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Sonos working only partially with iPhone AirPlay


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I’ve asked this before but did not get anywhere…

This problem used to NOT be a problem. Everything worked as expected.  This problem just started recently and there were no equipment changes.

I have 2 Sonos SL One’s and 1 Roam.  All 3 are grouped.  When I use Alexa and tell her to play a Sirius channel on the group,  it works. All 3 speakers work fine.

When I use an iPhone with iOs 16.4 and select AirPlay for playing track, I get a list that shows the phone and the 3 speakers (but not the group). I used to be able to select each of the 3 speakers, they would connect and start playing.  Now, I can select all 3 but only 2 connect. I get a message saying it cannot connect to the other speaker.

 

I’m upgrading to iOs 16.5 but don’t expect any change.

 

Again, this all used to work fine but not now.

??????

Thanks,
Dave

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Best answer by Airgetlam 20 May 2023, 17:06

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12 replies

Couple of things. 

First, try a reboot of the speakers and the router, see if that helps.

Second, I’d recommend not sending an AirPlay signal to three separate Sonos devices. Send it to one, and then use the Sonos controller to group the rooms. That will reduce the bandwidth being used by your phone by 66%…sending a single stream, rather than three. I don’t know whether 16.5 has ‘throttled’ the amount of bandwidth you can use or not. But I only send a single stream from either my iPad or iPhone anyway. 

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The reboot seems to be the fix I needed.  

 

However, I am back to sending a signal to each speaker.  The ‘group’ does not show on the iPhone ‘s Airplay. I tried ending the signal to one speaker but that’s the only one that plays.

??????

 

Thanks,

Dave

Userlevel 7
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Are you sure the Sonos group used to show on your iPhone for Airplay? I do not remember this. Maybe it was the Alexa group? I do not use Alexa myself, so cannot check this.

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NO, the group never showed on Airplay, just the individual speakers (like now.)

 

Alexa pays to the group.

Userlevel 7
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Ah right. “Now, I can select all 3 but only 2 connect.” Strange indeed, I can select at least three speakers on Airplay that form an Airplay group. Strange that you can’t.

I was trying to suggest that you ‘group’ in the Sonos app, and not in AirPlay 2, so that you’re sending a single AirPlay 2 signal from your iOS device, and not many. 

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My group is set up in Sonos.

So, when you send an AirPlay 2 signal to just the one speaker, it plays on all ‘grouped’ speakers? 

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NO. Using iPhone’s Airplay, I  have to selected each speaker. On Alexa, I only have to tell ‘her’ the group name.

Userlevel 7
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And before this was different?

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NO, that’a how it has always been.  THe problem (which the reboot fixed) was one of the speakers would not connect via airplay but always had  before.

I apologize for the inconvenience you're experiencing with your Sonos speakers and AirPlay on your iPhone. Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve the issue:

1. Update Sonos and iPhone software: Ensure that both your Sonos app and your iPhone are running the latest software versions. This can help ensure compatibility and address any known issues.

2. Restart Sonos speakers: Power cycle your Sonos speakers by unplugging them from the power source, waiting for a few seconds, and then plugging them back in. This can help refresh the connection and resolve temporary issues.

3. Check Wi-Fi network: Ensure that your Sonos speakers and iPhone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If you have multiple networks or network extenders, make sure they are all part of the same network.

4. Reset network settings on iPhone: In your iPhone settings, navigate to "Settings" > "General" > "Reset" > "Reset Network Settings." This will reset your iPhone's network settings, including saved Wi-Fi networks, and can help resolve any network-related issues.

5. Remove and re-add Sonos speakers in the Sonos app: Remove the Sonos speakers from the Sonos app and then add them back again. This can help refresh the connection and ensure proper communication between the app and the speakers.

6. Disable and re-enable AirPlay on Sonos: In the Sonos app, go to "Settings" > "System" > "AirPlay" and disable AirPlay. Wait for a few seconds, then re-enable it. This can help re-establish the AirPlay connection between your iPhone and Sonos speakers.

If the issue persists after trying these steps, I recommend reaching out to Sonos support directly. They will have more specific troubleshooting steps and can provide further assistance in resolving the issue with AirPlay connectivity on your Sonos speakers.

 

Regards;

David Johnson.