You open Roon on a phone, tablet, or computer and it can't reach your Roon Server. You may see "Uh oh, something's not right," a screen stuck on "Looking for your Roon Server," or a remote that connects sometimes and drops at other times. This article walks through the most common causes, starting with the quickest checks.

Before You Begin

Most connection problems come from one of three things: the devices aren't on the same network, the apps are on mismatched versions, or something needs a restart. Start with these quick checks.

1. Confirm your remote and your Roon Server are on the same network. On Wi-Fi, that means the same network name, not a separate guest network or a different band that's isolated from the rest.
2. Restart both ends: quit and reopen Roon Remote, and restart the device running Roon Server.
3. Confirm both are on the same Roon build. A remote and a server on different versions can fail to connect.

Roon doesn't require every device to match a specific build number, but the server and your remotes do need to be on the same version. If one updated and another didn't, update the one that's behind.

If those three don't resolve it, work through the causes below.

Your Devices Are on Different Networks

Roon Remote finds your server automatically only when both are on the same local network with matching settings. This is the most common cause on phones and tablets.

On a phone or tablet:

1. Open your device's Wi-Fi settings.
2. Confirm it's joined to the same network as your Roon Server, not a guest network.
3. If you use a mesh system or multiple access points, stay on a single network name and disable any "guest" or isolated network for this device.

On a computer running the remote, confirm it shares the same network as the server. To check the details:

Windows

1. Type "Network and Sharing Center" into the Start menu and open it.
2. Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
3. Click Details.
4. Note the IPv4 Address and Subnet Mask.

macOS

1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu, then click Network.
2. Click your connection type (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
3. Click Details.
4. Note the IP Address and Subnet Mask.

Both devices should share the same first three groups of the IP address (for example, 192.168.1.104 and 192.168.1.106) and the same subnet mask (commonly 255.255.255.0). If they don't match, move both onto the same network and try again.

On mesh networks (such as Orbi or eero) and setups with multiple access points, a remote can lose the server when it moves between nodes or bands. Keeping every Roon device on one network name, and turning off band-steering if it interferes, usually resolves this.

A Firewall Is Blocking the Connection

Roon should connect with your firewall on, but the firewall needs to allow it. On the computer running Roon Server, confirm both Roon.exe and RAATServer.exe are listed as exceptions. For step-by-step instructions, see Adding Roon as a Firewall Exception.

If they're already added and you still can't connect, temporarily turn the firewall off to test, on both the server and the computer running the remote, then restart Roon on both. Many anti-virus programs include their own firewall, so check there too.

Turning off your firewall is only for a brief test. Turn it back on as soon as you've finished, and add Roon as an exception instead of leaving the firewall off.

This step applies to computers. Phone and tablet remotes don't have a firewall to adjust, so if your remote is mobile, focus on the network checks above.

The Remote Can't Connect Even on the Server Itself

If Roon plays fine on the computer running Roon Server but a remote can't connect, including a remote running on that same computer, the problem is local rather than a network mismatch.

1. Restart the Roon Server device fully.
2. Confirm RAATServer is running by checking that Roon.exe and RAATServer.exe are both firewall exceptions (see the firewall step above).
3. If it persists, install a fresh copy of Roon from the downloads page on the affected device. This replaces the app without touching your library or settings.

The Problem Started After an Update

It's common for a remote to go looking for the server right after an update. In almost every case, the server and the remote are now on different builds.

1. Update every device, the server and all remotes, so they're on the same version.
2. Restart each device after updating.
3. Reopen Roon Remote and let it find the server again.

You Moved Roon Server to a New Computer

If you recently changed the computer or device running Roon Server, your remotes could still be looking for the old one. Follow Migrating Roon to a New Server to move your database and point your remotes at the new server.

If Nothing Works

If your remote still can't connect after confirming the network, checking the firewall, and matching versions, please get in touch with our Technical Support team here.

To help us help you quickly, include:

• The operating system and Roon build on your Roon Server.
• The device type, operating system, and Roon build on the remote that can't connect.
• Whether the devices are on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, and your router or mesh hardware.
• Whether other remotes can connect, and whether playback works on the server itself.