Wi-Fi & connectivity

Having Roku connectivity problems? Get the help and troubleshooting tips you need for Roku wireless connection issues, ethernet connections, and more.
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Dwinchenbach19
Channel Surfer

Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps

So I upgraded my internet from 100mbps to 400mbps (speed test actually measures 475mbps) and even since I upgraded my internet speed the roku has gotten stupid slow. Prime won’t play through anything at all and Netflix and roku itself takes forever to the titles. Since the biggest issue is with prime I uninstalled it and now it’s saying it doesn’t have the download speed to even install the app. 

22 REPLIES 22
makaiguy
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps

Perhaps you just need to re-establish your Roku's network connection.  Here's what has worked for me.

  • Restart your router (even if other devices have no problem finding and connecting). Sometimes that's all it takes, if not keep going.
  • Restart the Roku to clear its memory via Settings > System > System restart (for a Roku TV it's Settings > System > Power > System restart). Again sometimes that's all it takes, if not keep going.
  • Find and connect to your network via Settings> Network > Set up connection

If that doesn't fix it, try disconnecting the power to your Roku for a few seconds.  When it comes back up, see if you then can set up the network connection.

As to your 400 mbps download speeds, Rokus are not equipped to handle speeds anywhere near that, as they are not needed for streaming commercial video.  10-15 is sufficient for any HD stream you're likely to encounter from an online streaming source.  4K may require 25 or so.  The more headroom you have over this allows you to stream or download more things at once before you start to tax the system.

Roku Community Streaming Expert
I am not a Roku employee, only a user like you.  Please, no support questions via private message -- post them publicly to the Community where others may benefit as well.
If this post solves your problem please help others find this answer by clicking "Accept as Solution.".

Ultra 4800 | Streaming Stick 4K+ 3821 | TCL Roku TV 43S245/C107X
Dwinchenbach19
Channel Surfer

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps


@makaiguy wrote:

Perhaps you just need to re-establish your Roku's network connection.  Here's what has worked for me.

  • Restart your router (even if other devices have no problem finding and connecting). Sometimes that's all it takes, if not keep going.
  • Restart the Roku to clear its memory via Settings > System > System restart (for a Roku TV it's Settings > System > Power > System restart). Again sometimes that's all it takes, if not keep going.
  • Find and connect to your network via Settings> Network > Set up connection

If that doesn't fix it, try disconnecting the power to your Roku for a few seconds.  When it comes back up, see if you then can set up the network connection.

As to your 400 mbps download speeds, Rokus are not equipped to handle speeds anywhere near that, as they are not needed for streaming commercial video.  10-15 is sufficient for any HD stream you're likely to encounter from an online streaming source.  4K may require 25 or so.  The more headroom you have over this allows you to stream or download more things at once before you start to tax the system.


I did everything last night. Reset everything I even did a factory reset and when I tried downloading all my channels they would get between 20-50% in a matter of a second or 2 then it would drop connection. Literally dropping the connection whenever it’s actively downloading or streaming. After that I would let it idle for  5 minutes or so and it would say everything is excellent then same thing. 

dathead2
Roku Guru

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps

You didn’t say but are you wired or wireless. Shouldn’t matter though I have 100mb over wireless and 4k is amazingly flawless. 

see what fruit this bears if wifi:

Press Home five times, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up. This code will bring up a secret Wi-Fi menu to see things like signal strength.

 

 

 

Roku Ultra 4660X
software-version 11.0.0
software-build 4193
Roku Media Player 5.5.13
Dwinchenbach19
Channel Surfer

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps


@dathead2 wrote:

You didn’t say but are you wired or wireless. Shouldn’t matter though I have 100mb over wireless and 4k is amazingly flawless. 

see what fruit this bears if wifi:

Press Home five times, Up, Down, Up, Down, Up. This code will bring up a secret Wi-Fi menu to see things like signal strength.

 

So since I’ve changed my internet over to 400 it’s been back and forth not working (not able to stream without loading every 1-3 minutes) then some days working. It wasn’t until last night I tried resetting everything and it seemed like it was pooched because I couldn’t get it to even download a channel so I went to sleep. Right now it seems to be working and I got all my channels downloaded. But like I said it’s been acting like this for a while and it seemed to start the same time my internet was upgraded. I’m wondering if the internet isn’t too fast for the thing and it’s making it have a brain fart. I don’t even know if that’s a thing that happens. I don’t know how the signal strength isn’t even 50% because the router is only 20’ away, my phone (with an aluminum case which I have found reduces signal) reads my WiFi up to 50 yards away, through the exterior walls and everything  015DC7D6-4265-4EAD-8C21-F73056563D3C.jpeg

 


 

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dathead2
Roku Guru

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps

You could run a ether cable and see how that behaves.  I’ve never heard of 400mb (guess is just watered down gigE) but as other guy said you barely need 25mbps to get good quality. 

also does this 400mb setup show you multiple networks (like 2.4 and 5GHz) maybe choose a lesser one cuz your choking out theory is something that I thought of too 

Roku Ultra 4660X
software-version 11.0.0
software-build 4193
Roku Media Player 5.5.13
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Dwinchenbach19
Channel Surfer

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps

the roku I have is the express? I’ve had it a year. No hard connection available. My router doesn’t give me an option of 5G or 2.4. My router before I upgraded did and the roku wouldn’t “read” the 5G side of that router. Wouldn’t show up in the list of networks, only the 2.4 or regular would. And I have spectrum. 400mbps is their second highest internet. Their highest is 600mbps for residential and 900mbps for business. I switched internet speeds because I got sick of waiting 4-8 hours for a game to download on my Xbox with 100mbps. I got game pass so I’m always deleting and downloading. Works great for that lol games download in an hour or less but I didn’t think it would mess up my roku. I don’t have cable so this is my only thing for my bedroom tv. 

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Dwinchenbach19
Channel Surfer

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps

509D5EBD-9989-4EC5-BDA6-AF7BC98A5760.jpeg

And actually as I wrote that last reply it started doing this and I haven’t touched it since I opened that screen. 

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HelpfulDad
Binge Watcher

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps

Let me make this Crystal Clear to anyone focusing on trying finding something wrong with our installations of these PsOS.  Until Roku puts better network hardware or firmware in these PsOS, there isn’t anything a hapless owner can do to fix it.

No matter what we do with a box that was your flagship when I bought it 16 months ago, it’s performance is unacceptable.  Since Roku support have opted NOT TO READ THE POSTS, I’ll paste my detailed description of troubleshooting down to the conclusion that the Roku is a defective design.  And, before someone suggests moving it closer than 10 ft to the Wifi access point, that is not an acceptable solution for anyone, particularly when a PC, iPhone, and AppleTV get exemplary performance when tested in the same location as the Roku POS AND a wired connection to the Roku changes nothing.  What’s your next unaccountable advice? It’s like Ford telling me to move closer to work since their defective car will only go 5 mph and I’m 15 miles from work.  Take the time to read what we’re telling you or we’ll all get AppleTV, fire sticks or...

Most of the time it takes more than 3 attempts to load UHD content in AppleTV+ app, Disney+ still won’t play UHD at all, sometimes Vudu can’t load content, and Netflix plays UHD content in HD, and takes a while to get to UHD. I have 940 Mbps Internet and connect my Roku with a 12’ 1Gb cable.  When I replace the Roku with an AppleTV on that cable and run Ookla Speedtest, I get between 850-940 Mbps.  Even a wireless link on AppleTV or my iphone yields >=300 Mbps with Speedtest.  Yet, with my Roku, the best quality I can get is “Good”, 91 Mbps with 71 Mbs typical.  I ran this cable because when I connect at 5 Ghz using wireless, I was getting an “Excellent” wireless connection, but couldn’t get more than 71Mbs, “Good” Internet Connection and had all these issues.  Even with this cable, the Roku can’t make a stable, high quality link. To give Roku every advantage, I powered down every node on my network except the router and modem, just in case bandwidth was being used by one of them and still the same issues and not “Excellent” Internet.  

ROKU IS THE PROBLEM ROKU IS THE OROBLEM ROKU IS THE PROBLEM 

Instead of trying to be as cheap as you possibly can be with the largest margin you can eke out of this product, put some quality hardware and firmware in at least you flagship so that it isn’t such a POS.  

I understand some people don’t have these issues and maybe that’s because they share their wireless channels with nobody because they’re on a farm or they live in a community of old fogies so the regional bandwidth utilization is low, or in a major city where there’s so much bandwidth there’s few traffic management issues.  But all of us here in the real world like apartment buildings with 20 SSIDs showing up as available or where there’s a reasonably large volume of traffic we need our streaming device to negotiate and navigate it effectively as ALL OTHER DEVICES SEEM TO DO EXCEPT SOME OLD 802.11 b HARDWARE.  A Roku is like an Amish buggy trying to get on an on-ramp to the San Diego Freeway.  You don’t need a sports car, but you do need a car.

You’ve been getting away with it with HD content, but 4K/UHD is making the traffic thicker and you need to address it.

FIX IT OR WE’RE GONE.  

Re: Poor download speed but my internet is 400mbps

My roku goes up to 12.0 down to 0.3 what's the best setting? Press the house button 5x then rewind button 3x then fast forward 2x the settings will come up just don't know which one to pick I'm computer illiterate pretty much

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