New SONOS App - Feedback

Well, if one could filter for reviews only for the last year (or even better, since May) the picture would be different. Judging from the apple reviews posted the last couple of months I would say users still aren’t happy, not even “ok”:

In addition I can’t find any more recent financial info than the quarterly report released in November and that shows quite a disastrous development July-Sept:

The stock is continuing its upward drift.

​@Cff,

Other than publishing such stats going back over the post-May period when the App undoubtedly had difficulties for some users - it would likely be far better to establish if you, or any other users, are having problems with the Sonos App now …and if indeed that’s the case, it maybe best to go onto reproduce the issue(s) seen and immediately submit a Sonos system diagnostic report from within the Sonos App, note it’s reference and contact/chat with Sonos Support Staff via this LINK and see what the Staff can perhaps suggest to help you to resolve the matter.

Publishing old stats/charts etc. is unlikely going to fix the problems - I think Sonos would much prefer to see your data and to see whatever problems you may have with their App.

As for myself and some others here, the same App seems to be working fine, but that maybe due to our Home network/hardware configuration and LAN/WAN connections perhaps, as those ‘almost always’ do tend to differ.

Well, what I am trying to do is to figure out if people still are having serious issues (which is seems to me they, or at least some, do judging by the appstore reviews) - because I have not yet migrated/updated and if I decide to do so this is a decision with no return. So, I am currently having no problems with the app - but this is because I am not (yet) using the updated app (I did for a few weeks in the beginning, before I managed to roll-back). My alternative is to keep my old router and in that way I can stay with the old app for a bit longer - but it also has its drawbacks as I would prefer to migrate everyting to my new router.

With regards to the share price that was just a bit of curiosity from my side 😊 - sorry if you found it non-contributing (what was your reasoning behind posting a screenshot with ratings which mostly shows what people used to think about the app, before the spring disaster?).

Great to hear you have an app that is working fine - and that you are not alone.

Well ‘Happy New Year’ anyway ​@Cff and sincerely hope you get the answers and Sonos setup that you’re looking for, whether you choose to stay with the old S2 App, or switch to the New Sonos App later. 👍

   Happy New Year to all.  I’ve been skimming old posts regarding help in getting my external USB drives to been seen again by the Sonos’ iOS controller (iPhone).  Airgetlam informed me that a USB drive “is not” an NAS. I guess I was understanding what constitutes a NAS incorrectly.  Network Attached Drive correct? So, does that mean that I SHOULD NOT select that option when attempting to add back in my missing library?  Sonophone finds my music libraries without issue and I’m just trying to add the main library feeding our family room BACK into the app. I lost it after the May app debacle.

   I have no issues with relocating the Sonos library on our office iMac if that will solve things. Both hardware and OS are approximately 2 years old. For example, if I moved the Sonos music library from the Crucial X8 SSD into the Music folder on the iMac and then tried adding the music via the S2 desktop controller and, subsequently, the iOS controller, might that work?

   Currently, I still get the “Access Denied - Check User Name and Password”.  I’ve followed all of the Mac videos pertaining to computer name, user name and, we know the iMac’s password.

   One last thing, I’ve updated the desktop controller and the iOS controller to the latest versions. Sonophone still works. The one thing that I noticed the other day is that there is yet another firmware/speaker update.  Does anyone know what that was intended to fix?

   My apology for the long-winded post. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read and/or respond to it.   Brad

The library share ‘may’ work if the device supports SMBv2 or higher - maybe check the manufacturers documentation. 

For MacOS lical library share setup with Sonos, perhaps see these links:

https://support.sonos.com/en-gb/article/share-your-macos-music-folder-with-sonos

https://support.sonos.com/en-gb/article/add-your-music-library-to-sonos

https://youtu.be/kjhKhDuvgDY

Thanks for the info, Ken. I solved the 913 error early on and have seen all of those videos but, thank  you for the links. I’m still curious about the USB vs NAS issue though. I actually called Crucial Support and they said that the SMB is handled by the iMac. They have a utility for setting that in the Windows environment but not for Apple products. I’m currently looking up NAS vs USB and, for a single computer, it’s recommended to use the USB. I’ve read about Synology drives that connect to the router but that just seems like extremely overkill for what I had going on prior to May ‘24.

An NAS is defined, normally speaking, by a network attached storage that has its own operating system, most frequently Linux, and uses that to connect to various (potential) other devices on the network. probably more information than you care about, but a USB drive is connected to a computer, normally speaking, and doesn’t have a OS of its own. Some routers include the ability to use USB drives as NAS, running the same software internally, which allows things like SMB (a connection method) to work. 

For drives attached to MacOS - the drive format can play a role in library sharing too - see this Sonos support link:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/shared-folder-not-added-due-to-unsupported-file-system

Also, do not forget to provide MacOS with ‘full disk access’ (for the USB drive) in the privacy and security settings, as mentioned here:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/no-tracks-from-mac-usb-drive-in-sonos-music-library

Thanks to both Bruce and Ken for the good intel. I’m gonna look up the formatting option I chose for the crucial drive that contains my Sonos music library. It’s very possible that I may have chosen the wrong one initially.

As for the NAS situation, I’d have to buy a new router with the ability to plug in the external. I looked into something like that previous but figuring out the network path, for me, was/is a brain buster.

Thanks again, Gentlemen. I appreciate it.

​@SlamDesi,

If you checkout online stores like Amazon you can just add a NAS box to your existing router/network that links in via Ethernet cable and contains a HDD. They are geared for sharing files over a network often using SMBv2 and other protocols like DLNA etc. it would just be a case of plugging it in, setting it up and transferring your library to it to share with Sonos in the same way you’re trying to achieve now except without the need for the MAC PC.

Heres an example I found (just selected at random from Amazon):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffalo-LS510D0201-EU-LinkStation-Network-Attached/dp/B01DXK5UGC

There are different brands and models some with a single drive or multiple drives depending on your own requirements, but I find these things helpful and cheaper than leaving a PC powered on 24/7. Most have power management features to put them into standby/sleep mode when they’re not being used and they’re also useful as a backup for your files.

Thanks, Ken… I’ve looked into those. Recently, to improve the WiFi range in our home, our local provider came and swapped out my router for a “new and improved” version that utilizes pods. Unfortunately, the only additional Ethernet port is used by - wait for it - a pod that generates the WiFi signal. I’d have to buy a replacement system for the junk that was installed and then the NAS. Honestly, I really hope Sonos will divine a patch soon before my head explodes as I’m not an IT wizard. I do appreciate the replies, advice and links though. I always read them and do the research.

Depending on your provider and what you ended up with you can often put a simple Ethernet switch (splitter) between the router and the pods.

Who are you with and what did they give you?

Dumb 8 port switch for $20.

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A121WN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title

I’ll have to look into that. The router that they installed only had the input for data cable and then, the outgoing port for the WiFi pod. I suppose I’d have to put the splitter into the router and then the pod in that?  Again, I’m no IT specialist and, one thing I liked about Sonos in the past is that it is so stinkin’ easy to set up and operate.

All Sonos products disappear from System and unable to bring them back.   The system  registered them but once done,  it is like nothing has been registered.  So expensive but it is so not worth the time and money that I paid for them.  Good for about 3 years only.

But I have to warn you that their Customer Contact sucks.   They are willing to let you wait for over an hour or so over the phone.   They don’t provide any call back services like Apple.

Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the Community Code of Conduct.

It’s unusual if the WiFi pod is close-by to your router - how close is it and does it look similar to the attached?

I only ask because the attached pod (image) is both capable of being a (bridged) WiFi access point, or it can be a router instead (with the ISP router put into ‘bridged’ mode, or ‘modem’ mode). I’d just try to find out which mode things are in, because they (the switch etc.) have to be cabled differently depending on their role in your local network.

Ken… that’s exactly what it looks like. One of the cables is the feed from the router and the blue one goes under my house and connects to my Playbar in the Family Room. Attached are the back of the Playbar showing the blue cable going directly into it (thus, I have TV audio through my Sonos), the back of the router and, the pod that shows the white cable feeding the pod and, the Playbar cable. There are two inputs that have telephone receiver icons. Is that something that a NAS could fit into?  I don’t know if any of this helps. Like I said, Sonophone works and, I don’t want to screw that up but, I “would” like the full-featured Sonos app.

Ok - I thought this might ‘perhaps’ be the case ​@SlamDesi.

I see from your photos that the Pod is right next to your modem/router box - what I don’t (yet) know is if it’s acting just as a WiFi access point, or a router - if it is a WiFi access point, I don’t know why it would be placed so close to the modem/router as usually those ISP provided boxes usually have their own WiFi access points built in (at least they do here in the UK) - that’s not to say though that the installer might have switched off the WiFi adapter on the ISP box and chose to use the WiFi on the Pod instead.

When they are put close to the modem/router those silver Pods are ‘usually’ setup to take over the role of the router, which in turn means that the ISP provided device is put into ‘bridge’ or ‘modem’ mode.. so that’s what needs to ascertained.

Were you provided with a mobile App to work with your SuperPod or do you know for certain what mode that silver pod is using?

Pull the blue cable out of the pod, put in a short cable. Connect the short cable to the switch. Then plug the blue cable removed from the pod into the switch.

That leaves you six spare ports on the switch to wire other devices.

===

You could likely connect the white cable to the switch, add a short cable from switch to pod and if you wanted move the blue cable to the switch too.

Whilst I agree with ​@Stanley_4 here, my questions (point) here were to mostly save you perhaps having to buy a separate switch - which you won’t need if the Silver Pod is merely acting as wireless access point, as you could use the switch on the router instead - that’s if it IS your router?

If the Silver Pod is the router, rather than an access point, then you will need a switch and wire it in the way ​@Stanley_4 describes.

Ah in fact looking back again there isn’t a switch on the ISP modem/router box - I missed the fact the other two ports are for a telephony link only - so in that case it actually doesn’t matter - just add the switch after the silver pod (not before) and then cable the NAS and soundbar (blue cable) to that switch.

See below:

ISP Modem —> Silver WiFi  Hub —> Switch —> blue cable to SoundBar.

Then simply cable what you like (NAS etc.) to the Switch.

Wow, you guys are amazing. That Pod acts as the WiFi engine as the router doesn’t have that pice of the puzzle built in. It was all on the floor but I asked the installer to put the hardware on top of the desk so it would transmit a healthier signal. In short, they had to come back and add two more Pods - basically relays - to provide a signal that was actually better than what I had. I believe the young installer was capable but limited by the parent company on what he could do. As for the app… yes, I have one for the new “get up”, not that I wanted it.

Let’s say I purchase a switch and follow the very clear instructions that you two gave me. Once the Sonos Music Library is moved to the NAS, how does setting the Network Path work? (It seems rather straight forward with the USB drive even though it fails.) Right now the continual error message I get is “Access Denied - Check User Name and Password.” My apology for asking these remedial questions. My first impulse, albeit it late, is to call Support, submit a diagnostic and see if they can immediately sniff out the culprit. Sonos has Full Access but, the Crucial is formatted as APFS which is specific to Apple. Yet, it did work before May happened.

Thanks again…. Brad