My sister just moved into an ALF that has WiFi but I don’t know how strong the signal is.  Does anyone have any experience with this application?

Brookeott wrote:

My sister just moved into an ALF that has WiFi but I don’t know how strong the signal is.  Does anyone have any experience with this application?

Wireless is wireless. If the signal is sufficient, you can use a Roku anywhere. If the wireless uses an authentication page, like a hotel, then you have to use the hotel/dorm connect function in the Roku, and that might be too much effort for someone elderly or with limited mobility issues. If the wireless is simply password protected, then there shouldn't be an issue once you've made the initial connection.
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The more important question is, does the facility have a fast enough Internet service to support streaming from multiple devices? Depending on usage by other residents, there might be bandwidth issues for streaming.

Thanks for your reply.  The signal strength is my concern and I’ll check with them when they answer phones tomorrow.  Based on what I’ve seen of the residents, I doubt many of them would be streaming, but that also remains to be seen.

one thing to consider especially if they are using a communal tv for the roku, are payments/purchases. not meant to sound negative at all but make it 'child proof' so someone else can't accidentally or otherwise buy or rent something on your family member's account. or if another resident or a sticky fingered employee happens to walk off with it. even in private rooms things often go missing, lost, stolen. that's why many people will go so far as to label, engrave items just in case,..

i do wish you the best on this transition for your family. it can be a difficult decision to come to for all involved.

Mikenz wrote:

one thing to consider especially if they are using a communal tv for the roku, are payments/purchases. not meant to sound negative at all but make it 'child proof' so someone else can't accidentally or otherwise buy or rent something on your family member's account. or if another resident or a sticky fingered employee happens to walk off with it. even in private rooms things often go missing, lost, stolen. that's why many people will go so far as to label, engrave items just in case,..

i do wish you the best on this transition for your family. it can be a difficult decision to come to for all involved.

What Mikenz said. Be sure to add a PIN to the account. You might want to select "Always require a PIN to make purchases and to add items from the Channel Store." You can add apps remotely, if you like, if you control the account.

Oh, and set up a separate account for that device, in case you have your own Roku already. If multiple Roku devices are on the same account, adding for removing channels/apps to one will impact all on the account.

After I connect my father's Roku to the free WiFi in his ALF through the Dorm/Hotel method, it connects for a while, but after an undetermined period (several hours / overnight/etc.) it loses its connectivity and has to be reconnected. He is incapable of performing this himself and thus cannot watch any of the steaming apps we provide him. Is it the Roku settings? The ALF wi-fi settings? I am about to get him his own internet/wifi. Help!  Thanks

SAMcClure1959 wrote:

After I connect my father's Roku to the free WiFi in his ALF through the Dorm/Hotel method, it connects for a while, but after an undetermined period (several hours / overnight/etc.) it loses its connectivity and has to be reconnected. He is incapable of performing this himself and thus cannot watch any of the steaming apps we provide him. Is it the Roku settings? The ALF wi-fi settings? I am about to get him his own internet/wifi. Help!  Thanks

I find Roku dependable in staying connected. I suspect the WiFi provided by the facility isn't designed for permanent connectivity, and it's kicking the device off. Now, Roku should be remembering the password of the network, so if your family member is able to navigate to the network setting, it's a matter of clicking on the network, and the Roku should connect. If it's not remembering the password, then yeah, there's a problem with the Roku.

DBDukes wrote:

SAMcClure1959 wrote:

After I connect my father's Roku to the free WiFi in his ALF through the Dorm/Hotel method, it connects for a while, but after an undetermined period (several hours / overnight/etc.) it loses its connectivity and has to be reconnected. He is incapable of performing this himself and thus cannot watch any of the steaming apps we provide him. Is it the Roku settings? The ALF wi-fi settings? I am about to get him his own internet/wifi. Help!  Thanks

I find Roku dependable in staying connected. I suspect the WiFi provided by the facility isn't designed for permanent connectivity, and it's kicking the device off. Now, Roku should be remembering the password of the network, so if your family member is able to navigate to the network setting, it's a matter of clicking on the network, and the Roku should connect. If it's not remembering the password, then yeah, there's a problem with the Roku.

Yep, that was going to be my suggestion. Most hotels do the same thing. Hilton bumps you off after 24 hours. Marriott allows you to select how long you're staying, up to 30 days, so that helps big time. When I was in Virginia long term a year ago, it was nice to only have to authenticate once a month. My guess is unless the ALF has some sort of procedure that you can get the MAC address permanently authorized, there's likely no other way to keep it connected to their system. His own Internet might be the only solution.