Answered

Sonos S1 app

M
Badge

Hi,

I have an original Sonos amp linked to Alexa which works fine via voice control. My problem is when I try to use the S1 app. 
Every new day that I try to use the app it won’t connect to my amp, I have to turn the amp off at the wall and then when it reboots I can use the app, for a day, then it won’t connect again. 
I am using the app on Apple if that makes any difference.

Needless to say, it is very frustrating so would appreciate any advice please. 
 

Thank you

Matt

icon

Best answer by Ken_Griffiths 1 May 2023, 13:48

View original
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

16 replies

buzz

Unfortunately, the names that SONOS assigns to their products are confusing and the same box might be described with different names -- depending on when the description was written. I’m not sure which product you are describing.

An “original Sonos amp” could be a ZP100 (ZonePlayer100), ZP120 (ZonePlayer120), or CONNECT:AMP. ZP120 and CONNECT:AMP are actually the same product -- they just changed the product name. “AMP” is the latest product in this series and there is only one version.

ZP100 and ZP120 are S1 only. Depending on the date of manufacture, some CONNECT:AMP’s can use S2.

I suggest that you submit a diagnostic, note the confirmation number, and contact SONOS support.

Alex.L
Userlevel 3
Badge +5

Tbh, this sounds like it could be an issue with your network. Most networks work in a 12 hour refresh time from when a device is connected, if the Amp cannot get a refresh after 12 hours, the router will decide at the 24 hour mark to kick it off. Check your router, and see if the Amp shows up there - If it doesn’t… well you got your answer ;)

Previously a DJ & Radio Presenter. iOS & Android developer in my spare time. Setup: Move, Archer AX1500 with Raspberry Pi as DNS with AdGuardHome
Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

A quick thing you can do to fix IP issues is assigning a static/reserved IP address to all your Sonos devices. Your router’s DHCP page should have instructions for doing that.

When done power down all Sonos, reboot the router, power up the Sonos.

M
Badge

Thanks for the responses.

Yes, the connect:amp shows up as Sonos ZP so assume that’s all correct. 
With regards a static ip address, I’m with Sky and they don’t offer this service on any of their domestic services. Is there another way of achieving this?

Alex.L
Userlevel 3
Badge +5

Stanley means setting an internal static IP on the Connect:Amp, on the device itself, not the router :) 

Previously a DJ & Radio Presenter. iOS & Android developer in my spare time. Setup: Move, Archer AX1500 with Raspberry Pi as DNS with AdGuardHome
M
Badge

Ok, thank you. How do I go about doing that?

Ken_Griffiths

Ok, thank you. How do I go about doing that?

There’s no way to do it on the Sonos device. See if this YT video may assist you…

https://youtu.be/GnydEDF806s

M
Badge

Again, thank you everyone.

I’ve assigned the ip address so I’ll see what happens. 

M
Badge

Well, unfortunately that’s made no difference. Within 3 hours, it had gone again. 
The Amp is pretty well useless without Alexa, it’s the only way I seem to be able to control it!

buzz

Is this unit a “CONNECT:AMP” or the latest model the “AMP”?

You mention that the only way that you can control this device is with Alexa. Is the SONOS controller App not able to control the unit? Sometimes deleting and re-installing a device from the Alexa setup will resolve issues.

M
Badge

Hi Buzz

It’s the older CONNECT:AMP. 
The issue I am having is that the S1 app is “unable to connect to Sonos”. I then reboot the amp and it works for a few hours and then can’t find it again. 
I currently use Alexa voice control to get the amp to play radio stations or the Spotify app on my phone to play music but that’s it. I’ve tried deleting Alexa but it makes no difference. 

Ken_Griffiths

Hi Buzz

It’s the older CONNECT:AMP. 
The issue I am having is that the S1 app is “unable to connect to Sonos”. I then reboot the amp and it works for a few hours and then can’t find it again. 
I currently use Alexa voice control to get the amp to play radio stations or the Spotify app on my phone to play music but that’s it. I’ve tried deleting Alexa but it makes no difference. 

I assume you’re older Connect:Amp is gen1, rather than gen2, but does the device ever show in your Sonos S1 App? - you refer to controlling it using Alexa, after power-cycling it, but you don’t mention if it ever appears in your S1 App. Maybe the below will assist you…

Assuming the Connect:Amp does appear in your S1 App, it sounds very much like you are perhaps having ‘discovery’ issues between your controller device and the Connect:Amp, rather than it actually dropping from your network…

The Sonos controller uses SSDP to initially discover the players, multicasting via UDP to 239.255.255.250:1900 and, for good measure, broadcasting to 255.255.255.255:1900. 

Thereafter communication is unicast.

It sounds like your multicast packets from your mobile are not getting through to ‘discover’ the Amp, which I’m guessing is still connected to your local network… to see if that IS what is happening, when it next disappears from your S1 App, see if shows as still being on your LAN, maybe check the router and see if it’s present in its configuration pages, or perhaps ‘ping’ the Amp across your network .. Also just see if the Amp will play using its play/pause hardware button etc.

Assuming it is present on the LAN and has not dropped its connection to your router, you then need to establish what is intermittently blocking the multicast packets between your controller device and the Connect Amp, preventing its discovery.

Some possibilities are your iPhone is using vpn/security software, or other features like WiFi calling/Mac Address spoofing (called ‘Private Address’ on IOS) - so try disabling those features.

Other possibilities are the Connect Amp and Mobile device are using different bands/network segments and/or WiFi access points and possibly completely different wireless channels too and the multicast packets are not always able to get through.. You could simply try using SonosNet by cableing ‘any’ Sonos device to your main router and ensure that your mobile (iPhone) device connects direct to that router too and not a different AP. (Ideally use the same 2.4Ghz WiFi band connection for your mobile device).

Other things that may help, besides reserving your Sonos IP address, which I understand you have done already are…

  • Set the 2.4Ghz band to use a fixed ‘non-overlapping’ WiFi channel - 1, 6 or 11 and if the router allows, set the 2.4 GHz band to use a channel-width of 20 MHz only.
  • If using SonosNet - ensure it’s channel is not set to the same channel in use by your router and set any wired Sonos device at least one meter away from the router.
  • If using any other wireless access points/extenders besides the router, first try setting those to use the exact same SSID names/credentials and channels/channel-width as your main router. If however you find things work better without such access points then black-list your mobile controller and Connect Amp so they bypass the other access points and always connect direct to your router instead.
  • It’s also worth checking for any router firmware updates.

Device discovery issues are sometimes difficult to pin-down, but maybe one, or more, of the suggestions above will help you to resolve your intermittent Amp ‘dropout’ issue.

 

M
Badge

Hi Ken

Thank you for your comprehensive response, definitely some things to try there. 
What I can’t understand though is that I lose connection across all of my devices at the same time, 2 iPhones and 2 iPads. My amp does show in the app after a reboot, and I can use it as normal, then without any warning I lose connection on all of my devices at the same time. 
It’s just done it now, it is showing on my router so is connected to the router. 

Ken_Griffiths

@mattjazz,

Assuming that the Connect Amp is not suffering some kind of intermittent hardware fault, the fact the Amp is still showing in your router as connected to your LAN, is certainly ‘inferring’ it’s a device ‘discovery’ issue. It maybe related to your network, but you need to provide further detail. 

Have you ever noticed if the Amp status LED begins to flash when it goes missing in the App, indicating it is restarting and looking for an IP address?

If not, I would focus on it likely being a device ‘discovery’ issue and a multicast problem across your local network.

I’ve seen one or two routers that have this issue, two that spring to mind are BT SmartHub v2 and another is Google Nest WiFi with multiple hubs.

Also I have seen similar issues reported where WiFi extenders and/or power-line adapters are in use, or there is an incorrectly setup ‘bridged’ router etc.

As mentioned, it can be difficult to pin-point but perhaps providing more detail about the network setup might help to throw up a few more suggestions to perhaps try, but I would first see how you get on with the suggestions mentioned earlier.

M
Badge

I notice you mention a power line adapter. I do have one of these which I turned off last night. This morning, my amp is still being found in the app. If this is what was causing the issue, is there a way I can still use the adapter or is it just not compatible?

Ken_Griffiths

I notice you mention a power line adapter. I do have one of these which I turned off last night. This morning, my amp is still being found in the app. If this is what was causing the issue, is there a way I can still use the adapter or is it just not compatible?

As you can maybe see from the ‘unsupported setups’ section in the Sonos system requirements HERE it mentions those as not being supported. So it could well be that connection that’s causing you the issue - you would likely be better off using a WiFi mesh system with satellites ‘bridged’ to your main router and switch off your router WiFi too, but see how it goes for now - as I think it’s worth testing for a longer period with the adapter switched off, just to make sure it is the issue. I suspect it will be that.

Terms & ConditionsCookie settings