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Music Library on USB Drive attached to Router

  • October 31, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 75 views
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I have a Music Library  on a USB drive formatted as NTFS and named ‘MusicLib’, attached in the back of a TP-Link Archer BE550 router. Windows media player can access this shared drive from my Windows desktop without a problem.

However, my Sonos system (Beam + One SL) is refusing to see this drive giving an error message “//192.168.0.1/MusicLib is no longer available”.

Sonos can access a shared music folder on my QNAP NAS without a problem.

Sonos can see and access music files on my desktop without a problem.

I don’t particularly want to keep the NAS drive or desktop powered up continuously so that  I can listen to my music, where as the router is permanently ON so having an accessible USB drive attached would be very convenient.

Any suggestions for a solution?

I should really praise SONOS technical support for spending 90 minutes troubleshooting but could not solve the issue.

Thanks

Elgreco

Best answer by Airgetlam

If the router supports SMB 2, then it’s running some version/portion of NAS software, to allow access. Windows uses a different access method, which is why it can ‘see’ the data.

Note that Sonos S1 can’t use SMB v2. You don’t specify in your post which OS the Sonos is running. I’d be following those other threads you’ve found regarding the issues, as well as calling Sonos Support to discuss it.

When you speak directly to the Support staff, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.

4 replies

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • 44820 replies
  • October 31, 2025

Does the router have NAS like capabilities for connected devices? In order to connect, Sonos uses SMB (v1 for S1, v2 or v3.x for S2), and not standard windows connection protocols. If the router doesn’t support NAS like connections, it likely won’t connect, because the ‘type’ is incorrect. You’re likely going to have to delve in to the router’s manual to see the type of sharing it does. It’s also possible, depending on which Sonos OS you’re using, you may need to update/change the settings. 
 

Frankly, it’s possible this will fail, if the router doesn’t include SMB. Some do, many don’t. Especially for USB connected drives. Sonos is expecting a complete NAS system.

Bruce
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  • Elgreco
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 2 replies
  • November 1, 2025

Thanks Bruce. I see your point.

However, the router does support SMB2 and the USB drive attached to it, is accessible from other OS’s.

There is no mention in the router’s manual regarding any NAS characteristics of the USB port.

Looking at other posts on this subject  I can see others are having similar problems.

Elgreco

Airgetlam
  • Airgetlam
  • 44820 replies
  • Answer
  • November 1, 2025

If the router supports SMB 2, then it’s running some version/portion of NAS software, to allow access. Windows uses a different access method, which is why it can ‘see’ the data.

Note that Sonos S1 can’t use SMB v2. You don’t specify in your post which OS the Sonos is running. I’d be following those other threads you’ve found regarding the issues, as well as calling Sonos Support to discuss it.

When you speak directly to the Support staff, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.

Bruce
E
  • Elgreco
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 2 replies
  • November 12, 2025

UPDATE:

Out of curiosity I connected the same USB drive to my ASUS RT-AC88U router (in my garden office) and Sonos connected to it without a problem. This router remains on most of the time too. From this can I draw the conclusion that it’s the TP-Link router to blame?

Cheers


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