How do you add speakers now via S1 since the MacOS app insists a system update has to happen?

You can’t add players using the Desktop controller, and haven’t been able to do so for quite some time. You need to use an iOS or Android S1 controller. 

Thanks for replying, but I knew that. The new problem is that since the introduction of the new system, on the iOS app the ‘add product’ option is greyed-out and if I click on it I’m told I have to update the system/app ; don’t want to do that for various reasons eg need for two controllers + creates problems with Spotify etc.

@Dougal_1, provide a screenshot of ‘System → About my System’. I suspect that you have migrated at least one item to firmware 12.1 (S2).

Good morning and thanks, Smilja - This is odd... I didn’t intentionally ‘migrate’ any speakers anywhere, but what I did was that I plugged in and reset a pair of Play:1s that I wanted to use as a stereo pair. (They were both operating as mono - with hindsight, I should have left them as they were...)

Inside ‘About my system’ everything that is visible is indeed Version 11.1.

The two invisible Play:1s, which the system cannot see or find, have a flashing green light...but cannot be added to the set-up because ‘add product’ is greyed-out and the app tells me I have to upgrade to S2. So...having told Sonos this much yesterday, I’m now waiting to see if they have a fix or to see if anyone helpful and knowledgeable (such as yourself) knows of a fix for this. Thanks for responding - I don’t know if there’s any point sending you a screen shot (assuming I could master the technology that much...) because all the speakers are marked as being 11.1 whereas the actual *app* version number is 11.2.3 - I hope and imagine that the difference isn’t crucial, because the other speakers are all working fine. Just two orphaned ones, which on current form I will end up selling or giving away. Should I assume that what has happened is that they were Sonos-migrated to 12 when I reset them ? And if so, that there’s no going back on that change?

Thanks again for intervening. Dougal

@Dougal_1, Do you actually mean 12.1? Please provide the Screenshot I requested, I’ll need to check a few things there.

Hello again, and again, thanks - copying and pasting the info re system, since I can’t get it to fit in a single screen-shot - techologically-challenged (euphemism for...)

Associated Product: 192.168.0.7

---------------------------------

Bridge: BRIDGE

Version: 11.1 (build 56076060)

Hardware Version: 1.5.0.0-2

Series ID: X999

IP Address: 192.168.0.12

WM: 0

---------------------------------

Play:1: Green room 2 (L)

Version: 11.1 (build 56076060)

Hardware Version: 1.8.3.7-2

Series ID: A101

IP Address: 192.168.0.5

WM: 0

OTP: 

---------------------------------

Play:1: Green room 2 (R)

Version: 11.1 (build 56076060)

Hardware Version: 1.8.3.7-2

Series ID: A101

IP Address: 192.168.0.6

WM: 0

OTP: 

---------------------------------

Play:5: Living Room (R)

Version: 11.1 (build 56076060)

Hardware Version: 1.16.4.1-2

Series ID: P100

IP Address: 192.168.0.9

WM: 0

OTP: 1.1.1(1-16-4-zp5s-0.5)

---------------------------------

Play:5: Living Room (L)

Version: 11.1 (build 56076060)

Hardware Version: 1.16.4.1-2

Series ID: P100

IP Address: 192.168.0.10

WM: 0

OTP: 1.1.1(1-16-4-zp5s-0.5)

---------------------------------

Play:3: Study Play 3

Version: 11.1 (build 56076060)

Hardware Version: 1.8.1.2-2

Series ID: A100

IP Address: 192.168.0.7

WM: 0

OTP: 

---------------------------------

Play:1: Upstairs

Version: 11.1 (build 56076060)

Hardware Version: 1.8.3.7-2

Series ID: A101

IP Address: 192.168.0.8

WM: 0

OTP:

Those are all working - the two Play1:s which are orphaned / lost won’t appear, and have flashing green lights, waiting to be added to the system. Inside the Macbook controller version of the controller it says 11.1 and also Sonos ID 111669908. I have no idea if those numbers are relevant or not, but since they’re visible, here they are !

Thanks again for your input+advice + attempts to help ; are you employed by Sonos or a very helpful and knowledgeable user, or both ? Thanks.

*Moderator Note: Please censor personal information when posting.*

PS to Smilja, adding to my previous info - someone on another thread has just said “It now sounds like your iOS device is too old for the Sonos software, or your S1 system just needs a regular update (not a switch to S2). A screenshot for the update prompt might make that clearer.” So...I’ve sent him the above info also. I don’t know how to update S1 without running the risk of updating to S2 and losing the use of...everything else in the process. Since Sonos are now behaving like Apple, it wouldn’t surprise me at all to learn that I need a new IPhone as well to get round this - well, that’s not going to happen. C’est beau, le progrès, as they say with heavy irony.

@Dougal_1, You would have to manually initiate a compatibility check in order to unlock the S2 app. The Bridge and your Play:5s 1st gen are S1 only.

System requirements for Sonos S1 controllers

• Android 7.0 or later
• iOS 11 or later
• iPadOS 13 or later
• macOS 10.11 or later
• Windows 7 or later

What operating system is your mobile device running on?

Greyed out options can also arise from having controllers and system on different versions. You should be able to see what version the controller is on in About My System.  If it is anything other than 11.1 then that is probably the cause.

Edit - I see that has already been  established. 

Smilja - again, thanks - My mobile - IPhone 5s - is running 12.4.8.   I know it’s not new or smart enough to run the Scottish government’s covid-tracing app, so it may well be too dumb and old to run S1  - but there again you’ve said that to run S1 controllers it’s iPadOS13 *but* iOS11.  My system is appearing on the IPhone app, but it’s the ‘add product’ that’s greyed-out and unavailable without an update. An update which can’t happen because of the ‘legacy’ Play:5s and Bridge.

And my Macbook (not that it’s possible to use that anyway to ‘add product’) is running...10.13.6.  If it turns out to be impossible to get my 11.1 Sonos system and the two Play1:s to talk to each other, I’ll just continue to use the working system and speakers, and sell or give away the two orphaned Play1:s.  Thanks again for your time and advice.

@Dougal_1, iOS 12.4.8 is fine. Do you have any wireless range extenders or a second router with enabled DHCP server in use? I think it would be best to call in to Sonos support for assistance.

This is the situation. Your operating system is fine. Your controller has updated (to S1 I believe) while your system is on 'old Sonos'. Tbe version incompatibility is causing your controller to have limited functionality. 

Smilja - thanks - no, there are no range extenders here + only one router. Previously that was enough, and the signal reached all necessary rooms. I don’t know what an enabled DHCP server is, but I could learn, if necessary, I’m sure. 

I tried directly connecting to the Bridge via Ethernet to one of the orphaned Play1: speakers, but it still doesn’t appear on the system. I contacted Sonos support yesterday, but they said (a) it might take 7 days to get a reply (b) to try the on-line community for help and advice… so I will wait and see what they have to say about these disappearing speakers. Thanks for your time, help and advice. It could have been worse - I still have music + podcasts etc in four rooms, and perhaps someone in Sonos support will have met and solved this problem before. If not...I sell the orphans and buy an old-fashioned amp and speakers, and keep using the ‘legacy’ products which work. Thank you for your time.

This is easy to solve, but it seems my posts are not appearing on your version of the forum so I won't bother to post further.

@Dougal_1, Is it possible to update the speaker’s firmware to 11.2.3? It should be. Do you get an error message when trying to do so?

On iOS or Android

From the Settings tab, tap System > System Updates > Check for Updates.

John B - thanks - yes, I am seeing your posts, just trying to read and answer various posts, not all of which appear at the same time -  someone on another thread is suggesting that there’s no danger of accidentally switching to S2, and therefore the conclusion would be that the ‘latest system software’ referred to in the ‘system update message’ that comes up within system settings is going to give me a newer version of S1, and not railroad me into S2 (which would zap the bridge and the Play5s). So...it would appear that I can dare to hit update and that S1 should then be able to see the orphaned speakers. I hope. Thanks for your interventions.

@Dougal_1, As I said before you’d need to run the compatibility check in ‘settings’ in order to unlock the S2 app. Stay away from this setting and you’re fine.

By the way: As long as you have an unit running on S1 there’s the possibility to downgrade the whole lot back to S1 even if your system gets separated into S1/S2 by accident.

Smilja - I haven’t tried to update any speakers’ firmware to the version you mention - 11.2.3 - because I wouldn’t know how to, I’m afraid. ‘Add product’ is still greyed-out. I bravely / recklessly hit ‘update’ in iOS on the IPhone and... it tells me no update is needed. Orphaned speakers still invisible. However, I still have music in four rooms, so I may well wait and see what Sonos support have to say ; community advice has been fast, helpful and interesting, though, I must say. It is reassuring and useful to hear, from you + another community voice, that you cannot accidentally lurch into S2 from within S1. Puzzlingly, the system settings app on iOS tells me an update is available, then produces an error message, then says it is updating, and all four rooms are working *but* the ‘add product’ is still greyed-out. This may be a job for Sonos support. I will update via this bit of the community re any progress / lack of progress ! Thanks for your time and advice. The app version is 11.2.3 and the speakers and bridge are all 11.1 ; this may be important - I don’t know, but someone at Sonos support may well know. 

@Dougal_1 

On iOS or Android From the Settings tab, tap System > System Updates > Check for Updates.

Smilja and also John B - possible progress report ? After 3-4 attempts iOS update of controller for S1, including (I hope and assume) a firmware update of speakers may possibly have just worked, since ‘add product’ is no longer greyed-out. Both controllers, on Macbook and on Iphone, now updated. Let’s see if the system can now find the two lost speakers. Back soon...

Smilja and John B - many thanks for help and advice ; the root of the problem turned out to be that there was a version mis-match between the controller(s) and the speakers. All are now on 11.2.3, and safely on S1, and I have music etc back in 5 rooms, not four, and a stereo pair (the previously-lost orphans) in the kitchen.  I learned, thanks to you + one other on community, that you can update within S1 without being railroaded into S2 ; a useful lesson. Thank you so much for advice, patience and clarity. Bye + thanks !

Good news. Glad it's sorted out.