Ok, I'm thrilled with the Roku 3 at home, it does everything I want.

New situation:

While away in the RV I'd like to have the ability to watch media stored on my laptop so I thought of Roku 3 right away. Now I should be able to play the media directly from the USB port on the Roku to the tv via HDMI but....is it possible to play the media directly from my laptop via the Plex server? Can I do this without access to a wifi connection at an RV park etc.....can I go 'direct/wireless' from the laptop to the Roku with Plex?

I've googled this however haven't been able to find the exact situation.....

Thanks....Ron

Why use the Roku at all? Just connect the laptop to the TV and use the Plex home theatre app to play media. Works great.

Why not indeed....just ordered a HDMI switch box so I can 'easily' plug my laptop into the one HDMI connection left on the TV. In the RV the back of the TV is not readily accessible so the switch box will help a lot plus it's dirt cheap.

Thanks...

If you have a WiFi router that's all you need for the Plex server to your Roku

Thanks....I was just curious if there was a way the laptop/plex could connect to the Roku without a router, directly via bluetooth etc.

That's a good suggestion I never thought of. You don't need internet, you just need wifi.

Not sure if the Roku supports doing an ad-hoc network...

SOME laptops, support making themselves into a 'wireless router' so to speak, setting up as SSID, etc.. which then the Roku could connect to. But that's if your laptop has it or supports it.

An ethernet cable would suffice.

As long as the roku has Ethernet.. that's actually a really good idea

Just have to make sure the two devices IP addresses are set within the same range.

(I keep an old wireless G router around, for cases like this, when I need to make a little point to point network, even with no internet access)