Wi-Fi & connectivity

[WiWook]

I Just purchased a Roku Express for a unique situation that I am in, but in general is not Bizarre. I viewed it as an inexpensive Travel Roku because most Hotels don't have 4K yet. Anyway, The issue:

I bought this to replace a glitchy Roku Premiere. I try to connect to the open WiFi that merely requires acknowledgement. It ID's the network, Nice strong signal, annnnnd. "No Internet". 

I fire up the phone, Set up the Roku using it as a hotspot. Download updates, even check to see if my channels are working. All is good through my phone. 

Try again over WiFi Recognizes the network spins on Wireless Connection then an X followed by a new text box "unable to  connect to wireless network" Number 014.50 in the right side of box.

Factory refreshed the ROKU, started with the Hotspot network from the beginning and went through the process again. Same results. Searched this group and saw a lot of this a year ago. Finally ignored that they "Do not provide Live Support for this device, and selected a different device that we purchased a month ago.  After getting disconnected in chat first by Sarah, and then by the network being reset (to see if that would solve it (NOPE). I get Bala. I confirm that I have had access to this network using a Roku. That it appears as an option for Wireless network, that I have updated the device, etc. Bala settles on that the  network is a single band 5Ghz network (Baffling that such a place would exist) and the Roku Express Ultra is 2.4Ghz only. I point out that it sees the network, If it can only connect at 2.4 Ghz it should not see a supposedly 5Ghz network. 

Simply put, it is decided that the Roku Express HD can see 5Ghz networks, but cannot connect to them. And that I am in the only place that uses single band 5 Ghz WiFi. 

NOT that the Roku Express HD3930 With Software version 10.0.0 Build 4209 - AE does NOT include support for Dorm / Hotel mode as shown on this page: https://www.roku.com/products/compare 

Unfortunately, seconds after I disconnected from the Chat, I realized I had installed a WiFi analyzer app to diagnose issues with the ROKU Premiere. This place I am has Dual Band 2.4 / 5Ghz wireless. Thus the reason that the Roku Express ID'd the network. I even verified Direct Connect was on and functioning. 

SO, I covered my Bases, It is your turn, ROKU, to deploy a proper fix (or wipe it off your own webpage)

[DBDukes]

The model 3930 is the Roku Express. There was a device that included HD in the name, but the model 3930 isn't that device Are you simply adding "HD" to the name of the device for some reason? Or is it actually a Roku Express HD as listed via Settings > System > About

What is the model number on the device? Either stamped on the device, or via Settings > System > About

[atc98092]

I believe you're using the HD to differentiate from the Express 4K, but HD isn't actually part of the model name.

That said, no model of the HD (1080p) version of the Express has ever had a 5 GHz radio. They all have a single band, 2.4 GHz radio only. The new Express 4K (3940/3941) have dual band radios, but those are the only versions of the Express that do. If your hotel is truly only 5 GHz, there's no way your 3930 will see and connect to their WiFi. 

As to your Premiere, only the original generation Premiere (4620/4630) had dual band radios. All newer versions of the Premiere are single band only. 

[StreamerUser]

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@DBDukes wrote:

The model 3930 is the Roku Express. There was a device that included HD in the name, but the model 3930 isn't that device Are you simply adding "HD" to the name of the device for some reason? Or is it actually a Roku Express HD as listed via Settings > System > About

What is the model number on the device? Either stamped on the device, or via Settings > System > About

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There IS a new Roku HD that is yet another recycled Roku moniker, and is in fact a variant of the Roku Express 3930, but is model 3932 - Roku has a support article for it, and is mentioned in other support models, but they do not specifically list it in the developer hardware specs/etc:

https://support.roku.com/article/208757038

https://support.roku.com/article/360033553154

https://support.roku.com/article/360036652634

https://support.roku.com/article/360057488733

It is a similar situation to the Roku SE (3930SE/3930S2), which is another recycled moniker:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Roku-SE-Streaming-Media-Player/978777004

All that being said, the OP referred to it (his device) several different ways: 

1) ROKU Express HD

2) Roku Express

3) Roku Express Ultra

4) Roku Express HD3930 

Note that the Roku HD is the 3932 in support articles, though internally (in the OS) it may be referred to as the 3930.

[DBDukes]

@StreamerUser 

If @WiWook will give us the model number of his device, we can know exactly device he has, as you mentioned, he mixed in 3 or 4 separate distinct model names in his descriptions.

[StreamerUser]

Agreed, he needs to just get the model/firmware  information directly from Settings/System/About and type it out, without further editorializing, though functionally all the 393x models should be identical (aside perhaps for remote buttons/branding/packaging).

[WiWook]

@https://community.roku.com/t5/forums/replypage/board-id/wired-and-wireless/message-id/16567#:~:text=There%20was%20a%20device%20that%20included%20HD%20in%20the%20name%2C%20but%20the%20model%203930%20isn%27t%20that%20device%20Are%20you%20simply%20adding%20%22HD%22%20to%20the%20name%20of%20the%20device%20for%20some%20reason%3F

Go to Wal-mart, Lowes, any big box and search Roku Express HD and a pretty light blue box will pop up. Formal Name, no. Marketed Name, YES 

[WiWook]

I knew that my version of the premiere only had the 2.4Ghz, but Tech support is always right. So I went with it. 

As for the Express, I had forgotten that during my initial attempts to set it up using my phone as a Hotspot, I set it to be 5Ghz only. The Express couldn't find my (hotspot) network then. Anyway, most consumers, trying to figure out why their brand new out of the box Roku Express won't connect at the hotel this weekend are more likely to find THAT headline, realize that it is their device, and not spend another 4 hours trouble shooting. 

It was more to save others the frustration, and MAYBE get Roku Tech support to correct this flaw or stop advertising a capability it does not have.