Beyond frustrated. Tired of calling support, them changing random things and assuring me that it will "work much better now." I can never just open Sonos and play music from my library. Not once. But the solution is never the same! Sometimes resetting the router works, sometimes restarting the software works. Every time I want to turn it on that means 30 minutes of troubleshooting, and half the time I can't fix it and give up. And then it will fix itself and randomly turn itself on 30 minutes later and scare the sh*t out of me (but the software still says it can't connect so all you can do is pull the plug on the speaker).
Controller is a PC (sony vaio), connected to wi-fi and plugged into a hard line. Music I want to play is in my library. Have a Sonos Amp and a Play3. There are a couple other things on my wi-fi (2 android phones and an ipad). No major sources of wi-fi interference. Fast internet.
Most common error is something like "Cannot clear the queue" or "cannot play song" or "cannot connect to music library" (how can the controller not connect to the library? it IS the library). Tried different router channels. Tried different routers. Can I hardwire the whole thing?
How many times do I have to sit on the phone with Sonos for them to verify that my library is shared (again), and change my router channel (again), and assure me it is now fixed forever? Only for me to come back in 2 hours to it not working again even though nothing changed?
If it didn't cost so much it would be in the trash already. How does (seemingly) everyone love this system so much?
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To answer your last question first, because for nearly everybody, myself included, it always just works. That's of no comfort to you, I know, with repeated problems.
As to the 'controller is the library', that is not true at all. The app is just a controller and doesn't do any audio processing or store any files, the tracks are stored on your computer, and the index of filepaths that make up the Sonos music library is held on each of the Sonos players. Just so you know it's not quite as stupid a message as it sounds.
So to my first questions.
1. You say 'every time I turn it on...'. Are you regularly powering down the units?
2. Do you have any switches, extenders, access points or other network devices on your network?
3. Do you have any Sonos device wired to your network?
4. What does ' connected to wi-fi and plugged into a hard line' mean? Is it wired or wireless?
5. What make and model is your router?
As to the 'controller is the library', that is not true at all. The app is just a controller and doesn't do any audio processing or store any files, the tracks are stored on your computer, and the index of filepaths that make up the Sonos music library is held on each of the Sonos players. Just so you know it's not quite as stupid a message as it sounds.
So to my first questions.
1. You say 'every time I turn it on...'. Are you regularly powering down the units?
2. Do you have any switches, extenders, access points or other network devices on your network?
3. Do you have any Sonos device wired to your network?
4. What does ' connected to wi-fi and plugged into a hard line' mean? Is it wired or wireless?
5. What make and model is your router?
Thanks for the response! I thought I was computer literate -- but apparently not at network things.
1. When I say "turn it on" I mean activate the app and ask for music. The Controller and Amp and Play3 are always plugged in.
2. I have 2 wifi networks(?). Fiber Modem in the basement is also a wifi source (lets call this RouterA -not sure that is technically a router or not?). In my home office I have RouterB, connected by ethernet to RouterA. Sonos is currently on RouterB. Initial Sonos connectivity issues were though to be because of RouterA's location in the basement, so the second router was added. It really seems like it shouldn't be necessary, as yes, it is the basement, but it is centrally located, and the subfloor is wood (not thick masonry). My house isn't large - 1 router should cover 1,200 ft2. Router B is in the same room with the Controller. No other access points.
3. Do not currently have any Sonos device wired to the network. Tried that setup before, and it didn't seem to alleviate any of my issues.
4. So on my computer (Windows 10) it is plugged in to ethernet, and you can still choose a wifi network and make it connect. Sometimes pulling the ethernet cable out will make the sonos work (wifi only), sometimes it will work with both showing "connected." I'm not sure what the deal is here. It would be great to leave the computer plugged in to ethernet (faster connection). How can I play video games over ethernet and broadcast to the sonos in another room at the same time?
5. RouterB that the Sonos is currently on is Netgear R6300. Don't have the model for RouterA with me. Whatever CenturyLink Fiber put in a year ago.
Also -- my music library is large-ish. Indexing it took 10 minutes the last time I was on the phone with Sonos. Not sure if that matters. My computer (controller) isn't that new, and is showing its age (6 years old?), but it's my understanding that that shouldn't matter once the indexing is done.
1. When I say "turn it on" I mean activate the app and ask for music. The Controller and Amp and Play3 are always plugged in.
2. I have 2 wifi networks(?). Fiber Modem in the basement is also a wifi source (lets call this RouterA -not sure that is technically a router or not?). In my home office I have RouterB, connected by ethernet to RouterA. Sonos is currently on RouterB. Initial Sonos connectivity issues were though to be because of RouterA's location in the basement, so the second router was added. It really seems like it shouldn't be necessary, as yes, it is the basement, but it is centrally located, and the subfloor is wood (not thick masonry). My house isn't large - 1 router should cover 1,200 ft2. Router B is in the same room with the Controller. No other access points.
3. Do not currently have any Sonos device wired to the network. Tried that setup before, and it didn't seem to alleviate any of my issues.
4. So on my computer (Windows 10) it is plugged in to ethernet, and you can still choose a wifi network and make it connect. Sometimes pulling the ethernet cable out will make the sonos work (wifi only), sometimes it will work with both showing "connected." I'm not sure what the deal is here. It would be great to leave the computer plugged in to ethernet (faster connection). How can I play video games over ethernet and broadcast to the sonos in another room at the same time?
5. RouterB that the Sonos is currently on is Netgear R6300. Don't have the model for RouterA with me. Whatever CenturyLink Fiber put in a year ago.
Also -- my music library is large-ish. Indexing it took 10 minutes the last time I was on the phone with Sonos. Not sure if that matters. My computer (controller) isn't that new, and is showing its age (6 years old?), but it's my understanding that that shouldn't matter once the indexing is done.
Thanks for all the info. There are a few oddities here, if you don't mind my saying so. Which may be a good thing, as it gives us something to work on. We really need to know if the thing in the basement is just a modem (i.e. just a link to the internet) or a modem/router (i.e. also does things a router does, like create a wireless LAN and hand out IP addresses). If there was ever a time when it was the only router (sounds like it was) then it is a modem / router. If it is still doing some router-ish things then you have two routers going at the same time and that is a recipe for chaos with Sonos.
So can we establish whether that is the case? I suspect you either need to get router A into 'modem only' mode, or get router B into 'bridge' aka 'access point' mode. And we may have to do a bit more than that. But the first thing we need to be sure of is that you don't have two routers in full-on router mode, both handing out IP addresses. Do we know whether that is the case?
Edit - rereading you say that Router A is 'also a wifi source'. It's a modem - router.
So can we establish whether that is the case? I suspect you either need to get router A into 'modem only' mode, or get router B into 'bridge' aka 'access point' mode. And we may have to do a bit more than that. But the first thing we need to be sure of is that you don't have two routers in full-on router mode, both handing out IP addresses. Do we know whether that is the case?
Edit - rereading you say that Router A is 'also a wifi source'. It's a modem - router.
Userlevel 5
+12
Sounds like wiring one of the sonos units and using Boost mode might help solve some of these issues regardless of the role ofnthe basement device. Unclear if this is already utilised, but if not worth a try. I can’t imagine the age of the computer hosting the lobrary would be an issue on a basic system playing a single file even a 10 year old laptop should be able to i/O data at a sufficient rate for audio. Different story if video, but that’s not relevent to sonos.
I didn't know if something can be both a modem and a router--seems like it can. The thing in the basement is a ZyXEL for CenturyLink C1100Z.
Last Sonos technician I had did something to RouterB to adjust how it was assigning and remembering IP addresses (wish I understood the specifics better so I could remember).
Last Sonos technician I had did something to RouterB to adjust how it was assigning and remembering IP addresses (wish I understood the specifics better so I could remember).
Userlevel 5
+12
Last Sonos technician I had did something to RouterB to adjust how it was assigning and remembering IP addresses (wish I understood the specifics better so I could remember).
My guess is they did one or both of these things:
1) Increased the range of the DHCP scope. Basically provide a larger pool from which the router assignes IP asdresses to devices.
2) set up dhcp so that it assigs the same IP address to the same device each time. This sometikes helps - effectiveky giving your devices ‘fixed’ IP adresses so that the adressnis not constantly changing. Though this should really happen automatically in a scope with sufficient adresses to allocate. (Fixed would be the ‘rembering’ as you called it).
Fyi - dhcp is dynamic host configuration protocol - the mechanism that any router will use to dole out adresses to devices that try to connect. Each network device needs and IP adress which the DHCP database maintains to enable the devices to route correctly. If two devices end up with the same adress it can cause no end of bother. Similarly if there are not enough adresses - devices end up ‘fighting’ for an adress and you get intermittent issues.
I think Boost mode may well be part of the solution but maybe not the whole story, as OP said he had tried that. We need to know if both routers still have DHCP enabled.
Userlevel 5
+12
I think you could well be right. But I’m wondering if the previous attempt at Boost mode forgot - as I did initially - to remove the wireless key. Which meant that the wifi was still acessible and thus both potential dhcp ‘servers’ replying. I am of course assuming that boost mose will always favour obtaining an adresses via the wired route.
You may be right, @sonosjunkie, but I think there are clues that it is more than this, and the OP's network is badly configured. I cannot be sure of course.
To the OP. I think you need to sort out your network. Please investigate the DHCP issue. And please turn off wifi on your Ethernet connected PC, or at least 'forget' both your wireless networks in the PC's wireless settings.
Please post back and we'll try to help.
To the OP. I think you need to sort out your network. Please investigate the DHCP issue. And please turn off wifi on your Ethernet connected PC, or at least 'forget' both your wireless networks in the PC's wireless settings.
Please post back and we'll try to help.
Well, it does crack me up that in order to run Sonos, my network is "badly configured" -- even though everything else works just fine and has for years, and Sonos is supposed to be "easy." Nevertheless, I persist!
I have removed the "extra" upstairs router. The basement one is the most geographically central in the house, so all traffic is headed to that. It's also newer. Added some switches and now connected directly to the ethernet are: a TV, the Connect:AMP, and 2 computers (one of which is the Sonos Controller). Connected by wifi will be: a Sonos Play3, an amazon fire stick, 2 phones, 2 tablets. I don't feel like this is an ambitious setup, but I could be wrong.
So what next? Change to SonosNet mode?
1. Make the controller "forget" the wifi to the discarded router.
2. Disconnect the controller from the wifi????? OR NOT?
3. Reboot all the speakers. Is this just unplugging them for a minute?
4. Other steps?
5. Miracle occurs?
Thanks ya'll for the help so far.
I have removed the "extra" upstairs router. The basement one is the most geographically central in the house, so all traffic is headed to that. It's also newer. Added some switches and now connected directly to the ethernet are: a TV, the Connect:AMP, and 2 computers (one of which is the Sonos Controller). Connected by wifi will be: a Sonos Play3, an amazon fire stick, 2 phones, 2 tablets. I don't feel like this is an ambitious setup, but I could be wrong.
So what next? Change to SonosNet mode?
1. Make the controller "forget" the wifi to the discarded router.
2. Disconnect the controller from the wifi????? OR NOT?
3. Reboot all the speakers. Is this just unplugging them for a minute?
4. Other steps?
5. Miracle occurs?
Thanks ya'll for the help so far.
Userlevel 7
+26
I'd love to take a closer look at the system too if you don't mind submitting a diagnostic and posting your confirmation number.
There's a lot that we could look into improving, but I'd just like to get a baseline of where the system is right now to see what the best steps might be. Also, when you spoke with the team last time the computer had two DHCP listings in the main router, so they removed the reservation. At least that's what the notes say... 🙂
There's a lot that we could look into improving, but I'd just like to get a baseline of where the system is right now to see what the best steps might be. Also, when you spoke with the team last time the computer had two DHCP listings in the main router, so they removed the reservation. At least that's what the notes say... 🙂
I shall leave you in Ryan's very capable hands. The diagnostic would be a great first step towards a resolution.
Edit: second step, the first being having lost the second router, at least for the time being 🙂
Edit: second step, the first being having lost the second router, at least for the time being 🙂
485637234 Diagnostic
Userlevel 7
+26
Thanks. First thing standing out to me is that I'm seeing two different IP ranges there. You've got some devices that are reporting having been on a 192.168.1.xxx range, and currently the computer here has a 192.168.0.xxx range. Which means in all likelihood your Fiber Modem (RouterA) and the one stairs (RouterB) are both assigning out addresses.
Sonos players and their controllers all need to be on the same subnet, same IP range. If they aren't communication issues and network connectivity can definitely suffer.
If you have the one upstairs unplugged right now, that's fine, or you can plug it back in and we'll just need to get everything on the same network.
The easiest way to sort this out to start with, see if you can get one of your Sonos devices and your computer both wired back to the same router. Then, reboot your Sonos (all of them) by unplugging the power for a few seconds.
When Sonos comes back up, if your computer asks, set the network to Private, and open the Sonos app, you should see your devices there.
Once that's done, you can consider going to wireless only, or leaving something wired into the network. If you want to go wireless only, I'd suggest connecting to the closest wireless router, and making sure that your computer is on the same wireless network there.
Ideally, for this setup, you also would want to have only one of your routers distributing IP addresses, which means turning DHCP off on the second router, and having it wired back to the first one (ideally) to/from one of the LAN ports.
Sonos players and their controllers all need to be on the same subnet, same IP range. If they aren't communication issues and network connectivity can definitely suffer.
If you have the one upstairs unplugged right now, that's fine, or you can plug it back in and we'll just need to get everything on the same network.
The easiest way to sort this out to start with, see if you can get one of your Sonos devices and your computer both wired back to the same router. Then, reboot your Sonos (all of them) by unplugging the power for a few seconds.
When Sonos comes back up, if your computer asks, set the network to Private, and open the Sonos app, you should see your devices there.
Once that's done, you can consider going to wireless only, or leaving something wired into the network. If you want to go wireless only, I'd suggest connecting to the closest wireless router, and making sure that your computer is on the same wireless network there.
Ideally, for this setup, you also would want to have only one of your routers distributing IP addresses, which means turning DHCP off on the second router, and having it wired back to the first one (ideally) to/from one of the LAN ports.
The controller and the Amp are both plugged into the fiber modem/router. Router B is unplugged and gone. Can't get the computer to find sonos to say hello to each other. Not sure if I should "connect to an existing network" or start a new one, but neither seems to work. Have rebooted the Amp, the Play3 is unplugged.
Ok, had a great time running round the house looking for flashing green lights.
Got the Controller to see the 2 speakers. Seems like it is just a regular wi-fi connection now. Tried to add a "boost" (want to assign the Connect:Amp) but I cant get the Amp to stop being solid white, or flashing white right after I unplug.
But now I turned off the wi-fi on the controller computer, and when I ask the Play3 for music, it plays! What is this voo-doo? The Play 3 is not plugged in to the ethernet. Who is sending it the command to play?
...currently listening to Sonos tech support on hold music...
Got the Controller to see the 2 speakers. Seems like it is just a regular wi-fi connection now. Tried to add a "boost" (want to assign the Connect:Amp) but I cant get the Amp to stop being solid white, or flashing white right after I unplug.
But now I turned off the wi-fi on the controller computer, and when I ask the Play3 for music, it plays! What is this voo-doo? The Play 3 is not plugged in to the ethernet. Who is sending it the command to play?
...currently listening to Sonos tech support on hold music...
Userlevel 7
+26
If one of your Sonos players is wired to the network, it'll send wifi out to the others (assuming they're in range). But you also could still have wireless credentials in there from previous setups. Also, "connect to existing system" would have been the way to go.
In any case, if you're on the phone with the team that's probably the best way to go. They'll be able to get you all set up, and you can mention that second router that's unplugged and they'll give you advice on how to get that added correctly, if you need to expand the range.
In any case, if you're on the phone with the team that's probably the best way to go. They'll be able to get you all set up, and you can mention that second router that's unplugged and they'll give you advice on how to get that added correctly, if you need to expand the range.
So, tech support guy told me that I don't have to assign the AMP as a boost or bridge, that it will do it for me. Seems like it did. That would explain how the Play3 knew to play.
Ok, everything is working right now. Lets see how long it lasts.
Ok, everything is working right now. Lets see how long it lasts.
Ok, everything is working right now. Lets see how long it lasts.
Even after removing router B, some devices retained the IP addresses it had dished out. That is what showed on the diagnostic. A power cycle ('reboot') of everything should have flushed that out.
I hope you can enjoy your Sonos without further problems, now that your network seems to be sorted out.
Userlevel 7
+26
Ok, everything is working right now. Lets see how long it lasts.
Glad it's up and running now. As a note, if you didn't do it with the technicians over the phone, to use that second router with your system, you'll need to make sure to have it configured not to assign IP addresses out. It's best to only have one device on your network handling DHCP.
Userlevel 7
+22
Some routers offer an Access Point mode, that disables the DHCP address assignment and lets it use the same subnet as your primary router.
.....and this thread is EXACTLY why I have given up on the system. I will sell it to tech-heads and then step back to more traditional, reliable ways to actually, you know, listen to music. What a concept!
While Sonos can sometimes need intervention, and like any other wireless system cannot be like the traditional reliable ways of listening to music with 100% reliability, the advantages of cheap and convenient access to an order of magnitude more music easily outweighs this.
It helps to have some interest in wireless tech/internet, but it definitely does not take a tech head to get it to work right first time more than 99% of the time.
It helps to have some interest in wireless tech/internet, but it definitely does not take a tech head to get it to work right first time more than 99% of the time.
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