I'm having a similar problem. Following to see the solution.

That really seems odd, since the controller is merely a ‘window’ through which you see the app that is really running on the Sonos devices. Have you called Sonos Support directly to discuss it?

Hi

Are there any secondary devices connected to your network such as a “range extender?”

Yes, I have a repeater in a ‘mesh’ connection, but it was installed well before the situation I am describing. I have to add that seemingly the Sonos app installed on my iPad doesn’t interfere with my wife’s one installed on her iPhone. Very strange indeed…

@francic46

Disclaimer: I don’t use Spotify but I do use Apple Music and a few others. Therefore, what I’m posting is somewhat speculation regarding Spotify.

I’ve re-read your posts and now think the issue is not Sonos but possibly a “device authorization” problem with your Spotify account. Let me explain….

Apple will only allow me five (5) devices authorized to download music to. I was able to forego a family plan by providing my credentials to my wife on her iPhone (as one of five devices) for music. Since our music tastes are identical (for Apple Music) she can’t authorize purchases as she doesn’t know the password and of course her FaceID won’t work. That was probably TMI and thankfully my wife doesn’t participate in this community. 

@Airgetlam is correct in his analysis of the Sonos app behavior. Although IMO contacting Sonos support will not help (although I may be wrong). 

I inquired about your network configuration. You mentioned that your network repeater was installed long before this issue. That makes sense as network issues typically involve Sonos components disappearing from the app and/or the Sonos app not being able to find your system. None of that was mentioned as an issue. There are other possible network concerns but I’ll assume they are null based upon your explanation.

As I mentioned I don’t use Spotify. However, you stated that if you delete the Sonos app from your iPhone everything thing returns to normal (so to speak). You also stated that using the Sonos app with your iPad (and I’ll have t assume the Sonos app is still deleted off your iPhone) everything works as normal. What I’m getting at here is the number of device authorizations allowed to use the Spotify service. 

Since you are streaming Spotify through the Sonos app the Spotify server sees it as a device which in reality is your iPhone. When you delete the Sonos app from your iPhone (as shown below) it will delete its data.  The Spotify service is part of the deleted Sonos app data which in turn (IMO) no longer registers your iPhone as an authorized device.

I’m suggesting that Spotify may have changed its end-user streaming policy on authorized devices which is no longer three (3) in certain situations/accounts; previously being your iPhone, your wife's and the iPad. 

I may be completely wrong in my analysis. However, I recommend contacting Spotify to explain the situation as well. They may have culpability/insight regarding the issue. 

BTW: I understand that you are in Italy and I in the US; so Spotify policy may differ by country. However If what I have presented is not the case please educate me on how Spotify account/device authorization works. Always willing to learn something new. 

Well,  thank you for your complete analysis. Maybe you’re right, but until I don’t use Spotify on Sonos app, it should not notice that I’m connected, does it? If I choose other music sources as Radio or Apple Music (which I don’t have), Sonos should let me choose and not say ‘you’re not connected to Sonos speaker’ or the like. Anyway, Spotify allows up to 5 devices; here we have 3 of them. Thank you again very much for caring!

@francic46

Thanks for your reply.

So it appears we’re back to square one. Sonos really doesn’t care about how many devices you have its app on. It’s just an app used as a gateway to your Sonos system. There’s definitely something else going on.

I can use the Apple Music app natively and direct the stream to my Sonos via Airplay. Sonos still doesn’t care from whence the stream is coming from. You also mentioned and I quote..

“Now, if both apps are installed on both phones, I have ‘no connection to Sonos’, then follow the procedure using bluetooth and position, but at last I have no connection at all.”

I’m not understanding what Bluetooth (BT) has to do with Sonos unless you are streaming to a Sonos Roam, Move, Era 300 or Era 100. Those are the only speakers that will natively accept a music stream sent via BT. But here again I can’t see how that would cause the situation you describe 

Having exhausted all my knowledge then go ahead and contact Sonos support as suggested by @Airgetlam. However you need to do so in the following manner:

• Recreate the issue.
• Within 10 minutes run a diagnostic and post the reference ID in your next post.
• Call Sonos tech support to discuss the diagnostic findings

Good luck to resolve your issue and please keep us posted on the resolution. I still think it may be related to Spotify .

Most probably you were right: I forgot that I had installed Spotify  on my Bravia TV and on on my Macpro and my son  also uses  Spotify on his phone.  So I deinstalled  this app from the TV and the Mac and now Sonos seems to work properly, being I able to hear music and control the volume on both phones. But once the app did no more recognize the connection and asked to connect the Sonos speaker using bluetooth and position. Then,  suddenly, everything came to normal. So I remain with my doubts, but the ‘accident’ happened only once.

@francic46 

Thanks for the update. Spotify being the cause of the issue was my suspicion all along. Glad everything is working for yours and your wife’s iPhones as before. 

There are still problems with my Sonos app. A few days ago, after the deletion of Spotify add on two devices (TV and MacBook) both my wife and I had the same problem: it was not possible to interrupt a song on both iPhones and the reason was ‘Sonos is not connecting to the same net’, yet the wi-if connection is really the same (I have a fiber connection with nominal down/upload of 1000/300 Mbit/s). Sometimes I see (on Wi-Fi available nets) both 2,4 GHz (my repeater is connected to this one) and 5 GHz (the left devices are connected to 5), but the net is 5 for the phones AND my iPad and Sonos. So I changed my Sonos password, thinking about the possibility that someone was connected to my app (?). Now the system works, but I’m not convinced I found the solution. Should I ripristinate the Sonos and start again installing it? What a mess!

I suggest that you refrain from Factory Reset.

Sonos could see the WiFi connection on the repeater as a separate network.

Sure, but going on the router page Sonos results connected to the 5 GHz network, that’s the same as for the iPhones, iPad and other devices. And the repeater is at the other end of my apartment. I don’t know if there’s a repeater which connects to 5GHz, I’ll investigate. Thank you anyway, at this point everything is possible. I’ll try disconnecting the repeater, if the problem comes up again.

Should be fairly simple to just unplug the repeater, temporarily, and see if that changes the situation. Sonos does need to be on the same subnet, and many repeaters set up separate subnets, which is why they aren’t unsupported items on the Sonos Network Requirements FAQ.

Thank you. I was just thinking the same, just in case the problem is repeated, as I suspect. Infact I added the last sentence to my previous reply. If so, I’ll have to replace the repeater with one supporting 5GHz or at least 2,4/5. Anyway the conditions you quoted say that WiFi mesh repeaters (my case) are supported. 

There is a difference in a repeater and a mesh node, not all manufacturers bother to make that distinction clear and it causes many unneeded aggravation.

There are even differences in repeaters, some do odd things, some drop some traffic and as said some make a new network.

I detached my mesh repeater, but the problem still showed itself with the same diagnosis: ‘Sonos and device (iPhones and iPad) must be on the same net’ (and they were). But, instead of repeating the procedure (connection with the Sonos wifi, opened Bluetooth andGPS) that brings to nothing, I tried installing as a new speaker my Sonos 3. This time the speaker was recognized and after 4-5 days all is working. I’m crossing my fingers: maybe I ended my problems.  Let’s wait and see, but I thank you all for your useful suggestions!

Please try installing your Sonos device as it were a new one: in my case, it’s working.