Wi-Fi & connectivity

[FlyData]

OK, thanks for the reply.  I am returning the extender since I essentially got if for the Roku stick on the TV.  Oh well, I'll consider other options.  Maybe someday Roku will fix it! 🙂

[bodywise007]

Thank you for this reply.  I see so many entries without any answers.  So I abandoned my Netgear extender and replaced it with the TP link extender.  Somehow that seemed to work.  Roku now connects to the Wi-Fi extender.  But it doesn't seem to be the TP link extender.  Puzzling.  Now I have a better and more reliable signal.

So ...  Roku needs to address this problem.

And to be honest I'm really tired of acronyms.   I'm still not entirely certain of the difference between an extender and a MESH Wi-Fi set up.

[PaulMedynski]

Here's a decent explanation of the difference:

https://www.howtogeek.com/714781/wi-fi-extender-vs.-mesh-network-whats-the-difference/

If you want to dig into the underlying network specification for mesh, you can start here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11s

The main takeaway is that a WiFi Extender pulls some tricks with the older IEEE 802.11 wifi protocols to allow multiple points for your devices to connect, whereas a WiFi Mesh setup uses the IEE 802.11s protocols specifically designed for multiple points of connection.

I suspect the Roku networking stack and the Netgear extenders have interpreted the older IEEE 802.11 specs differently and they just don't interoperate.

-Paul

[Uusancal]

I have a Roku TV model 32S327, a year or two old and yesterday I installed a Rock Space wifi extender.  The TV would not connect to the extended network.  I called Roku technical support and they had me do a hard reset on the TV by holding down the power button for 15 seconds with the TV unplugged.  When I powered back on it successfully connected to the 5G extended network!

I hope this may work for other Roku devices that are plagued by this problem.

[Terreacce]

@Uusancal Does the hard reset wipeout all apps you downloaded? i am considering purchasing the Rockspace wifi extender as i have 3 roku TVs in my house. 

[RokuDanny-R]

@Terreacce

Thanks for the post.

When you perform a factory reset on your Roku device, all channels and the account linked to the Roku device will be removed. Please be aware that the Roku channels are linked to your Roku account and not the Roku device itself.

Thanks,
Danny

[Rok-uUser123]

@renojim My wifi extender is a 2.4GHz extender. How and what do you mean by try different channels?

[Rok-uUser123]

@bodywise007 I also have a TP Link and it won't connect to my Roku unless I click the WPS button and when I do that it connects but the extender does give internet to any of the devices. Any tips you have?

[dsalling]

Mine will not connect to a TP Link RE450.  Like everyone else, all my other devices will connect to extender but not my TLC Roku TV.  It does prefer the weaker Wi-Fi signal for the main router in the far room.

[RokuDanny-R]

@dsalling

Thanks for the post.

If the Roku device is able to connect to the router but won't connect to a wifi extender, it's possible that there may be an issue with how your extender has been setup. Have you tried contacting your extender's manufacturer to see what insight they can provide?

Please keep us posted what you find out and we will be able to assist you further.

Thanks,
Danny