Wi-Fi & connectivity

[MissaLynn84]

The Roku Premiere (3920 series)  will not connect to our WiFi any longer. We’ve had this stick for a year with no problems & now we can’t use it at all. I have excellent WiFi strength, but it refuses to connect.

[makaiguy]

@MissaLynn84-

Might your router be one supplied by your internet provider? If so, your problem may have been caused by a recent update to your router.  This has been reported lately with equipment from Xfinity and Cox, but there may be others.   

Affected users report the router configuration needs to be switched from g/n wifi protocols back to b/g/n. 

If you don't have access to your router's control panel you may have to have your internet provider do it for you.

[renojim]

@MissaLynn84 , if you have Comcast/Xfinity or Cox as your ISP ensure your wireless mode is set to b/g/n and not g/n. For Comcast/Xfinity:

https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/change-wifi-mode-admin-tool-xfinity-xfi

[MissaLynn84]

My Fire stick drops WiFi regularly too. I’m currently on the phone with Xfinity & they say it’s a Roku problem, even though they have no idea why my new Fire Stick drops connection regularly.

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@makaiguy wrote:

@MissaLynn84-

Might your router be one supplied by your internet provider? If so, your problem may have been caused by a recent update to your router.  This has been reported lately with equipment from Xfinity and Cox, but there may be others.   

Affected users report the router configuration needs to be switched from g/n wifi protocols back to b/g/n. 

If you don't have access to your router's control panel you may have to have your internet provider do it for you.

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[MissaLynn84]

On the phone with Xfinity now, they claim it’s a Roku problem. But they can’t tell me why my brand new Fire Stick also drops WiFi regularly.

[AvsGunnar]

@MissaLynn84 

As both @makaiguy and @renojim have indicated, Xfinity released a firmware update to their routers that is mishandling the speed protocol in the "Mode" setting of their router.  Their smart routers are supposed to learn and decide which speed to operate devices after being connected so as to efficiently share the overall network.

There are problems being reported using different streaming devices, legacy b fitbit devices, and security cameras. (these all will use generally mode b/g connections on the 2.4ghz band).  The Roku device can operate on a network set up as b-only, g-only, and n-only.  They can also operate on a mixed network. (set up as g/n or b/g/n).  Currently, people have reported that their Xfinity routers set to g/n are losing the Roku connection.  The fix for this is to change the "Mode" setting to b/g/n and your Premiere will again likely connect.  After making the changes, restart both your router and your Roku.

As for the Firestick, same info as above applies if you are connecting to your 2.4ghz band.  If you are using same network name for both the 2.4ghz and your 5ghz bands, then possibility exists that when the Firestick is dropped from the 5ghz connection, it is trying to connect to the 2.4ghz connection and cannot because of this "Mode" setting issue.

Some have reported success using the Xfi app, and selecting "Forget devices" and then re-establishing connection.  This will force the router to attempt to forget old settings and establish a new connection and then restart the "learning procedure" of the firmware.  I personally would just change the mode to b/g/n mixed mode which will tell the router to connect and use all available protocol speeds.

[makaiguy]

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@MissaLynn84 wrote:

On the phone with Xfinity now, they claim it’s a Roku problem. But they can’t tell me why my brand new Fire Stick also drops WiFi regularly.

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There's you clue that you reached an agent that is unaware of the situation.  A Roku problem, if there were one, could not affect a Firestick.

This situation has existed long enough that the information should have permeated through the entire Comcast/Xfinity organization by now.