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Question

Do I need a constant internet connection with the new app?


I live in a rural area with sketchy internet access. On a good day my top speeds are 1.1mbps down and 0.8mbps up, often much slower. Leaving the connection active seems to cause it to slow down, so I only connect when I need to go online. I’m getting the idea that the new app needs to connect to some server somewhere to function. Is this the case? Will my sonos kit cease to function unless I’m online when it's updated?

10 replies

Anyone?

Userlevel 6
Badge +13

I don’t think it’s specific to the new app. I can recall that the previous version of the app requires internet access, at startup, at least. It may be possible to remove external access once the app has started, but I confess I have never tried.

All of the advertising that gets pushed at the user by the new app will, of course, be coming from a remote server somewhere out on the internet.

I set up my Sonos kit (several years ago) and use it almost daily without internet access. I’ve been able to avoid updates so far, but I’m very worried I may end up with expensive paperweights if the app needs constant net access.

Userlevel 6
Badge +13

My advice: stick with what you have, unless there is some feature of the new app that you cannot do without.

I’m sticking with the old “gold icon” version of the app for as long as it takes - I may never update if the current fiasco persists.

Userlevel 7
Badge +16

A definitive statement from Sonos would be good on this topic.  When is Internet access needed now?  Apparently even local library access needs Internet access at times now?

A definitive statement from Sonos would be good on this topic.  When is Internet access needed now?  Apparently even local library access needs Internet access at times now?

Agreed. Do Sonos employees ever comment here?

Userlevel 6
Badge +13

A definitive statement from Sonos would be good on this topic.  When is Internet access needed now?  Apparently even local library access needs Internet access at times now?

Agreed. Do Sonos employees ever comment here?

Yes, they do, but given the current overwhelming load of problems with the new app, the chances of getting one of them to answer you question here are very low.

I don’t think Sonos have made any public announcements about whether they are abandoning the Boost or not, and this is probably deliberate (they will probably be criticised if they are, and criticised if they are not).

FWIW, I ran a Boost for several years in my system, but stopped doing so about a year ago when I installed a wi-fi mesh system - on balance it did not seem to be helping in my system.

Oh, there’s a boost problem too?? I have to run a boost given the thickness of the walls in my property. Wi-Fi just doesn’t work here.

Userlevel 6
Badge +13

Sorry, that was a cross-post - I was thinking of a different thread... The issue (as I recall it) with the Boost is that some Sonos products don’t use Sonosnet now. I introduced a Move (which doesn’t use Sonosnet) into my system and it seemed to make my dropout problems worse - so I got rid of the Boost, and things got a bit better. I then got rid of the Move and things got a lot better!

Well, I’m not worrying about integrating a Move or Roam, as there’s absolutely no danger of me buying anything from Sonos again.

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