Device/Room name clashes

  • 5 October 2017
  • 9 replies
  • 4477 views

Userlevel 2
If your Echo devices are named the same as your Sonos devices then you won't be able to use the Sonos devices. For example I had a Doc called "Bedroom", and the app would not discover my Sonos speaker called "Bedroom". I think the Alexa App should provide some indication of this, or maybe a warning during discovery

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

9 replies

I experienced the same issue. I was forced to rename all my Alexa devices with Dot or Echo preceding their original names (ie. Bedroom became DotBedroom). Haven't had a lot of experience with it yet.
I'm having the same problem - I've renamed my bedroom echo dot to "Echo Dot 2" and it still seems to know it's in the bedroom so I can't use it to control the bedroom Sonos.
Try rediscovering devices, or disabling/enabling the Alexa skill.
I've tried both and it still plays on what is now called "Dot 2" when I ask "play Radio 1 in the bedroom". I've even tried renaming it Dining Room...
I suggest you submit a diagnostic, note the reference number, and either fill out the form here:

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/beta

or post the reference number on this forum.
It's probably an Alexa error rather than Sonos though, isn't it?
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
As I mentioned on some other topics I did a good bit of experimenting. First time I renamed all my Sonos devices as Sonos Roomname "LIke Sonos kitchen". #1 I didn't like it saying Sonos in front of them all in the app then and second I found Alexa would miss the room name a lot by having the long names for Sonos.

My dilemma then was renaming the Echo Dots around the house. We use them as intercoms between floors and to the kids rooms etc. so I wanted them to say the correct room name as well. I found what worked best was call each Echo Room then room name. Such as "Room Kitchen". Therefore when doing intercom I can say "Alexa drop in on Room Kitchen". It doesn't seem strange to say that way for intercom/calls etc. And I found that everything worked real well that way. I'm probably going to rename all my hue lights similarly. Such as "Lights Kitchen" As that sounds good as well "Alexa turn on Lights Kitchen".

So that's the way I've gone. Keeping Sonos as the default room name only and other devices adding the type in front. I have had a lot of luck this way.
Userlevel 2
In my case, renaming the Echo's was not enough. After renaming I had to power cycle the Echo in order for everything to work correctly. That seemed to do the trick.
Userlevel 2
Badge
Curiously I did the reverse and renamed the Sonos devices but with the name Sonos after - such as "Kitchen Sonos" or "Bedroom Sonos". It seemed natural language to say "Alexa, play Radiohead on the Kitchen Sonos". This works fine throughout my house, and enables me to avoid conflict with other Alexa-enabled devices such as the lights ("Alexa, turn on the Kitchen lights").