Wi-Fi & connectivity

[1pbfoot]

Hi...

The Network / Check Connection feature is way too basic - it only provides a bandwidth number and nothing else.  It would be useful to add "latency" and "jitter" as metrics returned & shown on the screen.

With my Roku Ultra, I can use either wired or wireless networks.  In trying to determine whether to use wired or wireless (or where to move WiFi resources), Roku is saying that the bandwidth is lower on wired (huh?)--but streaming apps seem much snappier when searching (REW/FF) with wired, presumably due to lower latency.

I'd be shocked if latency & jitter are not already being calculated (and only sent to Roku Support?), just not shown on screen.  If they aren't being calculated, I'd gladly wait 5-10 seconds more for these numbers.  Can we add these additional 2 metrics to the screen, and Roku can add a simple online guide on how to interpret them?  For more power users like me, all 3 metrics are essential in picking the best networking choice... Thanks!

P.S. Before someone suggests "put your laptop where your Roku is, then run SpeedTest", A) my laptop doesn't have Ethernet, plus using an Ethernet-USB adapter would add latency & dropped packets; B) my laptop is WiFi-6 (ax) while my Roku Ultra is WiFi-5 (ac), and there's no way to force Windows to use Wifi-5.  Ultimately, I want to see what the Roku sees as these numbers...

[makaiguy]

Can't help with your diagnostic info request.  But ..

So far at least, Roku devices are only equipped with 10/100 Ethernet adapters, not megabit adapters.  This is more than adequate for internet streaming where, thanks to compression, even 4K programs seldom exceed 25 Mbps. Where it falls short is when people want to stream uncompressed (or considerably less compressed) video they have available on a linked computer.

Rokus' wifi chips, especially on the higher end units, can typically take whatever the local wifi net can deliver on the wifi band being used, and so may indeed measure a higher bit rate than Ethernet.

[1pbfoot]

It is helpful to know that the max bandwidth available over WiFi is higher than Ethernet on my Roku Ultra.  And it's disappointing that the expensive Roku Ultra was only fitted with late-90s era 100-BASETX Ethernet... 🙄

But, ultimately, if I'm using online streaming services (Netflix, Prime, YouTube, etc.), I have no way to tell "which is better for my purpose, given the less-than-ideal location where my Roku is located".  I could move the Roku around slightly (limited to 4K HDMI cable length of 3m), but given the single metric in Check Connection, I'm only going off of "feel", not actual numbers.

Another metric that could be helpful to add would be packet loss.  Having these 4 metrics (maybe set options for advanced users, or a hidden menu option) would increase the usefulness of any Roku, and might decrease support calls for "glitchy screen..."

[RokuAustin · Accepted solution]

Hi there, @1pbfoot! And, wanted to welcome you to the Roku Community. Fantastic suggestion. We'll pass it along. We try to keep the information displayed simple for folks, and believe it or not, having those extra metrics may confuse those who aren't as tech-savvy as yourself.

If you're running into network hiccups, you might try diagnosing via the usual methods of running a speed test or moving the device closer or further from your router, or logging into your wireless router and moving the Roku player to a different channel. More information at http://go.roku.com/connectivity. 

You may also be able to log into your router and run these tests from the router, depending on the manufacturer and capabilities.  Try logging into your router or reaching out to your ISP for help. 

Since this is going to be very dependent on your own local wireless environment, this is about the extent of the help we can offer here, so I'm going to mark this post as "solved," on the chance that it helps another Community member. But, if you're running into a wireless issue, please reach out to me directly via PM, I'd be happy to put you in contact with a member of our support team who can assist you.

Wishing you a wonderful streaming week.