4200x support this? 

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No, the iPhone does not need Bluetooth for the hotspot to work. While Bluetooth does use the 2.4 GHz band, it's completely separate from the WiFi radio. 

As mentioned, no Roku uses Bluetooth for networking. The 2 XS (very old device) used it for the remote, and the Soundbar can stream audio from a phone or tablet via Bluetooth, but that is the extent of BT use on a Roku.

To my understanding the newest iPhones now allow specifying the channel(s) used in the hotspot. Mine is an XR, so not new enough. The 4200 has dual band WiFi, so you need to check both bands to see what channels are in use. For 2.4 GHz, the channel has to be between 1 and 11. For 5 GHz, the channel has to be 48 or lower, or 149 or higher. Any channel used that isn't within those parameters won't be visible on a Roku device. 

[TwoBrokeEx]

"You can use your phone's mobile data to connect another phone, tablet, or computer to the internet. Sharing a connection this way is called tethering or using a hotspot. Some phones can share Wi-Fi connection by tethering. Most Android phones can share mobile data by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB."

Source:

@renojim https://support.google.com/android/answer/9059108?hl=en#zippy=%2Ctether-by-bluetoot