If you’re wishing to upgrade your current TV but you aren’t willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on buying a new one, then you’re left with only a handful of options. Roku streaming device is a perfect tool to upgrade your TV and make your life easier. Although available in a bunch of different options, Roku provides you with access to a range of channels and streaming services with the help of the internet and a simple connection to your TV using an HDMI port.
The information below will help you to understand how Roku works and how you might be able to use it without a WiFi network or without the internet.
How Roku works
To use Roku TV or a Roku player, you need an active internet connection to be able to watch TV shows and movies on your TV. It is unnecessary to connect an external device if you are an owner of a Roku TV to start streaming whereas Roku streaming devices, need to be connected to your TV’s HDMI port to start streaming content.
Once set up, Roku allows you to access paid and free content through apps through WiFi or ethernet, although the external storage devices can be also plugged in to play movies and shows. Streamed or relevant content will be shown up on your home screen as rectangular boxes which are instead called Roku channels. These channels behave in a similar way to that of apps on your smartphone and for them to work, you need to have an active internet connection.
Why you need Internet to use Roku
Like with any device or app that you may use on your smartphone, the Internet is also required for Roku channels to let users be able to stream content from different services. Even if you plan to consume your content using your phone or through external storage, Roku needs you to connect it to the internet for its initial setup where signing up is included into a Roku account and updating the device firmware.
After the connection to a WiFi network, you will be able to browse through different TV shows and movies that are available through Roku’s different channels.
How to use Roku without WiFi
Although Roku’s core functionality is to use your internet connection to show movies and TV shows, it can be used with or without the internet. It depends on how you want to consume content.
Use an Ethernet port
By now, you may know that if you want to use Roku with its all features, it should be connected to the internet through a wireless or wired connection. If you own a Roku TV or a Roku Ultra streaming device and your router doesn’t support WiFi, your Roku device may be connected to the internet using the built-in ethernet port.
The Ethernet cable may be connected from your router to the back of your Roku Ultra or Roku TV. After the connection has been completed, you can proceed to configure your wired connection by turning ON the Roku device, heading over to Settings > Network > Wired, and following the on-screen instructions.
Use screen mirroring with an internet-less router
If an internet connection isn’t available anymore but you have a wireless router at your house, it can be used to mirror the contents of your screen to your Roku device. You can do so by connecting both your smartphone and Roku to the same WiFi router and then enabling screen mirroring on Roku.
It is unnecessary that Roku will be connected to the internet, you can keep your phone connected (via Mobile internet) to stream content. To enable screen mirroring:
Step 1: Choose the Settings tab on your Roku home screen, tap on System, and then on Screen mirroring.
Step 2: Now on your Android device, click on the native screen mirroring service that’s built-in to your phone. Pixel phones come with a Cast feature while Samsung phones are built with Samsung SmartView functionality. You can simply search for your native mirroring tool inside Settings; if not, visit Google and search for “screen mirroring <with your phone’s brand>”.
Step 3: Choose the Roku device from your screen mirroring tool.
Step 4: Accept the request on Roku when it will be prompted.
Step 5: When asked if you want to use RokuCast without the internet, tap on proceed anyway’.
When screen mirroring will be approved from your smartphone, you will be able to see the contents of your screen on the TV.
This way, even if you don’t have an internet connection on your TV, you will be streaming movies and TV shows on Roku. You can use your smartphone’s mobile data to watch the content you want.
