F.A.Q.

BT Smart Hub 2 - Connection Issues (April 2021)

BT Smart Hub 2 - Connection Issues (April 2021)
James L.
Badge +17

Update - 11th June 2021:

BT have confirmed that the firmware update that contains a fix for this original issue has been rolled out to the majority of users. Therefore, we can consider this issue closed. 

If your BT Smart Hub 2 router is still running the affected firmware (V0.26.03.01286) then please get in touch with BT directly.

Anyone that still experiences issues on the latest firmware, please create a new topic or get in touch with Sonos Customer Care.

Update - 7th May 2021:

BT have issued a new statement:

“We’re aware that a very small number of customers are experiencing an issue with their BT Smart Hub 2 connecting with multiple streaming devices on their Wi-Fi network. Any customer who experiences this should get in touch with BT who will update their device remotely as soon as possible. BT will be rolling out an update to all devices later this month. We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused.”

 

Original post - 22nd April 2021:

Hey everyone,

 

We’re aware of an issue affecting Sonos users with BT Smart Hub 2 routers that causes problems with connecting to players in a wireless configuration. This is caused by a bug in the BT Smart Hub 2’s firmware (version V0.26.03.01286) which prevents devices on the 5GHz band from communicating with devices on the 2.4GHz band, and vice versa. Most of the affected users have iPhones running iOS version 14.4.2, but we have seen other types of controller, such as Android devices, affected by this issue as well.

 

The most consistent workaround we have discovered is to disable the 5GHz band on the BT Smart Hub 2. You can learn more about how to do this using these steps:

Please be aware, turning off 5GHz could affect the speed at which other devices connect through the network and should only be considered a temporary workaround.

 

Steps taken from a post on the BT Community.

 

1) Open a new web browser on a device connected to your Hub and type 192.168.1.254 in the address bar. This will open the Hub Manager.

​

 

 

2) Click Wireless. This will open the Wireless Settings page.

 

3) Select ‘Change settings’

​

 

4) Enter the Admin password. This is found on the back of the router and on the removable card. Click ‘OK’

​

 

5) Toggle 5GHz OFF

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6) Click 'Save'

​

 

7) Click 'Yes' at the warning prompt.

8) Wait for your devices to reconnect. You may need to reboot your Sonos devices by powering them down for 30 seconds and powering them back up.

​

 

Alternatively, some users have been able to work around the issue by wiring a player directly to the router, though this doesn’t work in every case. Systems that have a Sonos Move or Roam on them will also not be helped by this change, so disabling 5GHz would be best for those households.

 

 We recommend that you report this issue to BT with the following information:

 

“Devices connected to the 5GHz band are not able to communicate with devices connected to the 2.4GHz band and it appears the connections are being erroneously isolated.”

 

You don’t need to specifically mention Sonos devices when reporting this issue to BT as the information alone will be enough for them to recognize the issue you’re facing.
 

BT are indeed aware of this issue and are actively investigating and working to resolve it as quickly as possible. We’ll update this post with any further news as and when we receive it.

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261 replies

S

Thanks for the information in this thread, I was literally pulling my hair out trying to understand what is going wrong. Have raised a complaint with BT.

M
Badge

Yes I do and have just found the posts - thanks

 

G

Ah, thank you, I hadn’t seen that. At least I know it isn’t just me!

controlav
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

BT responded to my complaint yesterday but didn't appear to understand this particular issue and could only advise changing both the 2.4GHz  and 5GHz channel numbers .

This hasn't made any difference and today still getting “Unable to connect to Sonos” today on all three control devices 2 iPhones and 1 iPad.

 


Did you read the original post? Disable your 5GHz radio until BT fix their router.

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
T

Same boat here. Have been losing my mind over it. My wife is fed up with me trying to fix it. 

Spoke to Sonos support and they confirm the issue with the BT Hub. Said as a work around to plug one device in with a ethernet cable and then they should all be viewable on the 5ghz band (iphone app).

 

BT Support have just told me the issue ‘will be fixed in 72 hours’. Not sure how/why. Then I was told to do a factory reset. Then offered a new hub. I think its safe to say the person didn’t have a clue. 

 

So I’m not fixed at all and eagerly await some actual tech support. 

Ken_Griffiths

Same boat here. Have been losing my mind over it. My wife is fed up with me trying to fix it. 

Spoke to Sonos support and they confirm the issue with the BT Hub. Said as a work around to plug one device in with a ethernet cable and then they should all be viewable on the 5ghz band (iphone app).

 

BT Support have just told me the issue ‘will be fixed in 72 hours’. Not sure how/why. Then I was told to do a factory reset. Then offered a new hub. I think its safe to say the person didn’t have a clue. 

 

So I’m not fixed at all and eagerly await some actual tech support. 

If not done already, you can try temporarily disabling your routers 5GHz radio until BT release the fix.

T

Same boat here. Have been losing my mind over it. My wife is fed up with me trying to fix it. 

Spoke to Sonos support and they confirm the issue with the BT Hub. Said as a work around to plug one device in with a ethernet cable and then they should all be viewable on the 5ghz band (iphone app).

 

BT Support have just told me the issue ‘will be fixed in 72 hours’. Not sure how/why. Then I was told to do a factory reset. Then offered a new hub. I think its safe to say the person didn’t have a clue. 

 

So I’m not fixed at all and eagerly await some actual tech support. 

If not done already, you can try temporarily disabling your routers 5GHz radio until BT release the fix.

Tricky one. Do I value Sonos over slow internet for every other device. 
We need this update! 

Ken_Griffiths

Tricky one. Do I value Sonos over slow internet for every other device. 
We need this update! 

72 hours (if that’s a timetable that BT can stick-to) isn’t too long to run devices on a 2.4Ghz connection.
 

I don’t know the BT router, personally speaking, but some routers have a device exclusion list for each of their WiFi bands (I know VirginMedia Superhubs have this option) so if that’s available, then you could add your Sonos MAC addresses to that ‘exclusion list’ instead. 

S
Badge +1

I recently replaced my router - BT Smart Hub 2 for what seemed like a faulty one.  We’d had a broadband fault which was traced to dodgy connection in the street cabinet. After that was fixed, our router gave us notably reduced speed so I talked to BT and they offered to swap with no quibble.

I went through the rigmarole of using the iOS S2 app to get my Sonos system on to the new WiFi network.  That was tortuous, but eventually I battled through.  There are two of us in the house both with iPhones and the iOS app on both our phones now keeps losing the Sonos system.  This is happening at least once/day.  Each time, the app first tells me to make sure all the Sonos components are switched on, then the app fails to find them so it asks me to switch them all off and back on, then try again.  Once more it fails and it asks me to unplug the router and power it back on.  So, I power it down and back up, then the app ponders for a few more minutes and finds the system.

 

Since the Sonos system was moved to the new router, the Sonos S2 app on my Windows 10 laptop has been able to see the Sonos system.

 

I suspect the iOS app, which has also been intermittently losing Sonos playlists for some time, predating the router swap.

 

Does anyone have any ideas what’s happening? 

 

Hopefully...

James L.
Badge +17

Hi @shed53,

 

Was your BT Smart Hub 2 swapped for another Smart Hub 2? If so, there’s a current issue in the BT Hub firmware and we’ve detailed the issue in its own dedicated thread:

 

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S
Badge +1

Thanks, James.

S
Badge +1

I’ve just reported this to BT, along with a slow speed from my router which I also suspect is firmware related. When the engineer fixed the line fault, he tested our WiFi. Our router gave 15.7Mbps while his own device (when acting in place of the router) yielded 47.2Mbps.

BT is sending an engineer to look at both issues - though of course if the firmware is the culprit for either or both, it may be a wasted journey.

Watch this space...

A

Anyone experiencing similar problems with other devices such as wireless printers ?

Our HP Envy 5030 is refusing to operate but says connected to router but remains invisible to laptop iPads and iPhones.

T

Ever since Sonos s2 was introduced my Sonos system has been inconsistent. I have invested heavily in the products at home and my business and not a day goes by where I don’t regret it. It’s a case of “can we listen to music today?” Never ever again!

T

Hi there 

my router is is a BY smart hub 2 and all my smart TVs and the rest are running seamlessly from it. I can reset the entire system but Sonos continues to be inconsistent. 
I can’t connect any of the speakers directly to the router. It used to work well but after S2 it’s been a total mess. I have the same problem in my business so not related to my home

L
Userlevel 1
Badge +4

I have a BT engineer due tomorrow to look at our broadband, as it is very slow & poor.…

 

I’ll ask him if he has anymore info on the 5Ghz issue while he is here….👍

T

Tricky one. Do I value Sonos over slow internet for every other device. 
We need this update! 

72 hours (if that’s a timetable that BT can stick-to) isn’t too long to run devices on a 2.4Ghz connection.
 

I don’t know the BT router, personally speaking, but some routers have a device exclusion list for each of their WiFi bands (I know VirginMedia Superhubs have this option) so if that’s available, then you could add your Sonos MAC addresses to that ‘exclusion list’ instead. 

I’ve plugged one in with a Ethernet cable directly to the router and that has allowed my phone to see both speakers. 
Will just use it like this until the firmware update is released. 

T

I also join the list of people having issues with Sonos/Bt software. I am more annoyed with Sonos for not informing their customers about the problem, I almost thought out my system thinking that it had packed up. But I found that turning on/off the BT hub resets the Sonos app. I have a mix of Apple ,Sonos and Amazon speakers and I must admit that Apple is our go to speakers as anyone in the family with Apple device can play there music without downloading extra apps. I am reluctant to invest any more money into Sonos speakers. If I dig out my old Sonos bridge would that help ?????

James L.
Badge +17

I also join the list of people having issues with Sonos/Bt software. I am more annoyed with Sonos for not informing their customers about the problem, I almost thought out my system thinking that it had packed up. But I found that turning on/off the BT hub resets the Sonos app. I have a mix of Apple ,Sonos and Amazon speakers and I must admit that Apple is our go to speakers as anyone in the family with Apple device can play there music without downloading extra apps. I am reluctant to invest any more money into Sonos speakers. If I dig out my old Sonos bridge would that help ?????

We have informed customers who have experienced this issue, both in this very thread and through our support channels when affected users have contacted us. We can’t personally inform the millions of users with BT Hubs that may or may not be experiencing issues in any other way, I'm afraid. This isn’t a Sonos specific issue, and has the potential to affect many other devices connected to these networks. It’s a bug in the BT Smart Hub 2's firmware that has been acknowledged by BT and a fix is being worked on. 
 

If you’re still using S1 then wiring the Bridge back into your network may help mitigate the issue, but isn’t guaranteed to work. If you're on S2, then the Bridge isn’t compatible with your system and wouldn’t do anything to work around it. Please, read of the first post in this topic to learn about the workaround for this issue.

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R
Userlevel 1
Badge

Hardwiring a play:1 to create sonosnet has largely sorted me out for now and allowed me to keep both my bands running on my SH2… though I do intermittently lose my Move and Roam as my phone switches between 5/2.4 now and again.

My problem now, and proving this is a BT SH2 firmware issue once and for all is that I can’t print as my printer is on 2.4 and everything else is on 5 (and who has a printer cable these days? :joy: ), my Sons’ Nanoleafs aren’t working and my Hue Sync Box.. well just forget about that.

On the phone to BT now and will be raising a complaint; why didn’t they just roll the firmware back?! 

Might look in to a new router though.. I’ve not bought a techy gadget in a while.. oh.. except the Roam..

A

I (had) the same issues as reported and have been monitoring this post for the past few days. This morning my Sonos system and other affected Wi-fi devices burst back into life. Has BT solved the issue.? 
 

Anyone else had their system/s reappear today?

James L.
Badge +17

I (had) the same issues as reported and have been monitoring this post for the past few days. This morning my Sonos system and other affected Wi-fi devices burst back into life. Has BT solved the issue.? 
 

Anyone else had their system/s reappear today?

Could you check the firmware version on your BT Smart Hub 2 to see if it’s different from the one in my first post? It would be interesting to know if BT have begun rolling out a fix already.

Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
ratty

For customers with the BT FTTC/VDSL service they may feel the hassle of finding a alternative, compatible router is too much, especially if they make use of the Youview/BT TV service.

Personally I’d just get a third party dual band WiFi access point (or mesh) and disable the router’s WiFi. 

A

Confirming my hub firmware- I took a photo on Wednesday of my hub software info page and it’s still the same this morning - v0.26.03.1286

 

 

M
Userlevel 1
Badge

I (had) the same issues as reported and have been monitoring this post for the past few days. This morning my Sonos system and other affected Wi-fi devices burst back into life. Has BT solved the issue.? 
 

Anyone else had their system/s reappear today?

Could you check the firmware version on your BT Smart Hub 2 to see if it’s different from the one in my first post? It would be interesting to know if BT have begun rolling out a fix already.

Experienced the same from late last night. 
Same firmware as in OP and still same today. All speakers be they the Sonos One’s or the IKEA Symfonisks (which are the main issue since reconnecting the WiFi disc which the Ones pretty much live on) have worked absolutely perfectly. 

Something has definitely changed. 
 

Could BT adjust something without it changing the firmware? 
Either way, fingers crossed, things are currently working. 
 

EDIT: just realised and no doubt someone might want to shoot me down for this but just before everything started to work as expected I updated my iPhone to the latest IOS 14.5

I’ll charge the iPad later and see if that still works whilst on the last OS.

Could it be in some way related?

 

EDIT to the EDIT!:

It’s gone again. Even the Ones connected to the WiFi discs. No idea what’s going on now. 

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