Wi-Fi & connectivity

[TSimpson]

Hi,

We have a Roku Ultra setup as a media server in our Toyota Sienna.  We basically only use it to access the stuff we have downloaded on a USB.  Recently we have been getting a blank screen with no app icons if there is no internet available when we start the van.  Basically, the kids get to watch their shows as we leave the house, but not on the way back from our destination.  This problem started about a week ago.

I'm assuming there is just some kind of update bug that caused this because the roku ultra functions flawlessly as we leave the house and all the way to our destination with the internet only being available to the end of our driveway.

Please let me know if this issue will get resolved, if not, this thing is basically worthless for us and we will need to buy a different media server.

Thanks in advance 🙂

[makaiguy]

Starting September 12, 2023, Roku started gradually rolling out an update of its operating software from version 12.0 to 12.5.

Roku menu path Settings > System > System update will show you your current Roku version number.   Down in the lower left corner of this screen it will also show you when your last update was installed.  Does this correspond to when this problem began?

This is the first I've heard of this particular problem being reported.

Paging Roku employees @RokuAustin, @RokuERey, and any other moderators so they can track this issue.

[TSimpson]

This is a possibility. Maybe we just didn't watch the TV on a trip home for quite awhile and it prevented us from noticing it earlier. 

We submitted a ticket last week and for that ticket we gave them our information:

Software Version 12.0.0 build 4184-C2

GC Version 10.2.30

Issue ID 4F-178-620

I know this is going to be a rare issue because how many people use a roku predominantly offline lol.  Toyota in its infinite wisdom made the entertainment system a real pain in the arse for the actual driver of the vehicle, so a roku with 2 controllers was our solution.  It allows me to pause the video and yell at the kids if I need to.

Sorry, forgot to mention that last checked and last updated are both 10/12/23 after going through the motions with customer support.

[renojim]

I did some experiments with my Ultra (4800), but it's now on v12.5.  With no Internet connection, when I connect the power sometimes I get no Home Screen icons and sometimes I do.  More often than not there's none.  However, I can connect a USB flash drive and it will first show the new warning that you have to acknowledge and then offer to launch the Roku Media Player.  Even with no Home Screen icons it will still launch RMP and everything seems to work.  I have "Auto-launch" set to "Prompt" under Settings->System->USB media and RMP set as the "Launch channel".  If I power it up with the flash drive connected, I pretty much get the same prompts once it fully boots.

One idea if it doesn't work for you like it is to me is to use the hotspot on your phone, if possible, for the Internet connection.  Once it's all happy with the connection I think you can just turn the hotspot off, or just leave it on since if you're only streaming from the USB port it won't be using much data.

[TSimpson]

Hi, thanks for playing around with this and finding a solution!  If I pull the USB out and plug it back in, I get the prompt also.  It's a little clunky, but it'll do until someone fixes the issue with an update.  

We didn't want to pay for a hotspot just for the van, so that's what started this whole journey.  It's really frustrating that Toyota didn't really connect the front info screen to the back entertainment system.  It's almost like they asked a teenage gamer to design how it works without talking to their parents who are stuck up front with no ability to control anything.

Thanks again!