Use Roku Hotel & Dorm Connect While Traveling or at School

You can use your Roku streaming device when you're traveling or away at college with the Roku Hotel & Dorm Connect feature. Here's everything you need to know to set up your Roku away from home and enjoy your favorite streaming content.

Some content and channels may be restricted or limited, depending on where you're traveling.

Traveling With Roku Streaming Stick — Roku

Set Up Your Roku in a Hotel or Dorm

The Roku Hotel & Dorn Connect feature makes it possible to set up your Roku and connect it to Wi-Fi without signing in from a web browser. Here's how it works:

Plug the Roku stick or box into a power source.
Plug the Roku streaming device into the HDMI input on the TV you want to use.

Make sure to set the TV's input to HDMI.
When you power on the TV, you'll see the Roku Logo or home screen.
Press the Home button on the Roku remote.
Go to Settings > Network > Set Up Connection.
Select Wireless.
Choose the hotel or dorm's wireless network.
In the Network connection help box, select I am at a hotel or college dorm.
Go to the Wi-Fi Settings on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop and make sure it's connected to the same dorm or hotel wireless network you selected for the Roku.
Follow the on-screen instructions to authenticate your connection. On your device, select Connect to DIRECT-roku-[xxx-xxxxxx] and enter the designated password.
Using a browser on your smartphone or laptop, enter any additional required information, such as your name or room number.

If the network setup times out during the authentication process, select Try Again.
Once the Wi-Fi setup is authenticated, the Roku device returns to the Network menu. The network name should match the network name of your hotel or dorm, and the status should say Connected.

Connect Your Roku Using a Mobile Hotspot

If you can't connect your Roku using the Hotel & Dorm Connect feature, there's a workaround. Create a mobile hotspot with your smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and use it to connect your Roku to the internet.

Be aware of your data cap, as this method can be data-intensive. Make sure to connect your device to Wi-Fi.

Person Using Tablet With Wi-Fi — Westend61 / Getty Images

Connect the device to the hotel or dorm's Wi-Fi.
Set up a hotspot on your iOS device, Android device, Windows 10 computer, or Mac.
On the Roku device, go to Network > Setup Connection > Wireless, and find your mobile hotspot on the list of available networks.
Select the mobile hotspot and enter its password on the Roku.
Upon confirmation, you can access your Roku channels for viewing.

Before Traveling With Your Roku

Before you arrive, call ahead and confirm that your destination provides free Wi-Fi. Make sure it's OK to connect more than one device to the location's network, as you'll be using your laptop or mobile device as well as your Roku.

If you use a Roku streaming stick or box, make sure the provided TV has an available and accessible HDMI connection. Find out if the hotel or dorm imposes daily, weekly, or monthly data caps.

Finally, make sure to obtain the correct Wi-Fi network name and password.

If you have a 4K-enabled streaming stick or box connected to a TV that isn't 4K-enabled, you can't access the 4K versions of streaming content.