Contributor I

Answered

Unable to add Sonos Beam to Alexa Group

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
October 6, 2021
50 replies
3100 views

I am trying to add my Sonos Beam to an existing (or new) Alexa group, but it does not seem possible.

I'm following these steps:

On Alexa, go to devices
Select the Group
Tap Edit
Select the Sonos Beam
Tap "Save"

When I go back to that group, the Beam does not appear under group devices. If I try the above steps again, the Beam does not appear selected (part of the group).

This is only a minor inconvenience as it prevents me from using commands such as "Alexa, turn on lights". Instead, I need to be more specific such as "Alexa, turn on living room lights". However, it seems like a bug with the Sonos/Alexa integration and I wanted to bring this up.

Are others experiencing the same issue?

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Best answer by Ken_Griffiths

@GuitarSuperstar thanks! Then something is definitely broken in my setup. I've tried resetting everything and doing it again but the issue is still there sadly :(

Is this the new Beam (gen 2)? If so, it’s possibly the case that Amazon are yet to authorise the device for grouping or ‘enabling/controlling’ an Alexa group… there is usually a delay with new products.

Once the Beam (gen2) is Amazon authorised, you should then be able to add it to the first section of the group (assuming you have installed Alexa VA on the product) to control the devices in that group. Meanwhile you should still be able to add it to the speaker part (third section) of the Alexa group for playback purposes. I hope that assists.

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liarspokerAuthor

Contributor I

@AjTrek1 it works for me as well, but not with 100% functionality. Check the picture by @GuitarSuperstar where the Sonos is recognised as an Alexa enabled device. It's not the case for you or me

Ken_Griffiths

Yes that’s a different section of the Alexa Group - to get it to all work correctly it should be added to the first ‘enabling/controlling’ area of the group and that’s not currently authorised (same for the Sonos Roam too) - but the Beam (gen1) can be added to that part of the group to control all the devices in the group, including lights etc.

I assume the Beam (gen2) will get authorised at some point by Amazon, but just wish they would authorise it for the Roam too.

AjTrek1

@liarspoker

The last screenshot by @GuitarSuperstar looks exactly like the one I sent. What do you mean by “it works but not with 100% functionality?”

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

Ken_Griffiths

@liarspoker

The last screenshot by @GuitarSuperstar looks exactly like the one I sent. What do you mean by “it works but not with 100% functionality?”

I assume he means you do not have the Beam (gen 2) set as an ‘enabling’ device in the Alexa App. You just have it set as a ‘speaker’ - but Sonos products (their Alexa component) can be used to ‘enable’ or ‘control’ the devices in the group too, such as lights, smart-plugs that are held in the same group.

AjTrek1

@Ken_Griffiths

I’m a bit confused as to your talking point and granted I'm not the smartest in the community :sweat_smile:

However, the Beam 2 as I have it setup can control lights, speakers in other rooms and it will even turn on the TV in my Bedroom. I just say to the Beam...”Alexa, turn on a lamp or group (room lights) or TV or Play Smooth Jazz on Speakers (which are designated as a room).

What am I missing here?

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

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liarspokerAuthor

Contributor I

@AjTrek1 no problem! What you're missing is that both in your and my setup, there's no "Alexa" category in the room. Hence, you need to be specific with commands and say "Alexa, turn lights on in some room". If it did detect it as an Alexa device, you could say "Alexa, turn lights off" and it would apply to that specific room.

It's only a minor inconvenience, I know, but I found it very odd that it isn't working (seems like a bug).

AjTrek1

The specific command …turn off lights or turn on lights… in my setup applies to all lights in my home. I use the turn off lights command every night. I even use…Alexa, arm or disarm ADT.

So whatever other command is possible for a specific room doesn’t seem to affect my use of Alexa. I guess “ignorance is bliss.”

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

Ken_Griffiths

The specific command …turn off lights or turn on lights… in my setup applies to all lights on my home. I use the turn off lights command every night. I even use…Alexa, arm or disarm ADT.

So whatever other command is possible for a specific room doesn’t seem to affect my use of Alexa. I guess “ignorance is bliss.”

If you were able to install the Beam (gen 2) into the first controlling section of your ‘Ginger’ group and then said to the Beam ‘Alexa, turn on/off the lights’ it would just perform that action on the lights in that group only (lamp 3 in your case) - also if you had multiple Sonos speakers in the same physical room you can use Alexa groups to control the grouping/ungrouping of speakers ‘automatically’ within groups.

You can do these things with all Sonos devices that have the Alexa VA installed - each one can be used (one instance only) to ‘enable/control’ the Alexa group devices (without using room names)… it just isn’t possible (yet) to do this with the Beam (gen2) at the moment … er ..nor the Sonos Roam, but all other Sonos products work fine.

I suspect it’s a case that the Beam (gen2) is waiting for authorisation from Amazon, but it’s not really clear what’s going to happen with the Sonos Roam?

I’m thinking the Roam ‘perhaps’ might not get authorised by Amazon, as it is mainly a portable device and so ‘dynamic’ as far as ‘groups’ are concerned, but I have some things, I would have liked to have tried with those little speakers, had they have been authorised to enable/control a group. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this added Roam functionalitynot least because it is available with the (also)‘portable’ Sonos ‘Move’’.

I understand why Sonos/Amazon might not authorise things with the Roam, as I guess it could introduce ‘issues’ for those who don’t fully understand the Alexa group features and use their Roams when away from Home, whilst they are still controlling an Alexa group with devices installed in their home.

Anyhow that’s the difference between installing the Beam just as a speaker in an Alexa Group and it being used to actually ‘control/enable’ the Group - I hope that somewhat brief explanation assists with the understanding here.

AjTrek1

@Ken_Griffiths

Thanks for the explanation. Much appreciated!

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

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Loki Cat

Lyricist II

Just to add to this - I have the same behaviour as OP and Ken/others. Unable to add the Beam as a control device to a group (add as speaker is fine though).

I previously used a Gen 1 Beam and adding as a control device works.

Really hope Gen 2 is certified soon - is there any official comment from Sonos on this?

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