Allow controllers to pair with multiple home systems


I love the sonos connect so much that I got one at home, at work, for my brother, for my father and for my father in law. My only complaint is that my controller is locked to one system at a time. When I move between different houses I should be able to pair the controller on my phone with their systems and have it remember me when I come back - without resetting. I've seen the tip about bringing them all to one place and setting them up together. But that's not always possible or desirable. There is no real security concern because I still have to be allowed on their network and I'd still have to push the buttons on the device. Seems like a relatively simple software problem to allow me to pair with multiple systems and remember all the systems I've paired with.

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100 replies

Userlevel 1
This is a really good point, I have the same problem and it's really annoying. So pleas make the controller be abeel to pair whit more then one Sonos system.
Userlevel 2
Hasn't anyone working at Sonos encountered the situation with having a controller app on their phone that they want to use at home and at work?
Userlevel 2
I am lucky enough to have 3 homes and 3 sonos systems, yet, will have to reset notebook, sonos controller, and or phone when I go to each. This is great if you stay for a while, but we do 3 days at one place, then 4 days at the other house. My questions is why can't Sonos write code that treats their network like a internet network. My pc simply sees a new or known SSID, and connects if I have the proper passphase. Sonos has top of the line technology and functions that just work without reading a manual, I am surprised at this oversight by the smart people at Sonos.
Userlevel 1
Believe there is a workaround for this if you are able to move your speakers between locations once....set them all up on the same network first (name them accordingly so you know which box goes to which location) then take them back to you other homes and they should then just be available when your controller is on the network at your other places. Have not tried this yet but may do soon. Remember having read about this on a forum somewhere
Userlevel 1
Believe there is a workaround for this if you are able to move your speakers between locations once....set them all up on the same network first (name them accordingly so you know which box goes to which location) then take them back to you other homes and they should then just be available when your controller is on the network at your other places. Have not tried this yet but may do soon. Remember having read about this on a forum somewhere
By the way, agree there should be an easier way!
Agreed this is a major shortcoming of the Sonos system (the workaround notwithstanding). I have 2 distinct systems separated by 500 miles or so, and I hate having to reset the controller every time I change locations, super annoying.
I was going to post this also. BUT SONOS , PLEASE DO THIS!!
Great point.
Agreed, the Sonos Controller on our phones should have a feature that allows pairing with more than one system. Based on our location, it should allow controlling the Sonos system at our current location. When we're home, we control our own. When at a friend's house, we can control theirs, and so on. It is quite annoying to have to reset the controller and go through pairing process every time when we wish to control a different system.
Please add a feature that allows multiple systems to be controlled from the apps. My dad and I both have systems and I would like to be able to control his also.
Same issue, multiple houses and annoyed about having to reset te controller. Considering leaving an ipod at secondary house to use as controller but this is cheap solution to a frustrating problem that Sonos should be able to fix easy.
I need this. I have a 4 zone system at home and a 3 zone system at my mothers house.
Very good idea and important feature. Please you smart SONOS people, do it. The security question is nearly irrelevant, because I need to have physical access to a SONOS player to connect. And to secure it there could be a setting in the app to deactivate a specific controller.
Userlevel 1
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Completely agree. In my case, I have 4 band mates who were considering each getting a Sonos system for their homes. I tried to demo my Play 5 at our studio and because I had issues with resetting my iPhone 5 remote, they were all turned off by this. This could have been such great business for Sonos. All we wanted was for each of us to control the Sonos at our studio, then have the ability (if they were to buy the system for their home) to switch back to their home netwrok once they get home - without having to reset it.
Userlevel 1
I'm also wishing for this feature. I'm switching daily between 2-3 sonos systems, and it gets frustrating, as the units are hidden away. In an ideal world, you should be able automatically control a paired system, based on the wifi network you have joined.
Userlevel 1
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This needs to be more of a priority for Sonos, and I'll tell you why - More and more people are now able to afford Play 3 and Play 5 systems because they are so common on ebay and even more affordable on craigslist. Before you know it, this may turn into a bigger complaint since the demand for multiple set ups may increase. As someone mentioned in a similar posting - this may be a good problem for Sonos.
Re: ...good problem for Sonos... I've been holding off on buying a pair of S3's for work because I don't want to be constantly resetting pairing between work/home Sonos systems. If they implemented this feature I would definitely buy them.
I should add I'm considering buying a Bowers & Wilkins A5 soon instead since I don't see any traction on this feature.
Dude, that brand looks awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Believe there is a workaround for this if you are able to move your speakers between locations once....set them all up on the same network first (name them accordingly so you know which box goes to which location) then take them back to you other homes and they should then just be available when your controller is on the network at your other places. Have not tried this yet but may do soon. Remember having read about this on a forum somewhere
This works very well and I am doing it with my two houses. However, Sonos should be brillant enough to find a real fix. Thanks for this workaround.
I have one system in Spain and one in Sweden so bringing them to one place is not that easy... I really vote for different "profiles".
Sonos- You need to realize that this feature request is akin to the early days of wifi and users not wanting to have to re-type SSID & password when then went from one wifi connection to another. If you believe your devices will be pervasive, then it will be encumbent on you to enable a single controller (PC/Phone) to seamlessly move between multiple Sonos networks.
+1 their is a quite simple solution for this. one solution: Make it able in the controller to add a Household ID with a request password. One of the connected controller (owner mostly) should then accept the connection or the owner could accept this through the Sonos my account website. another solution: Make it password protected (like a wifi) and let the user chose to broadcast the sonos household ID if he want's to. Let the user also chose to merge playlists or keep their own. This will remove the fact that you have to bring a bridge or a play to any given new location or old location or to a friend who has sonos. We have sonos at the office and at home. many of my collegues like to connect their device to all the systems but they need to reset the controller every time. and so lose all settings between all the controllers. Sonos is great, make it better We all like to share. best regards Alex
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Sonos please add this feature!!
A must do!