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I just talked to support about how we can not set up a Sonos using a desktop application anymore. Why was this decision made? It seriously handicaps our ability to deploy systems to our customers. We deal with commercial customers who do not have wireless access to the networks that sonos is on, as well as residential customers with vlans separating the WIFI from the audio/video devices. Most of our customers will never even use the mobile sonos app as they will be operating their A/V systems from Crestron touch panels. Combined with the inability to set static addresses, sonos just continues to indicate that they don't want the business of the commercial and high end integrator. If sonos only wants to be selling to end users then that's fine otherwise they need to stop making things more difficult for integrator.
If you look at the capabilities of the new API Sonos has published compared to what was available with UPnP I think you will see just how committed Sonos is to the Systems Integrator market.
The static IP v4 address issue can be worked around using DHCP 4 to assign reserved addresses, you probably want to do DHCP in any case to make sure you have the other networking information it provides.



I haven't sorted out the IPv6 address assignment issues yet but I look at it from time to time, hoping I've gotten smarter.



The developer program is pretty interesting and options keep being added, free to join for qualified folks so at least give it a look.



https://developer.sonos.com/
I'm in the same boat Jonathan, I am mystified as to this thinking. I cant even use a laptop, macbook or even a surface now to configure these systems (mobile devices that at least have a wired LAN option). I have a very long string of business and residential clients now that are now going to be an extreme headache to support. Such an amazing product that has suddenly become a nightmare from hell.
Reposting here: The removal of administration functionality from desktop controller.



I’m disappointed in Sonos for removing the administration function to add speakers to your system and several other functions from the windows and all other desktop controllers. Now in order to add new components you have to use the mobile app. This move now forces you to have a phone capable of running the mobile app. Sonos tells me they didn't see a lot of benefit in supporting certain feature, I guess they don’t care about customers who don’t have smart phones and yes there are still people who don’t. Besides that I personally don’t like the mobile app, it’s nice to have but in my case I use and iPhone5 because that’s the device I like, but the screen is difficult to see. I can for see when Sonos will no longer support a controller on that device, which they have done in the past and will force me to change my phone even if it still works for me. What was appealing about Sonos was the flexibility and the support over multiple platforms, all this fades away little by little after each Sonos release. I wish Sonos would institute a buyback program I would give my units back in a heartbeat. The release 9.3 also knocked out one of my Gen:1 Play:5’s maybe it’s Sonos’ way to get you to buy new hardware.
Agreed. It's extremely frustrating to have to abandon a perfectly good wired computer with a large screen for a tiny interface filled with drill-downs. If it's any solace I've spoken to Sonos Tech Support and they're equally unhappy internally... TeamViewer sessions are now a thing of the past.



The Software Development team absolutely have to understand that the Mobile App is a fine option for setting up and configuring systems, but should absolutely not the only one.
Or like in my case using a Surface Pro :?

Not everybody is using IOS or Android.
Done with you, sonos. Add the functionality back. You're ruining existing customer relationships left and right.