Fix your Roku’s slow connection with these four IP tricks

• Go into the Roku itself with your remote
• The Roku app helps you get this info too
• Find it with your serial number
• Go into your router for the info

A Roku TV or streaming device is one of the more reliable options for streaming your favorite movies and shows. But, as with any piece of tech, there are varying factors that go into just how reliable your Roku can be. It obviously relies on other pieces of tech to perform at its highest. If you have a Roku streaming device, you have to have a TV that’s working properly to get the most out of it. The sound needs to be correct in order to enjoy the Roku as does the audio.

Arguably, the most important factor regarding whether you’re getting the most out of your Roku is how good your Wi-Fi is. If you find that your Roku is running slowly, it could very well be something going on with your network. That’s why it’s important to know your Roku’s IP address. Here are five ways to find out what it is and how it could affect your viewing experience.

Go into the Roku itself with your remote

Take a trip to Roku City

The easiest way to get your IP address is through your Roku itself. You can access it from the Roku TV operating system. This requires going to Settings and clicking on the Network menu. In Network, you’ll see About at the top. The IP address is the fifth piece of information located in the About section.

Having your IP address and all of your network information gives you everything you need to check how the Roku is running. If the signal strength is anything below excellent, you know that the strength of your Wi-Fi could be the issue. Roku is constantly checking your connection to make sure that it is strong. If you don’t have a good connection, you can go to the options below About, which are Check connection and Set up connection to change your connection choice. Knowing the IP address comes in clutch if you want to use your Roku device with a VPN, so you should jot it down.

The Roku app helps you get this info too

Some people hate using their remote

If you’ve set up the Roku app with your Roku devices, then it will display all the ones that are on the same network that you’re currently using in the Devices menu. As long as the network is the same, multiple will populate in the app at the same time. The IP address of those Rokus will be different, helping you know which one is which if you don’t have them nicknamed differently. I made the dumb mistake of forgetting which one of my Rokus is which, as the locations changed that I had previously set up when I moved. So the IP address was important for me to see so I could then label them properly again.

If you want to use a different approach for your non-Roku remote ways, you can install a Chrome extension to gain remote control of Roku. Something like Remote Control for TV will let you connect to your Roku and let you control it from your computer. However, this actually requires you to input the IP address in order to connect it, so it doesn’t automatically find the IP address for you. It’s a reverse scenario for the goal of finding the IP address, but it does help you if you want to control your TV from a different method.

Find it with your serial number

This is right on the device

If you have a Roku streaming device, you can find the serial number on the back of it. I have a Roku Streaming Stick and the serial number is printed on the back of the device. By having the serial number, you can then use that to communicate with a customer service agent regarding why your Roku device might be running slowly. This can either be through your Internet service provider or with Roku customer service.

They will take the serial number and look up the IP address that it is used with. This will help the person on the other end of the phone help you diagnose the issue with your TV. They can give you what you need to know next as you search for answers. This isn’t the first step that you should try, but it is a straightforward one that is helpful in times of need.

Go into your router for the info

You’ll see a bunch of IP addresses

You need to know your router’s username and password that’s associated with the Internet account.

Your router isn’t just the box that sits in your home that you may have to reset once in a while if the Internet isn’t working. It can be searched if you need to find specific information about the devices that are connected to your home network. Being the owner of your router, or even the renter of your router, you have access to log in and see what’s going on on your network.

This is especially important to know when you want to test out your network’s connectivity and strength. The IP address for your router is on the side of it. If you copy that down and type it into a web browser, it will bring up a login for your username and password. Once you’ve typed that in, you can see the traffic and what IP addresses are connected to the router. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, each IP address is labeled with the name of the product. This includes TVs, computers, and more. Your Roku might be listed that way, making it easier to spot. If it isn’t, you can opt to look up the MAC address, which is available to search online to bring up what kind of device it is. This isn’t the easiest method, especially if you have multiple Roku devices in your home. But it is ultimately a simple enough way to go about it that it doesn’t cause too much hassle. The biggest issue may be knowing your router’s username and password for your ISP account.