Unable to connect to Sonos player/Music stops

Binx01 · 2015-01-20T02:28:00+00:00

I am having issues with my Sonos system that seems to have started after the latest update? It does not matter what device I use to control the system...PC based, tablet based, phone based, wired or wireless connectivity, and do have a bridge connected wired. The system has worked perfectly for two+ years and just started having issues recently. It starts fine but might “crossfade” midstream during a song or just stops, then may start again after a while or just stops and I see the error message "unable to connect to Sonos player"? I have rebooted my router and bridge a few times but nothing changes. The player may play for a few songs then start acting up or may play for longer. I have 4 Play 5 speakers, one Play 3 speaker, a Sonos Amp and the bridge, and was looking at adding the PlayBar, but am holding off for now. And after having enjoyed my Sonos system without issue for a few years, I was wondering if the latest update is causing the issues? I do not have any other issues related to my network and can play the same playlists through my PCs or tablets without any issues, as well as stream any media to my TVs without issue. Any ideas?

Hi Bob,

It sounds like there may be some wireless interference interrupting communication between your Sonos components. To determine if this is the case, and how to fix it, we would like to see some data from your Sonos system. Please send us a diagnostic report and reply here with the confirmation number: How to submit diagnostics.

I have the same problem...4561158

Hi Bob,

It sounds like there may be some wireless interference interrupting communication between your Sonos components. To determine if this is the case, and how to fix it, we would like to see some data from your Sonos system. Please send us a diagnostic report and reply here with the confirmation number: How to submit diagnostics.

Hi User981359,

I see some wireless interference on your system. This may well be the cause of the connection errors. Please try changing the wireless channel on which your Sonos system operates. Here's how to change the Sonos wireless channel.

Please let us know if this does not help.

Same problem here... diagnostic #4883919

I have the same problem as well... diagnostic # 5380527

I have the same problem as well... diagnostic # 5380527 Reviewed your diagnostic and found peaks of wireless interference. Here's an article how: Reducing wireless interference

Same problem. Diagnostic # 5420194

Same problem. Diagnostic # 5420194 Hi Anouk, please send a new diagnostics, this needs to happen within 15 minutes of such an issue.

Hi - I also have the same problem - I'm glad to see I'm not alone. #5475440

Thanks.

Hi Tim, please change the Sonos' wireless channel to 11, wait 10 minutes, and submit another diagnostics.

Hi - after doing the above steps, my new number is 5478617. Please note that my Airport Extreme router is set to 11 (I left it as is). Thanks.

I tried checking the diagnostic, however, we're unable to open it. Seems there is still something going on, can you move the Airport Extreme from channel 11, try to submit 3 diagnostics after, hopefully, we will be able to open 1 of them.

I changed the channel for AE to 1, and submitted 3 diagnostics: 5482095, 5482096, 5482099. Thanks.

Thanks for the info, Tim. On all three diagnostics, which I was able to open this time, there is heavy interference shown around both the CONNECT and the BRIDGE. This suggests that your SONOS system is suffering as a result of having been placed on the same wireless channel as a neighbouring network, or as the same channel as a networked device in your household. If, with the aid of a WiFi scanner, you have determined this is not the case, it could be that your SONOS components are situated near an electronic or WiFi enabled device that is interfering with them. Think, baby monitors, DECT phones, microwaves, etc.

If this is the case, please try unplugging / powering down anything of this nature that is within a meter of your SONOS components, just as a test. Does this resolve the issue?

Hello, I'm having trouble connecting only with my iPhone controller. I have no problems connecting with my PC. My phone is on the same network as my PC and connects intermittently. The problems started about a week ago and have not improved, even with the latest update to the app on my iPhone on 2/17.

I've tried resetting the controller on my iPhone as well as deleting/re-installing the app.

The diagnostic is: 5482996

Hi Edward - thanks so much for telling me which components to focus on. I re-positioned my Bridge as much as I could away from my router, and my Connect was sitting next to an unused Airport Express still plugged in (that is probably what did it). I just had 1 short dropout since then, but it's at least better already. I submitted a few more diagnostics if you don't mind having a look: 5485280 and 5485287. Thanks very much!

Hello, I'm having trouble connecting only with my iPhone controller. I have no problems connecting with my PC. My phone is on the same network as my PC and connects intermittently. The problems started about a week ago and have not improved, even with the latest update to the app on my iPhone on 2/17.

I've tried resetting the controller on my iPhone as well as deleting/re-installing the app.

The diagnostic is: 5482996

Hi, TallMark, I think you would benefit from the advice given to other users throughout the course of this thread. The issue at the moment appears to be that your SONOS system is occupying the same channel as your main router, or the same channel as a neighbouring network. A quick login to your router would clarify this, as well as a few brief moments on a channel scanner App. There are free ones out there though I cannot advise which to use.

If it is the case that you have some channel clashes happening, you need to select an independent channel for each- the SONOS and the router. Please let me know if this helps.

Hi Edward - thanks so much for telling me which components to focus on. I re-positioned my Bridge as much as I could away from my router, and my Connect was sitting next to an unused Airport Express still plugged in (that is probably what did it). I just had 1 short dropout since then, but it's at least better already. I submitted a few more diagnostics if you don't mind having a look: 5485280 and 5485287. Thanks very much!

Hi, timbracken, that's a pleasure, always happy to run additional checks! I'm afraid the news I have isn't the most encouraging, however. The diagnostics are still showing some issues with interference across your system. Whilst the reports are always a very good indication of what will most probably happen, at times the systems can behave differently in practice. Are you still having issues, or is it okay for now? If you find that you are still encountering difficulties, it would probably be best to get in touch by telephone at this stage. This way we can remote into your computer and run some checks that way.

Hi Edward - thanks for checking my latest logs and letting me know there is still some serious interference! It is definitely much better now with the streaming services (very few dropouts and no more disconnections from my Connect component in the Controller app). The only major issue left is constant dropouts with my USB connected harddrive to my Airport Extreme router on the network. I continue to get the following errors:

"Unable to play '***' - the connection to //EXTERNAL_HD was lost."

"Unable to play '***' - network connection speed insufficient to maintain playback buffer."

I have tried 2 different USB harddrives connected to that router, each giving me the above issues. I'm considering just using the music library on my computer itself instead, but not sure if that will make a difference (it may). I was hoping to use the external harddrive so that it's not reliant on my computer being on all the time in order for SONOS to play my FLAC/mp3 music files. I will use the telephone support as suggested above. Thanks again.

Hi Tim,

Please let us know how it goes with the phone team.

I'm running a Mac Book Pro with OS X 10.10.5.

I just setup a system and tried to connect my local iTunes music folder. Based on the vague instructions, I went into Preferences>Sharing and clicking on "file sharing", and it still failed several times prompting the dialog "unable to connect to folder...".

I restarted Sonos and relaunched Finder still with no success.

I did gain success when I went into the Folder's info panel and activated the "Shared Folder" setting. (selecting the folder and then pressing command+i of File>Get Info). I did this to the parent and two nested folders that contain the music, but I'm not totally sure if you need to just do this to the parent and/or the child directories as well - I happen to do it for all of my relative directories.

Then it took a long time for the library to be added. My library is over 180GB, and I just let it run overnight. I'm not sure how long it actually took, but over an hour.

additional note: I did this to have access to my personal library of music, but also to play audio books downloaded from Audible and added to my iTunes library. Unfortunately, the audio book from Audible did not show up, I searched genre>Audio Books, by artist (author), by song/book title, and I cannot find it anywhere in my library. It is definitely in my iTunes library and I checked the directory inside the library location. But it is not showing up in Sonos.

Hi Artistiq,

Usually setting the sharing permissions in the system preferences menu will also set the permissions on nested folders. This sometimes does not work due to account permission issues or custom security settings. A library of that size will take a long time to index.

Audible is no longer available on the Sonos system so your system will be unable to index or play your Audible files.

Sonos connect amp is hardwired with Ethernet and has worked flawlessly over these few years. As of a few days ago , it vanished and when power recycled it shows up but cannot connect to any music or radio . Have submitted Diagnostics #6321435.

Please Help!

Hi Triven,

It looks like your Sonos system is not up to date. This could be the reason why it isn't connecting to music services. Please run updates and let me know if any issues continue. Here's how to update your system.

Having trouble connecting to one of my Sonos 3. Diagnostic # 6343524

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