Connecting Roku, Fire Stick, or Chromecast to Wi-Fi

Steps to fix it

1. Plug the streaming device into a wall outlet, not the TV's USB portTV USB ports often don't supply enough power for a streaming stick to run its Wi-Fi radio reliably, especially during video playback.
2. Restart the streaming device and the routerUnplug both, wait 30 seconds, and power them back on — router first, then the streaming device.
3. Go into the device's network settings and select your Wi-Fi networkRoku: Settings > Network > Set Up Connection. Fire TV/Fire Stick: Settings > Network. Chromecast with Google TV (has its own remote): use the TV's own on-screen Settings — top right > Settings > Wi-Fi network > select your network. Older Chromecast (no remote, 3rd gen or older): use the Google Home app instead, since those don't have an on-screen settings menu of their own — tap the device tile, then Settings > Device information > Wi-Fi.
4. Double-check you're entering the password correctlyCase-sensitive, and easy to mistype on an on-screen remote keyboard — go slowly.
5. Move the device a few inches away from the TV itselfSome TVs and HDMI extenders create enough interference to weaken a nearby streaming stick's signal.
6. Check for a pending software updateRoku: Settings > System > System Update > Check Now. Fire TV/Fire Stick: Settings > My Fire TV (or Device & Software) > About > Check for Updates. Chromecast: updates install automatically, but you can confirm the current version in the Google Home app under the device's settings > Device information. Outdated firmware occasionally causes connection drops mid-stream.
7. Check if it's only disconnecting after standby — a well-documented issue, though the cause and fix differ by deviceIf the device only loses Wi-Fi after being idle or turned off for a while (not during active streaming), a power-saving setting is the likely cause. Roku: Settings > System > Power, and look for "Fast TV Start" or "Auto power savings" — turning power savings off (or Fast Start on, depending on the model) keeps the Wi-Fi radio from fully shutting down between uses. Fire TV/Fire Stick: Settings > Device & Software > Sleep, and try disabling or lengthening the sleep timer. This trades a small amount of power for a connection that stays alive. Chromecast: there's no equivalent setting to toggle — briefly "sleeping" after inactivity is normal and just takes a few seconds to wake, not a real disconnect. If it's actually rebooting every time (not just waking slowly), that almost always means the TV is cutting power to the USB port it's plugged into whenever the TV goes to standby. The fix: plug the Chromecast into a wall outlet using its included power adapter instead of the TV's USB port — that keeps it powered continuously regardless of what the TV itself is doing.
8. Factory reset the streaming device if nothing else worksRoku: Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset, or hold the physical reset pinhole button on the device itself for about 20 seconds. Fire TV/Fire Stick: Settings > My Fire TV > Reset to Factory Defaults. Chromecast: hold the button on the device for about 25 seconds until the light starts flashing, or reset it from the Google Home app under the device's settings > Factory reset. This clears every saved setting and forces a completely fresh setup, which resolves most persistent connection issues.
9. Consider upgrading an older streaming stick — or that your router is the real bottleneckStreaming devices more than a few years old often have noticeably weaker Wi-Fi antennas than current models — if buffering and drops persist after everything else, a newer device is a common, effective fix. But if every device on your network struggles, not just this one, the router itself is more likely the problem worth replacing.

Common questions