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

Userlevel 2
I'd be in favor of SONOS adding a new app called "SONOS Pro" that's a paid app.  For $5 or even $10 a pop, SONOS could satisfy hundreds of SONOS users and help offset the software development costs too. 

The average user who just have one or two zones and doesn't need parental or user control or zone-based restrictions could still use the free app from the iTunes or Play Store, etc.  But for the rest of us that want more control, the "Sonos Pro" app could be purchased.  Once a system is tagged with having been configured with the "pro" app, then it would require each any mobile client that wants to touch/control it to use the same "pro" app.  A master admin acct could permit kids to only control a single zone such as their own bedroom; but give them no control over the family room, outdoor, and theater zones, etc.

You are missing something.

Some of us users have 9 or more zones using 11 or more SONOS speakers/connect/amps.  People have our wifi password because we are MORE than happy to share the household wifi.

We have children who have their own SONOS in their rooms, but we aren't about to set up a completely separate wifi household for their one speaker. 

What we are asking of SONOS is to have a similar capability to that of iTunes where you can grant "access" to some people to do things like vote for songs, request other songs, but not change the volume, skip songs, stop songs, etc.

That's one of the requests here.  The other is that we be able to stop our children (or guests) from accessing components of the network such as the SONOS in the baby's room, or parents room, or the main living area, and only give them access to their own rooms.

Guided Access is not suitable for this, and nor should it be used as a workaround.  This is a simple request that SONOS really needs to start taking seriously.
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I'm sure their demo systems will be on a private wifi, but if you can get access to it, you might be able to prove your point by having a bunch of people start fighting over the control (and loudness) of the demo systems...  ;-)
I live in university halls so the app security is a major problem for me. So far i've not had any trouble as I have not let anybody controllers to my system.

However I have also found another more serious problem. Anybody with Windows Media Player seems to be able to stream music to my Play 3 and I can't stop it. This means that any computer on the network can control my system. Does anybody know if there is a way of stopping devices other than controllers accessing it?
Since Sonos does not offer a controller app for BlackBerry 10 phones, I recently downloaded one of several available third-party apps to control my Sonos system. However, I was shocked when I realized that I was able to start using that app to control my Sonos system without even complying with the (very limited) security feature of having to press the join button on one of my Sonos components, which I believe is required when you use Sonos's own controller app for various platforms.  In other words, my BB being connected to my home wireless network was sufficient for the app to have full and immediate access to controlling my Sonos system.  Even before this discovery, I found Sonos seriously lacking with respect to security (for the reasons pointed out by other posters in this and other threads) but I did not realize until now that it was this bad.  (Unlike some of the other posters, I don't live in a university hall or other building with shared wireless, but for those who do, this must be a major drawback.)

Sonos, can you please implement the following as soon as possible:
- Ability to restrict the addition of controllers to an existing system (e.g., by requiring a password for adding controllers)
- Ability to grant restricted access to certain controllers (e.g., allowing party guests to add songs to the current queue, but not to control anything else; or allowing your kids to control the loudspeaker in their own rooms but not to control any other zones)
- Ability to revoke the access of existing controllers from your system (e.g., remove the controllers of party guests after a party)

For each of these, no changes need to be made for basic users - they can simply be made available as optional advanced features in the menu system.
Since Sonos does not offer a controller app for BlackBerry 10 phones, I recently downloaded one of several available third-party apps to control my Sonos system. However, I was shocked when I realized that I was able to start using that app to control my Sonos system without even complying with the (very limited) security feature of having to press the join button on one of my Sonos components, which I believe is required when you use Sonos's own controller app for various platforms.  In other words, my BB being connected to my home wireless network was sufficient for the app to have full and immediate access to controlling my Sonos system.  Even before this discovery, I found Sonos seriously lacking with respect to security (for the reasons pointed out by other posters in this and other threads) but I did not realize until now that it was this bad.  (Unlike some of the other posters, I don't live in a university hall or other building with shared wireless, but for those who do, this must be a major drawback.)

Sonos, can you please implement the following as soon as possible:
- Ability to restrict the addition of controllers to an existing system (e.g., by requiring a password for adding controllers)
- Ability to grant restricted access to certain controllers (e.g., allowing party guests to add songs to the current queue, but not to control anything else; or allowing your kids to control the loudspeaker in their own rooms but not to control any other zones)
- Ability to revoke the access of existing controllers from your system (e.g., remove the controllers of party guests after a party)

For each of these, no changes need to be made for basic users - they can simply be made available as optional advanced features in the menu system.


Yeah - it's the same with Windows Phone and the third party app "Phonos". Once you're connected to the Wi-Fi you don't need no confirmation by pressing a button on a SONOS device - it just works 😉. So in every friends household once hooked up to their Wi-Fi (which is pretty standard nowadays) I can control their SONOS. (...) No comment.
From the Sonos FB feed - Is this a sign?

"Sonos parents, do your kids ever ask *you* to turn the music down?"
Hi Sonos

How is work on this feature progressing? I would dearly love to be able to expand my system into my children's bedrooms, but as the system currently is, that is not going to be possible as it would cause endless arguments.

What I personally would like to see is the ability to set up the controller on my daughter's tablet such that she has access only to the system in her room (once we purchase it), access only between certain times, and have a maximum volume to which she can raise her system.

I understand that this is not compatible with the way that the controller is currently, and also that a significant proportion of people would not want/need these functions. As such, my suggestion is that you develop a separate controller incorporation this functionality.

Thanks for your time; hopefully you'll be able to deliver on this one for us.

Regards

Mark
Hi all, first of all: A Happy New Year to all of you and especially the Sonos team! I wouldn't trash my Sonos system having not the "restriction" function, but like the other fans requesting this feature I have the need for it. I'm a Daddy of four, and currently Sonos is in place in living room, as a mobile Play 3, and in one of my kids room. But I avoided to give an RC option to my boy to keep myself save... As I'd like to extend the system to other kids rooms and the guest room as well the feature becomes more and more important to me. I really do understand if Sonos likes to implement a complete new security system. That would not be done by just letting a zone disappear in the Sonos app as it still would be accessible by direct talk to the IP address. But that needs a lot more knowledge and action and I love this opportunity. But if you're not a nerd or technically interested, it's enough to just be able to hide different zones in the app. Best regards to you all, Ralph.
Happy new year indeed 😛
Let's face it. after so many comments and no feedback from SONOS. they couldnt give a flying fuck and have no intention of sorting this out. well pissed off now and sorry that i bought the bastard thing. ruined new years eve when all the adults were dancing to 80's and the kids over call with Jason Derulo. very tedious after ten times and people started to go home. cant confiscate all the phones.............................
Now you've done it, Wendy...stand by to be chastised by the apologists for being a crappy parent or having superficial friends or any myriad of other personal shortcomings.

Never give up the fight.  I already spoiled someone's day at a Sonos demonstration and they hopefully took that back with them to their boss.

One of these days either a tech journal or a class-action lawyer will pick this up and it will suddenly be so easy for them to implement.
Coming up for it's 9th year anniversary this request Sonos - sometimes it pays to listen !
http://forums.sonos.com/showthread.php?t=3271
This request is coming up for its 9 year anniversary Sonos !  Are you really that unappreciative of your customer feedback - it makes you look so unhelpful  and just  $$$ focused - sometimes it pays to listen...
 http://forums.sonos.com/showthread.php?t=3271
Userlevel 1
I'm surprised this isn't an easy equation for Sonos. I can't limit access by the kids' controllers = I don't buy Sonos speakers for the kids' rooms
Badge +18
Hi everyone,

We appreciate that this is a desired feature for Sonos and that you're all keen for an update on whether or not it may be under development.  At this time, we have no new information to be shared on the topic.  We are listening however, and we're reading every new comment submitted.

When we do have news to share, you'll be among the first to know.  Thank you for your continued support.
Can't say as I've ever seen a more non-committal acknowledgement/response from an official rep; hardly inspires confidence that Sonos intends to address what most on this thread view as a glaring software weakness. That said, it's great hardware. 
Heh... You've just managed to turn my disappointment over this into actual anger.

Seriously, what kind of NSA-esque statement is this? Sonos has been aware of this feature request for close to nine years, and you won't even say if it's being discussed internally?

If you want our continued support I personally think you should consider giving people a reason to support you. I won't be buying more Sonos players until some kind of solution for this problem is available - heck, I'd be a happy camper if you'd just publish an API and let people build their own controller apps.
This is very disappointing to me as well. Not that I would expect this change in 2 weeks and not that we want to have any commitment at all at this point, but I would expect a kind of "yes, we understand" or "if we go this way we have the following issues and therefore it is not that easy" or "we have currently a different priority". Why do we have no interaction or active discussion? 

I'm working for a huge software company, and I cannot understand, that this requests can be that difficult.

I'm only customer since 4 month and the only update I have seen so far was 4.2. I have seen a Beta invitation for 4.2.2- with small bug fixing. Is this the work you have done in the last 3 month on software?

This means since 3 month no innovation in the software. There are a lot of requests which are really important like the rear-speaker-usage in combination with the Playbar, DTS support, Multi-servce/user support and this request with "security" or "restrictions".

I cannot imagine, that this is so difficult to communicate a roadmap.

You're at a point where the competitors are faster and more innovative.... 
Userlevel 2
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I originally started this thread. The official response above is nothing short of insulting to all the contributors to this discussion. Either provide some useful information or don't bother contributing. As a long standing SONOS customer who has spent considerable sums on my system I am extremely angry and disappointed with the poor customer service and lack of software development with this issue.
Is that all.....
Come on put a least some effort into a reply
Userlevel 2
Dear John,
well, i have to say that I slowly realize that Sonos isn't interested in their customers wishes at all. I guess all you want is our money, so you guys can keep your well paid developer or marketing jobs.
Well, after purchasing more than 8 Sonos now, i will slowly but surely switch over to something new.
It is very unprofessional to let us know, that you read this thread since years, and still will monitoring what people have to say, and still do nothing. You suck at communication. Seriously, than just say nothing and keep quiet. Snowden has no info on you, so please John, stay in the shadows in the future.
Such an easy feature to add, and still you guys can't figure it out. Either your engineers are useless and incompetent or you seriously are so sure that people will keep on buying your stuff even if you totally ignore their wishes.
Well, i guess we will hear another useless comment from some official rep in let's say, ...... 2 years.
Userlevel 2
What about starting a Facebook group about Sonos and their ignorance against their customers to put them in the spotlight and also involving the hifi media to reflect on this to demand answers.
I'm very new to Sonos and while I am extremely satisfied and impressed with the system's ease of use, setup and performance, I too am disappointed with the lack of progress on the security issue which is - in an age where wifi is the norm and everybody is walking around with a controller - a glaring, fundamental and negligent omission. I have quickly scanned this thread and will state what I think you all know already. Sonos does not care about the potential for admin/security on its systems and will not be implementing it.

I will be securing my system behind a subnet and a hidden SSID however not everybody has the ability or desire to do this. This will also present its own issues but is the best solution I can think of for now. As I said I am happy with the system and may even look at expanding but I can't in good faith recommend it to others because it is missing such a vital component.

I look forward to being made to eat humble pie ...
Userlevel 3
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Adding this feature would be excellent. Does anyone remember the old, very good but not well know iTunes DJ feature. It allowed you to queue up a track by any iPhone user but not interrupt the currently playing track. It also allowed you to love a track which would push it further up the list. http://www.macstories.net/reviews/party-dj-brings-itunes-dj-feature-back-to-ios-7-with-app-for-iphone-and-ipad/ This link is a replacement app that does similar and would be an amazing addition to the Sonos system.
I have two PLAY1's - and am considering extending with a PLAY3 & PLAY5. However, I really dont want to do that until SONOS provide the ability to restrict some controllers to some zones. Seems amazing to me how long this has been requested for and still no change.
Come on SONOS, what is your current position on this long standing and popular request?
this keeps happening to me and it is VERY annoying. the lack of control is whats stopping me from expanding my sonos. i dont want a guest to accidentaly blast me out of bed by selecting the wrong rooms and or songs. the idea that anybody with a phone or tablet can pretty much take over the music is annoying to me.  the simple solution is a password at the app level