Wi-Fi & connectivity

[Emissary35]

I am having a fairly constant issue with my two Roku Streaming Stick 4K devices. I don't keep them plugged in when I am not using them, when I am ready to use them I plug the power cord into my power strip, not the USB port on the TV. As soon as it boots up I'll click on youtube and click on a video to play. The player freezes and gets stuck for almost two minutes then crashes and the entire Roku reboots.

Sometimes it happens on the youtube home screen other times not until I click on a video to play. The same thing happens sometimes on the Plex app, I'll click on a video and it will get stuck at 99% loading and then freeze for two minutes, then the player crashes and reboots. I either have to get up and unplug the Roku and plug it back in, or simply wait for it to crash on its own and reboot itself.

This is extremely annoying and this should not be happening since I had the Rokus unplugged for hours when not being used, I just plugged them in and they booted up fresh, so why does this device crash so often when trying to load an app or play a video? This usually happens after plugging the Roku in and it boots up, but I have also experienced this issue after using the player for several hours. What is causing these devices to freeze up and reboot? I have two of these Streaming Sticks and they are the same model, the issue occurs on both so it must be a device specific flaw.

[makaiguy]

@Emissary35-

Since the Rokus are unplugged when not in use, they are not receiving any updates that may have become available while they are unplugged.

YouTube is notorious for mucking around with their code and issuing frequent updates.  They often create new problems when fixing old ones.  Google owns YouTube and is not real good about making sure their app works well on non-Google platforms.

When running into problems when first plugging your Rokus back in I'd suggest the first thing I would do is check for updates.  Roku menu path Settings > System > Software update > Check now,

If the problem persists, I'd try removing and reinstalling your YouTube app.  Remove/reinstall procedure:

1. Highlight channel on home screen.
   
   
2. Press * key on the Roku remote and choose Remove channel option.
   This will remove the channel from your Roku account, and thus from ALL Rokus linked to that same Roku account.
   
   
3. IMPORTANT- IF YOU SKIP THIS STEP YOU MAY NOT GET A CLEAN RE-INSTALL:
   Restart the Roku to clear its memory. Depending on your Roku model you'll find the System restart option under Settings > System > Power or if you have no Power option, under Settings > System. 
   
   [Note: For Roku TVs (i.e. ones with Roku capability built in) with "Fast TV start" enabled, turning the TV off/on just puts it in/out of a standby state and does not give you a full restart. Use the menu options listed above.]
   
   
4. Reinstall the channel to your Roku account via the Roku Home page Streaming Channels menu option. This will install the channel on all Rokus linked to this Roku account.
   
   

Notes:

• The channel will be added to the END of each Roku's channel grid.
• The Roku on which you performed the reinstall should get the installation immediately. Other Rokus linked to this Roku account may not get the channel until their next automatic update check. You can force an immediate update on any unit via Settings > System > System update.
• If channel requires a login, you may need to log in anew.

If the problem persists at this point, it typically means the current version of the channel app has a problem that must be addressed by the channel itself as they are the ones that create the Roku-compatible version of their app and provide it to Roku.

[Emissary35]

I always manually check for updates as soon as I plug my Rokus in before I click on any apps to use them, so that isn't the issue. Over 90% of the time I check it says it's up to date anyway. Removing the channel and adding it again doesn't do anything either because the next time I use the device the same thing happens and it freezes, it's happening on two devices. And it's not just youtube that freezes it's Plex also so this isn't an app problem it's a problem with this particular Roku model in my opinion. Something that needs fixing with a software update hopefully.

[makaiguy]

A Streaming Stick 4K purchased in 2022 is a model 3820 (or a 3821 - same stick with the Voice Remote Pro rechargeable remote).

I have no such problems with my 3821.

How are you powering your sticks?  It's convenient to plug them into the USB ports on the TVs, but many TV USB ports can't supply the 1 amp minimum current the Roku needs to work reliably.  Try plugging into house power via a USB 5v power adapter and see if it makes any difference.  Most of us have a few of these from old discarded devices, just be sure the fine print on it says it outputs at least 1 amp.

[Emissary35]

I don't plug the sticks into the USB port on the TV. I learned not to do that the hard way. When I received my first stick back in 2022 I left it plugged into the USB port and turned my TV off thinking that it would turn off the Roku when the TV went off, it didn't. The next day I turned my TV on and my Roku was still running and it drained my batteries in the remotes from 100% brand new the previous day to about 93% overnight which was ridiculous. So after that one day I always made sure to plug the Roku stick into my power strip that is connected to a wall outlet, the USB power option and battery drain that goes along with it is a joke.

[RokuEuniceL]

Hi @Emissary35,

Thank you for keeping us posted here in the Roku Community!

We understand you are having problems streaming with your Roku device, and we appreciate your posting about this. We would be delighted to help you further. For us to better understand the issue you are experiencing, please provide us with additional information:

• When did the issue occur?
• Have you tried updating your software to the latest version?
• How far is your device from your network router?
• Have you tried restarting your network router?
• Do you have cellular data, so we can try connecting your device to your hotspot?

Please elaborate on the issue that you are experiencing so we can further assist you. We'll be waiting for your response.

Best regards,
Eunice

[MacyZ]

I am having a similar issue with the Streaming Stick 4K. Turns on fine, then after 15 minutes the screen freezes and an error pops up saying No internet connection. I turn off the tv completely and turn back on and start watching again. Then 15 mins later same thing happens. Any suggestions? 

[RokuJohnB]

Hi @MacyZ,

From the Roku Community, welcome and thanks for keeping us posted!

We understand you're having a problem with your Roku streaming stick since it was disconnecting from your network. We're happy to assist you further. Please try to restart your modem and router. After restarting your wireless network connection, you may need to restart your Roku streaming stick by going to settings, system, and system restart.

Let us know how it works, and we will continue to assist you further.

All the best,                                                                                                                                        John

[Emissary35]

@RokuEuniceL 

When did the issue occur?

It's happened off and on for several months.

Have you tried updating your software to the latest version?

Absolutely. I manually check for updates every time I start using my Roku before I stream any videos, my Rokus are always up to date.

How far is your device from your network router?

One of my Roku Sticks is in a completely different room and the other is in the same room as the router. I've experienced freezing on both sticks, so proximity to the router isn't the issue.

Have you tried restarting your network router?

Yes, I reboot the router a couple of times a week and it also reboots itself a couple times a months very late at night when my router gets updates.

Do you have cellular data, so we can try connecting your device to your hotspot?

No I don't have cellular data, connecting my devices to another router or hotspot won't solve the problem of my Rokus locking up and freezing, that is obvious.

I fail to see how any of the questions or my answers to them will help solve this issue. I believe the problem is that there is something wrong with the hardware in the sticks that needs to be investigated and corrected with a software update.

[RokuEuniceL]

Hi @Emissary35,

Thank you for keeping us posted here in the Roku Community!

We understand you are having a problem streaming on your Roku device. We would be happy to look further into this issue, but we need more details. Please provide us with the following information:

1. Roku device model, serial number, device ID, and software OS/version (these can all be found in Settings > System > About).
2. Does this issue occur on a specific channel? If so, what channel and what version or build is it? (This can be found by selecting the channel on the Home screen and pressing the * button.)
3. Tracker ID. When you see this issue, press the Home button five times, followed by the Back button five times, and provide us with this ID.

Once we have this information, we will be able to investigate further.

Best regards,
Eunice