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Roku 3 effect on wireless

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setaylor

Occasional Visitor
I was going crazy, because I installed my new ROKU 3 at the same time I upgraded to Merlin's 26b build. My 5Ghz wireless went to shirt.

Turns out the new ROKU uses a WiFi-Direct interface to its new remote control, which (stupidly) utilizes and broadcasts on the same channel (2.4 or 5) that it receives on. Cannot be changed.

The result is that there will be interference, even on 5 GHz, causing other devices to either drop the signal intermittently or fail to connect, or halve their bandwidth.

Beware. Otherwise, the new ROKU3 is a substantial improvement. But it could cause problems with your wireless network, depending on proximity--but this little guy seems to cast far.

Sam
 
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I had thought about just running my Roku 3 wirelessly, but with only minimal hassle (had to pick up another Netgear GS105 Switch), it's now wired. What a great little box!
 
I was going crazy, because I installed my new ROKU 3 at the same time I upgraded to Merlin's 26b build. My 5Ghz wireless went to shirt.

Turns out the new ROKU uses a WiFi-Direct interface to its new remote control, which (stupidly) utilizes and broadcasts on the same channel (2.4 or 5) that it receives on. Cannot be changed.

The result is that there will be interference, even on 5 GHz, causing other devices to either drop the signal intermittently or fail to connect, or halve their bandwidth.

Beware. Otherwise, the new ROKU3 is a substantial improvement. But it could cause problems with your wireless network, depending on proximity--but this little guy seems to cast far.

Sam

What about it is a substantial improvement? I know it has a faster cpu, which makes really no difference to me, as far as I know. It also has a new interface, which my Roku 2 HD will get soon enough.

The streaming does seam spotty on my Roku though. That has been with multiple routers at different locations.
 
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Roku3 is noticeably faster at all levels--switching channels, bufferring/loading, etc. The new remote uses, as I posted, WiFi-direct (which I take to be an adhoc thing), so you can place your Roku inconspicuously, and the audio streams to a headphone jack in the remote. The range of the remote is huge--part of the problem.

If you wire it in with ethernet and turn off the wireless, you can trick the Roku into getting off your wifi signal by changing channels at the router. Since Roku is not using wifi from your router, it keeps its adhoc connection to the remote at the old channel.

However, if you ARE using wireless instead of ethernet, and you change channels, the Roku-remote will eventually match the change.

This is really a bad design flaw. I'm not sure why I posted in the Merlin forum other than that I use (and love) his firmware but was blaming the last update for my troubles when I should have blamed the coincidental new Roku.
 
I was going crazy, because I installed my new ROKU 3 at the same time I upgraded to Merlin's 26b build. My 5Ghz wireless went to shirt.

Turns out the new ROKU uses a WiFi-Direct interface to its new remote control, which (stupidly) utilizes and broadcasts on the same channel (2.4 or 5) that it receives on. Cannot be changed.

The result is that there will be interference, even on 5 GHz, causing other devices to either drop the signal intermittently or fail to connect, or halve their bandwidth.

Beware. Otherwise, the new ROKU3 is a substantial improvement. But it could cause problems with your wireless network, depending on proximity--but this little guy seems to cast far.

Sam

Thanks for posting this.
I own three Roku 3 units spread around my home.
I am finally opening my RT-AC66U this week (perhaps tonight but have an appointment after work and then family coming over) now that I ordered the USB-AC53 dual band 802.11ac wifi adapter.

That being said, in the meatime I have not noticed any issue at all with my Roku 3 in the bedroom, which is connecting to my network via current RT-N66U on the 5 GHz band.
(Will likely connect that Roku via ethernet soon regardless - just need to route the cable from the adjacent room via a closet - this way 2 of my Roku 3 units will be wired and the last one will be wired [in living room where i have no ethernet ports]).

My Roku 3 connectivity and speed have been fine and I have not had any drops at all while streaming movies.
I have the 5Ghz channel on my N66U set to Auto.

I'll report back after testing my AC66U tonight, time permitting.

The Roku's Wifi-Direct is supposed to have relatively short range.
Do you have the router close to the Roku? (Mine are in adjacent rooms - not far but that might be helping a bit).

The Roku 3's Wifi-Direct operates on 5 GHz only (not 2.4 GHz).
 
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I was going crazy, because I installed my new ROKU 3 at the same time I upgraded to Merlin's 26b build. My 5Ghz wireless went to shirt.

Turns out the new ROKU uses a WiFi-Direct interface to its new remote control, which (stupidly) utilizes and broadcasts on the same channel (2.4 or 5) that it receives on. Cannot be changed.

The result is that there will be interference, even on 5 GHz, causing other devices to either drop the signal intermittently or fail to connect, or halve their bandwidth.

Beware. Otherwise, the new ROKU3 is a substantial improvement. But it could cause problems with your wireless network, depending on proximity--but this little guy seems to cast far.

Sam

I recently moved my Roku from one room (hard wired) to another (connected via Wifi). I can confirm this. The Roku seems to follow around my 5G channel, and the best link score I can get (inSSIDer) is 83 and throughput is halved. It used to be a 100 score all the time. Haven't had dropped connections, but this is an irritating design flaw on the part of the Roku.

We live on estate sized lots (4 acres plus) so other Wifi connections aren't a problem (even when they do register on inSSIDer, I've moved away from them, channel-wise).

Edit: tried changing the Roku to use the 2.4ghz band and it has the same behavior. Since the 2.4ghz band is the most "important" band throughout my house, I put it back on the 5ghz band.
 
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I recently moved my Roku from one room (hard wired) to another (connected via Wifi). I can confirm this. The Roku seems to follow around my 5G channel, and the best link score I can get (inSSIDer) is 83 and throughput is halved. It used to be a 100 score all the time. Haven't had dropped connections, but this is an irritating design flaw on the part of the Roku.

Thanks! That information solved my 5 GHz connection problem with my RT-AC68U. My Roku 3 is maybe 5 ft from my router and 4 ft from my laptop and using 5 GHz with the same control channel. I had noticed in inSSIDer that my link score was only 83 too. My laptop link speed would bounce from 866 Mbs to as low as 6 Mbs using AC. I connected the Roku with Ethernet and the laptop AC connection is now stable again with a link score of 100.

Thank you!
Dave
 

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