App connection to Sonos

  • 13 January 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 458 views

To all,

I’m not certain this is the right place to ask this, so please let me know if I should switch to another group. My problem is app connectivity.

I purchased 2 Play:1’s, which I set up in my living room as a stereo pair. I have a Linksys router and Netgear range extender because of the distance to the router.

When I first set it up, the speakers would cut out fairly often, and the app on my iPhone and on my iPad would lose its connection to Sonos even more often.

Because of that I purchased and installed a Boost in my router, connected my speakers to its network, and since then haven’t had any loss of signal with the speakers.

However, the problems with my iPhone and iPad are just as bad. Either it takes multiple attempts to change a radio station or open Spotify (with error messages each time), or I get the Sonos opening screen that says I need a wi-fi connection. I still have a strong signal from my network, and my other apps seem to work well on the home network.

I’m assuming that the problem with the Sonos apps may be my wi-fi network, but it makes it frustrating to use the Sonos system.

Is it possible to connect the apps directly to the Sonosnet network? If not, any suggestions to improve my connection to Sonos?

Thanks!

Rob

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4 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +20
It isn't possible to connect your apps via SonosNet, this is reserved for the transmission of Audio to the Sonos players. Can we just check a few things:

1/ When you installed the Boost, did you remove the Wi-Fi settings from the Sonos App>Settings>Advanced>Wifi Setup?
2. Is your Netgear Range extender configured to use the same SSID, Channel and Password?

If you install an App like wi-fi Connection Manager (This is an Android app that I use, not sure if is available on iOS), it should show if your standard Wi-Fi and the Extender signal is configured the same.
Thank you very much for the reply.

Regarding the Boost installation, I didn’t specifically remove the connection to my wi-fi network, but there aren’t any now, so that does seem to have been accomplished.

My Range Extender does have the same channel and password as the router. The SSID has “_EXT” appended. Both are using channel 1, and the Boost has been set to channel 6.

I started noticing some speaker drop out yesterday and today – not much, and far less than before installing the Boost, so I just switched it to channel 11.

But the apps on the iPhone and iPad are the same – they often take multiple attempts to change a station or source, but sometimes it happens immediately, and it isn’t predictable.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Rob
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
The SSID should be the same.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
It sounds like the regular wifi in your house really has some problems when it comes to the range extender (I always had trouble with range extenders too). I went to on of the newer wifi system (that really create mesh like Sonos) and have been very happy. I have the Netgear Orbi (with 1 satellite).

Just an FYI.

But then back to your problem - you can actually connect direct to Sonosnet. Just not with ios devices. If you had an android device the android device can actually connect direct to Sonosnet and thus benefit from its extended signal.

The Range Extender - I would use the same SSID but I would change the channel.

I would take channels 1, 6 and 11. Give Your main router one of those 3, your extender another of those 3 and Sonos the last of those 3.