Roku is a go-to device when people think of streaming content on their TV. You can watch unlimited videos on Netflix, YouTube, and other channels over the internet with Roku.
If you’re facing connectivity issues, the message “Roku Can’t Connect to the Internet” may pop up on your TV screen. You can quickly troubleshoot this issue with a quick fix discussed below.
Roku Error Code 016—Quick Fix
If your Roku can’t connect to the internet, you need to restart your router. If that doesn’t work, try connecting to another WiFi network. To do that, press the Home button on your TV remote and go to Settings > Setup a New Connection > Wireless. Select the WiFi network and type the password.
Why Won’t My Roku Stay Connected to the Internet?
If you’re having trouble connecting your Roku to the internet, it could be due to the following reasons.
1. Internet Connectivity Issue
Roku needs a stable internet connection to access its servers. So, if your internet starts facing connection issues or becomes unstable, you will notice the error code 016 on your TV screen.
Moreover, you need to ensure your internet plan has enough bandwidth to stream content at any quality; otherwise, you may face buffering issues.
2. Channel Support Issue
If you get this error while streaming a channel that doesn’t even need the internet, there may be an issue with the Roku channel support. Roku released an update for its programming language a while ago, making it hard for a few channels to support your device.
As a result, some are not listed as supported channels on your Roku device. Roku will completely shut down those channels to avoid further inconvenience in the future. Until then, this could trigger the error code 016 on your Roku device.
3. DNS Cache Errors
A corrupt DNS cache can sometimes cause this error to pop up on your TV screen. The DNS cache saves essential information about your router configurations. The issue is that over time they become corrupt, which could lead to this error.
Related Reading: Roku Low Power or Insufficient Power (Try This Fix!)
How to Fix Roku Error Code 016?
Here’s a list of hacks you can use to fix Roku error code 016:
1. Soft Reset Your Roku Device
If your Roku can’t connect to the internet, you should first reboot your device.
To do that, press the Home button on your TV remote and go to Settings. Scroll down to “System“and click on the “Power“option. Then turn it off.
Then, unplug your Roku device from its power source (the same goes for your modem and router) and wait 20 minutes.
Once the time is up, plug all devices back in to see if that resolves the error.
2. Connect to a New Network
Sometimes, there might be a problem with your current network SSID and password, which causes the error to appear. So, it’s recommended to set up a new connection for your Roku device. Here’s how:
- Hit the Home button on your TV remote.
- Go to Network and click on “Setup New Connection.”
- Select Wireless.
- Highlight the WiFi network you want to connect to and type in the password.
Let your Roku device establish a stable connection with the new network. Once connected, see if the issue persists.
3. Turn On Network Pings
If setting up a new network doesn’t do the trick, the next thing you should do is turn on network ping on your Roku device. Due to reachability issues, your device may fail to scan for and connect to a WiFi network.
By enabling this, you can improve the internet reachability of your device and avoid any buffering or delays while using Roku. Here’s how.
- Go to the home screen and hit the Home button on your TV remote five times.
- Now, press the following buttons: Fast-forward > Play > Rewind > Play > Fast-forward until a pop-up window appears.
- Choose System Operation Menu.
- Click on Enable Network Ping.
Viola! This should slightly improve the internet reachability of your Roku device. After that, check if the connectivity issue persists.
4. Test Your Internet Speed
Another thing that can trigger “Roku error code 016” is slow internet speed. To stream content on your Roku device, you need a stable and fast internet connection. To test your internet speed, do the following:
- Open Settings using your TV remote.
- Navigate to Network and click on “Network Connection.”
Here, you can check the speed of your internet and the strength of your home network.
5. Contact Roku Support
If nothing has worked, you should contact Roku’s customer support for further assistance. They may have additional troubleshooting methods to resolve the connectivity issue on your Roku device.
Related Reading: Roku AirPlay Not Working (Try This Fix FIRST!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Can’t My Roku Establish an Internet Connection?
If you’re having trouble connecting to the internet, reboot your router. If that doesn’t work, reset your router and move it closer to your Roku device. This helps improve the wireless signal’s strength and allows your Roku device to establish a strong connection.
What Causes the Roku to Not Connect and How to Fix It?
If your Roku can’t connect to the internet, this could be due to an unstable internet connection, corrupted DNS caches, or unsupported channels. To resolve this issue, you need to power cycle your router or connect to another WiFi network to see if that fixes the problem.
The Bottom Line
The Roku error code 016 is often caused by a poor internet connection. This issue can keep you from online streaming TV shows, movies, etc. To prevent this error on your device, make sure you perform the following fixes.
- Soft reset your device
- Set up a new connection
- Turn on network pings
- Test your internet speed
- Contact support
Make sure you enter the correct WiFi password when using a new connection. We hope this guide has helped you resolve the connectivity issue on your Roku device. Don’t forget to share your experience and doubts in the comments below!