If you are trying to access something on the Internet at the same time he is trying to stream Netflix, maybe your Internet speed isn't fast enough to do both at once. How fast is your connection and who provides it?

It's DSL from At&t and my son called before he bought the device for hubby, I don't know what the speed is, but he said we should upgrade but it costs more. We'll have to now decide if we want to deal with it, but now you have answered that question, it might have caused the problem. Thanks. Now on to all the other issues...later.

You could run a quick speed test at https://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

Then at least you'd have an idea.

Aside from the potential issue of not enough bandwidth, any problem you had was simply coincidental...

Try connecting the Roku device to the ethernet port of your router. All wireless devices compete for signal, especially streaming devices.

Also, how old is the router? That's something I would make sure to replace at least every 5 years.

Sounds to me like the first thing to suspect is a too-slow internet connection.

Routers in my experience don't fade away when the grim reaper comes, they break like a light bulb by immediately stopping to function.

I got the router last year. I think you are right, I don't have enough speed coming through the DSL. Hubby's been watching the Netflix in the room way across the house from the router, and nothing else has happened so it might have been a coincidence.