Restrict access to certain zones

  • 1 September 2012
  • 195 replies
  • 13026 views

Userlevel 2
There should be a way to restrict access to certain zones or allow control of certain zones from a specific controller. This is very important when you have children or have guests staying to stop inadvertent or deliberate changing of zone settings.

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195 replies

agreed , combine with https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/allow_controllers_to_pair_with_multiple_home_systems
Userlevel 3
Come on Sonos this would not be difficult to implement! Should defo support max volume calibration so that when the volume is on max it translates to a much lower volume than actually possible (for renting out situations...)
Userlevel 2
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I can't believe Sonos having got moving with this yet! The sheer volume of people wanting this feature is overwhelming - and as already pointed out, it creates a whole new selling point: ideal for hotels, apartments etc. Rather disappointing there has been no word from Sonos on this at all - WHY aren't you implementing this highly demanded feature?
Userlevel 3
Think this feature has been under consideration for too long!? Vote for this: https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/implement_customers_good_ideas_more_quickly
Userlevel 4
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This is basically the same idea: https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/multiple_user_room_whitelist_volume_max_level But this is based on a room whitelist per device. This would be much easier to realize as the access restriction is part of the controller installation and not part of the system. This won't really help if you want to allow guests to change something, but for the children/parents/grandma it would be enough. It would work for guests as well but only if you prepare the device and provide it.
Sonos, please add this awesome feature.
Sonos, please add this feature. Looking back through the threads this appears to have been requested by Sonos customers since 2005. The default setting could remain as the system is currently ie.. unrestricted so the addition would have zero impact on users for whom this isn't an issue. For users who do need to restrict access, you could have a system when the system owner has a master-controller and they can permission other controllers to only be allowed to use certain Zones. I appreciate from a technical perspective limiting music/playlists could be a lot harder. An alternative would be to let the administrator set up a PIN system, which you would only input once when connecting to the system. The master PIN would give that controller unlimited access and a slave PIN would give only limited access (dictated by the master). Thanks,
Userlevel 3
+1 Sonos if you are still listening to your customers please add this feature
When you look at the age and length of this thread on the one hand, and SONOS' involvment on the other I wouldn't be too optimistic. It seems (also looking at other ideas) that SONOS is not very interested in customers thoughts or even not giving it too much intention. There seem to be enough people out there who don't need these very useful features and by SONOS products anyway. And as you can read in this thread there're a couple of good ideas how it can be solved an easy way at first. But... hello SONOS team / developers, where are you?
I would also recommend Sonos to add this feature. It will reduce my problems with other persons controlling my music without my accept.
I agree after having the kids friends round and and they kept hijacking the music I would say this is essential for house parties.
This thread hits is on the head regarding issues with "hijacking" music and volume. Before having AT&T U-verse, I was able to create a "guest" network on my Airport Extreme. I could restrict who could use my Sonos controller. U-verse does not allow the "guest" capability with the AE. It would be great to have Admin controls to restrict access so people don't turn up volume really loud in rooms, change playlists, etc. I would like to control that access via an admin feature in the application. BTW, I love the Sonos system and look forward to their feature enhancements.
Userlevel 2
If you have an iPhone or iPad you can restrict specific areas of the Sonos Controller app. As long as the iPhone/iPad are running iOS 6, you can use Guided Access on your daughter's iPhone to disable specific areas of the controller. For example, the rooms icon in the bottom right hand corner of the app can be disabled. Your daughter will not be able to access other rooms and, more importantly, will not be able to control the volume in other rooms! You can only disable Guided Access using a passcode (one that you set) so you can sleep soundly! This is a temporary solution. I'm sure Sonos will address this request in a software update some time down the line.
Userlevel 2
If you have an iPhone or iPad you can restrict your daughter's access to certain areas of the Sonos controller app. As long as the iPhone/iPad are running iOS 6, you can use Guided Access on her iPhone to disable specific areas of the controller. For example, the rooms/zones icon in the bottom right hand corner of the app can be disabled. Your daughter will not be able to access other rooms and, more importantly, will not be able to control the volume in other rooms! You can only disable Guided Access using a passcode (one that you set) so you can sleep soundly! This is only a temporary fix. I'm sure Sonos will roll out a software upgrade soon.
Thanks Tom. The solution you posted should work nicely.
In our scenario, all that is required is a simple menu option to enable a prompt for a passcode when the zone icon is pressed. This setting should be controller specific (not global).
Userlevel 2
Sharmy, I agree, a simple passcode option would do the trick! Let's see how long before our friends at Sonos initiate this great idea!
Userlevel 2
I didn't see this thread before I posted elsewhere... hopefully someone will merge my idea for me... not sure how myself. https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/i_want_to_have_user_accounts_for_the_sonos_system
Userlevel 2
You can actually also merge it with this one: https://ask.sonos.com/sonos/topics/hide_zones_on_any_type_of_controllers_and_unhide_using_a_password It's intended to achieve the same result.
Exactly. So, create an ADMIN account that basically does EVERYTHING that the system allows you to do now. Create specific USER accounts (to set up for your kids or other "housemates" in shared houses etc) where they get given access by admin to the zones that admin chooses. Create "Guest" account that can be accessed by anyone on the network but it only allows queueing of songs. If a song gets asked for twice by two different controllers, it moves higher up the list. No volume controls or anything else, just control of the song voting for the zone allocated as "Juke Box" or "Party Mode" by the admin. Don't make us login as admin everytime, just set up devices as admin or user at setup, and all others automatically go to "guest mode".
Userlevel 2
Can't believe these points have been made over 8 months ago and still haven't been actioned... I thought I must be the only one with 9 zones in my house and multiple users! My 6 year old doesn't need access to every room. My guests shouldn't be able to have song select wars either.
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The request to add this feature is over 8 years old ... very very disappointing Sonos... http://forums.sonos.com/showthread.php?t=3271 Apr 26th, 2005
Userlevel 5
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Hi Marc, I merged your Idea into the existing thread that you linked to add to the overall feedback.
this is really infuriating; Ryan E as an employee participating is actively showing that the SONOS staff are actually reading this thread... they just don't care
That's really funny, because in other threads, they say the fact that Sonos employees are *not* reading the thread is "proof" that they "just don't care", LOL. I guess it's "damned if you do, and damned if you don't."
For most instances I suspect that we don't even need the password/pin feature. This topic seems to be trying to address a number of different problems, ranging from 'hijacking' to accidental use, filtering of content, restricting usage. The core requirement I have is to configure specific controllers to only show certain zones - e.g. the kids will just see the sonos players in their own bedrooms on their phones/ipods, and not the one in the master bedroom. I believe that the easiest way to implement this would be to add an additional open to the Room Settings list in the controller software, 'Show in this Controller (on)' - e.g. emulate the White Status Indicator Light option. Then in the My Sonos Players list, change the order to show 'non-hidden' players first, and then the 'hidden' ones. I'm hopeful that this kind of change isn't too much work for the team, and could address a number of the issues raised here. For me this is about preventing accidental use of rooms. Personally I'd deal with the problem of children changing the settings themselves in other ways ;o) Sonos are trying to achieve simplicity in their products, PIN codes, passwords, restricting players to sub-sets of music are not easy problems to solve, and no matter how they choose to address them (assuming they ever do), there will always be someone with a different view or opinion. Sonos products are designed for everyone to use with the minimum amount of technical knowledge, and I can understand the reluctance to incorporate anything that increases complexity, and thus confuses users, or makes support the product more difficult.