How to connect a Roku to a phone hotspot
No home Wi-Fi? A phone's personal hotspot can get a Roku online for travel or a dorm. Keep an eye on data — streaming uses a lot.
Connect step by step
- On your phone, turn on Personal Hotspot and note its network name and password.
- On the Roku, go to Settings › Network › Set up connection › Wireless.
- Pick your phone's hotspot from the list and enter the password.
- Once connected, put a second device (or the same phone) on that hotspot to run the Roly app as your remote.
A useful trick for a new location
If a Roku was set up on a home network, naming your hotspot with the same network name and password can let it reconnect automatically without re-entering anything.
FAQ
- Does streaming on a hotspot use a lot of data?
- Yes — HD video can use several GB per hour. Lower the streaming quality in each app and watch your plan's data limit when using a hotspot.
Control your Roku from your phone
Roly is an ad-free Roku remote, free to download, with private listening and voice control.
Download on the App StoreRelated guides
- Roku won't connect to Wi-Fi? How to fix it
- How to use your phone as a Roku remote
- How to connect Roly to your Roku TV
- How to find your Roku's IP address
- How to manually add a Roku TV in Roly
- How to pair a Roku remote
- How to set up a new Roku TV
- How to connect Bluetooth headphones to a Roku
- How to find your Roku model number
- How to connect a Roku TV to a soundbar