Question

Sonos still on network but won't show in app.

  • 20 August 2020
  • 18 replies
  • 10197 views

I’ve had my Sonos one for about a week now and it’s been working fine. Today, it won’t connect through the android app, it’s not showing in spotify on Mac and it’s not available in AirPlay but it’s still showing on my home network. Connection is listed as great, it has the same IP. I’ve tried rebooting it but it won’t reconnect. 


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18 replies

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @adamb7.

Welcome to the Sonos community and thanks for reaching out to us.

I would recommend try turning off the Wifi on your Mobile Phone’s settings, turn off mobile phone or controller, turn it back on, and then reconnect to your Wifi network. Once the controller or mobile phone has reconnected to the Wifi network, Try and relaunch the Sonos app by force closing the App from the running background application.

I hope this helps.

Please let me know how it goes. We are always here to help.

Thanks,

No dice. Also, it’s not just my phone, it won’t work with Spotify Connect on my Mac or AirPlay. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Try disconnecting the speaker from power. Then restart your router. Once it’s FULLY restarted, and the wifi is running, restart your speaker. 

It won’t reconnect to the wifi now...

I’ve restarted it several times but the only way it’ll connect now is through a wired connection. I do have an Asus mesh network set up (I just read somewhere it might not play nicely w/ mesh networks?) but it won’t connect to either unless wired. I have 17 other devices connected all functioning fine so it’s very unlikely an issue w/ my local network. 

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @adamb7.

Thanks for the immediate response.

I would recommend reaching out to the manufacturer of the access point and check of which options you may choose to best fit your system.

  • Have each access point have their own unique Wifi name as so you and your mobile controller do not get confused about what and where to connect to access your Sonos system.
  • Disable Wifi Capabilities of the Main router that provides connection directly to your ISP or internet provider.
  • Disable the DHCP or IP-address generation of the Access point and only allow the main router to generate the IP-addresses to avoid IP-address mismatch or IP-address duplicates.
  • Wire a Sonos device to one of the routers/access points to get them to stay on a single network (having each access point have their own unique WiFi names).

I hope this helps.

Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help.

Thanks,

Thanks @Paul A It’s an Asus Mesh network so no access points, just one other node. Doesn’t matter if I’m in range of just the master router or the node. It’s a bit of a disappointment that Sonos can’t handle a simple mesh network right out of the box. I have numerous IOT devices that switch back and forth and keep connection, as does every other phone, computer and smart speaker in my house. Why is this an issue exclusive to Sonos? I’d consider this a major bug...

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @adamb7.

Thanks for the immediate response and feedback.

This type of issue is not a bug, it is a normal router/access point operating mode out of the box. Let me share with you this topic that discusses in further detail about Tips & Tricks - Resolving random issues impacting Sonos devices which one of our members in the community shared to help other members have a better understanding of how Sonos and networking devices work simultaneously. 

I hope this helps into a better understanding of Sonos and networks.

Please let us know and feel free to comment on the topic if you have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help.

Thanks,

I get that it’s not a bug per se, but it seems like a shortcoming specifically of the Sonos product. When I have almost two dozen devices on my network and none have an issue w/ the mesh network besides Sonos, well maybe the problem is Sonos’ networking, no? Our office has numerous Sonos which all have networking issues more often than any other device.

 

I love the sound but I just wish the app was more responsive and the connection was more solid. Thanks for all your help by the way, don’t mean to sound indignant or ungrateful. 

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @adamb7.

Thanks for the immediate response and feedback.

I understand your situation especially if all other devices are working but except for Sonos. I would like to share a little information just to set Sonos’ way of communicating with other internet connecting devices. Sonos needs constant communication when being operated, to multiple devices and servers.

  • The Sonos Speakers needs to communicate locally (controller (Sonos app or Music services app) and other Sonos devices)
  • The music service’s server who provides the music details when asking Sonos to play music.
  • The Sonos server for the Sonos account to be up-to-date with the Sonos device’s activities and other Sonos devices linked to the Sonos account.

All these constant communications happen when using the Sonos system. which is also being discussed on the link I provided above.

I hope this helps to better understand how Sonos operates (network wise).

Please let us know and feel free to create a topic if you have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help.

Thanks,

 

Yep, I’m a developer so I totally understand all the calls it needs to make in the background. What I’m not, is a network expert so I don’t understand why they have so many networking specific issues. My nest minis make a similar series of calls when I use Spotify connect from my computer or use voice commands. Sonos nailed the hardware side of things, I just wish they’d get the software figured out.

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @adamb7.

Thanks for your immediate response and clarification.

I do understand the situation and you may actually have a point since if you do use other networking devices and do work, you’ll have the same doubt why do Sonos do not. Everything may boil down to either just like what you have mentioned (programming side) or the networking side where the router may see a device as a non-network connecting device and just decide to filter that device out. Especially for UPnP devices or Universal Plug and Play devices such as Sonos. I would recommend if the issue is as irritating and as frustrating as it gets every single day, you may try contacting our technical support team for a more in-depth troubleshooting step as they can set up a screen sharing session with your approval to better understand how to help.

Please let us know and feel free to create a topic if you have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help.

Thanks,

I’m cautiously optimistic that this three year old thread resolved my issue. Disabling Airtime Fairness in my router appears to have solved everything. 
https://en.community.sonos.com/troubleshooting-228999/asus-rt-ac88u-6739225/index3.html#post16469127

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @adamb7.

Thanks for sharing the link and for your immediate response.

I’m glad that everything is now working and have been solved. I do hope you continue to enjoy your Sonos.

Please do not hesitate to reach out or create a topic if you still have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help out.

Thanks,

My sonos will only work with Ethernet connection. Wifi suddenly dropped and  sonos app greyed out. Have done all the usual things. Not technical and don’t understand complicated instructions. It would seem I am not te moly one experiencing theses problem. It’s annoying as the hardware and sound is excellent, 

it’s still not resolved. Have just upgraded iPhone to IOS 14. Is this the reason??

 

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @Dynamod.

Welcome to the Sonos community and thanks for reaching out to us and for doing the extra effort on starting with some basic troubleshooting steps. I understand your situation. Let me help you out with that.

 I would like to recommend by providing some situations and the corresponding steps on what to do accordingly.

  • ​If you only have one Sonos device. (considering that the Sonso device is plugged into power and has a solid white light)

    1. Open the Sonos app.

    2. You will be prompted at the top of the Sonos app “can’t connect to Sonos, Fix it” prompt.

    3. Tap on that prompt and then select Update wireless settings.

    4. And then follow the prompts.

  • If you have more than one Sonos device.

    1. Unplug all Sonos devices from power and while all the Sonos devices are unplugged from power, temporarily connect one Sonos device to the new router via ethernet cable. (ethernet cable first before connecting to power)

    2. Once the Sonos device (connected to the router via ethernet cable) has a solid white light, plug into power the rest of the Sonos device (not connected to the router).

    3. After all Sonos devices are connected to power and have a solid white light, open the Sonos app go to settings » system » network » wireless set up. And then follow the prompts.

    4. The prompt would also provide you the details on when to unplug the ethernet cable from the Sonos device connected to the router. (a wired connection is just temporary) or it can be permanent depending on your decision.

I hope this helps.

Please let us know if you still have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help.

Thanks,

After all that fiddling about

I discovered on my iPhone 7 the Area network button was OFF! (Settings-privacy- local network)Switched it on and it was like switching on a a light! Everything worked.

why didn’t I know this??

it’s useful to have one of your sonos speakers ‘available’ to plug in directly to your router with Ethernet cable. This means whilst you are grappling with unknown issues things still work a bit! This isn’t feasible f or some speakers I know but just passing this tip on if anyone is interested.

There’s probably a very technical instruction for this but this post is for normal people!

Aged, but able(pretty much) techie.

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @Dynamod.

Thanks for the update and your detailed response.

I’m glad that everything worked again and thanks for sharing what was done to fix the issue so other members of the community who might have the same issue as yours would find your solution helpful. I do hope you continue to love and enjoy your Sonos.
 

Please do not hesitate to reach out or create a topic if you still have any other questions or concerns. We are always here to help out.

Thanks,