Password to avoid guests changing music


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Hi
Let's say i'm having a party, and my Sonos is playing the music.
Many of my guests are friends that earlier has gotten access to my WiFi. During the party, these guests could download Sonos Controller/app, connect to Sonos, and start controlling the music.
There is no way in Sonos controllers to set a password, to avoid this behaviour.
Other workarounds would be setting up a guest WiFi network that doesn't have access to Sonos, but this would require a new router (in som cases), or change my original password in my entire existing network, which would be annoying ;)

Are there any plans to add this feature?
Maybe even a possibility to require a password for each Sonos device (tick box in controller preferences for each device?)

Am i missing something, other than keeping my guests sober and not annoying 😃

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186 replies

mureren,

First post! Welcome to the forums.

The most immediate solution for you is a "Guest" WiFi account if your router supports this feature. Guest WiFi accounts allow Internet access, but block access to local network resources. Since your SONOS system is on the local network guests would be locked out.
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mureren,

First post! Welcome to the forums.

The most immediate solution for you is a "Guest" WiFi account if your router supports this feature. Guest WiFi accounts allow Internet access, but block access to local network resources. Since your SONOS system is on the local network guests would be locked out.


Hi buzz
Thank you for welcoming me :)
I do believe i already adressed your solution in my original post. I am aware that this would solve the problem, but it could also call for a new router!
So with respect, i am still suggesting that this feature is implemented in the controller/app software. It would also come in handy when kids (and their guests) have Sonos devices in their rooms, but parents wouldn't want them to mess around with other devices. (as your own kids naturally is logged on to the local WiFi network, and not a guest network, anyone visiting could mess around with the other devices in the Sonos network.
A master password, and device passwords (all voluntarily) would be nice IMHO 🆒
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Hi buzz
Thank you for welcoming me :)
I do believe i already adressed your solution in my original post. I am aware that this would solve the problem, but it could also call for a new router!


No, not necessarily, it depends entirely on the router and many of them offer this option.
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Change your WiFi password and only supply the new credentials to people you trust.

Job done.
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Change your WiFi password and only supply the new credentials to people you trust.

Job done.


Well...for example, i trust my daughter. But as soon as her guests get a hold of her phone, tablet or computer, then what? You can't hide it every time you have guests, nor bring it all to the bathroom when you have to go 😉
Well...for example, i trust my daughter. But as soon as her guests get a hold of her phone, tablet or computer, then what?

Smartphone / Tablet - it's 4 simple numbers to protect your device. Computer - use a password.
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Smartphone / Tablet - it's 4 simple numbers to protect your device. Computer - use a password.

This solution renders phone, tablet and pc useless to anyone other than my daughter.

All of the above solutions will do the job in one way or another, with some side-effects
Why not a Sonos password? It offers even more flexibility, to an already great product!
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Hi buzz
Thank you for welcoming me :)
I do believe i already adressed your solution in my original post. I am aware that this would solve the problem, but it could also call for a new router!
So with respect, i am still suggesting that this feature is implemented in the controller/app software. It would also come in handy when kids (and their guests) have Sonos devices in their rooms, but parents wouldn't want them to mess around with other devices. (as your own kids naturally is logged on to the local WiFi network, and not a guest network, anyone visiting could mess around with the other devices in the Sonos network.
A master password, and device passwords (all voluntarily) would be nice IMHO 🆒


I think it's a good idea. Shouldn't be too difficult to implement either.

Another option would be to password-protect the music library itself. It could work like windows file sharing -you could specify who has access to which music library/folders. This would also allow for a basic parental-controls option. I believe you can probably due this currently through windows explorer, but it would be nice if Sonos added a more user friendly way to accomplish it within their controller app (perhaps desktop version only).
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Well...for example, i trust my daughter. But as soon as her guests get a hold of her phone, tablet or computer, then what? You can't hide it every time you have guests, nor bring it all to the bathroom when you have to go ;)

It's not exactly a life and death problem, is it?

I think your daughter will learn very quickly if you ban her device from the WiFi for a while after any problematic incident.
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Another option would be to password-protect the music library itself. It could work like windows file sharing -you could specify who has access to which music library/folders. This would also allow for a basic of parental controls option.
That wouldn't work, Sonos is a single user connecting to the music share regardless of how many controllers are in use. It also wouldn't stop someone from switching to internet radio or an online service for example.
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I think it's a good idea. Shouldn't be too difficult to implement either.


This has come up dozens of times, the oldest request I can find is from 2005.

http://forums.sonos.com/showthread.php?t=3271

Given it's been 8 years, I suggest you start giving you family some behavioural suggestions 😃
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It's not exactly a life and death problem, is it?

I think your daughter will learn very quickly if you ban her device from the WiFi for a while after any problematic incident.


Absolutely not a life and death problem!

You seem to miss the fact that my daughter is not the problem, her guests are! (maybe later in life, she will be problematic ;))

Tell me why my idea is a bad idea?

With passwords in place, i can set up her controllers to only control one (or more) Sonos devices. Any guests, be it adults or children, would also be denied access, even if they install a controller on one of their own devices.
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That wouldn't work, Sonos is a single user connecting to the music share regardless of how many controllers are in use. It also wouldn't stop someone from switching to internet radio or an online service for example.

I guess that's the point - perhaps there is a way that Sonos can require a login for each individual controller (which of course can be entered once and memorized foe ease of access later), so that restrictions can be set up for each individual controller. Certainly not as easy to implement as originally thought, but possible, and accomplishes what OP was suggesting.
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I guess that's the point - perhaps there is a way that Sonos can require a login for each individual controller (which of could can be entered once and memorized foe ease of access later), so that restrictions can be set up for each individual controller.

And when somebody picks up a controller that isn't "theirs"?
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Absolutely not a life and death problem!

You seem to miss the fact that my daughter is not the problem, her guests are! (maybe later in life, she will be problematic ;))

Tell me why my idea is a bad idea?

With passwords in place, i can set up her controllers to only control one (or more) Sonos devices. Any guests, be it adults or children, would also be denied access, even if they install a controller on one of their own devices.


Did you over own a record player? Tape desk? CD player?

When you had a party in your home, did you lock them in a cupboard so nobody could change the music? No, I thought not.

If you don't want your children's Sonos household to be able to control the rest of the house, you can already do this. You configure their Sonos players to be part of a separate Sonos "household", just like my next door neighbour cannot control my Sonos devices. No password required.

The reason you don't have a password on your daughter's phone/tablet etc. is because they are a pain in the ***. If you had to type a passcode each time you wanted to skip track or change volume, it would remove the simplicity that Sonos has been built upon.

If it was commonplace to have a key on a CD player, I'm sure Sonos would have implemented this many years ago.
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From a more technical perspective:

UPnP doesn't specify any kind of authentication. This is sort of the mentality behind it, it should just "work". Passwords tends to add a complexity for users and often bog down support with trivial questions like "how do I reset my password that I mistakenly activated?"

Since there are no standard for it, Sonos would either need to deviate from the specs, and go rogue, or add it as proposal for all other manufacturers to implement. This kind of feature would also break a lot of 3rd party solutions that speak with Sonos.

Thirdly, are you really considering that your cost for a new router actually would have any relevance from an economic perspective? Implementing a feature like this would at LEAST take 50-100 man hours to implement, and then testing, beta testing, roll out, not to mention all time needed to follow up on this. So your cost for buying a new router ($100?) is relevant here, how? 🙂
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And when somebody picks up a controller that isn't "theirs"?

No different than using a computer that isn't "theirs". If owner of device has a passcode for the device itself (Ipad, Ipod, computer), they won't gain access. If they don't, that's their fault.

I use Quicken on my PC. Both my computer and Quicken require passwords. My choice. I could eliminate one or both passwords if desired. Could work the same with Sonos.
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Thirdly, are you really considering that your cost for a new router actually would have any relevance from an economic perspective? Implementing a feature like this would at LEAST take 50-100 man hours to implement, and then testing, beta testing, roll out, not to mention all time needed to follow up on this. So your cost for buying a new router ($100?) is relevant here, how? :)


My router (Asus RT-N56U) fully supports guest network/access. I have no need for a new router, and have never stated i need a new router.
I still believe it would be a good feature to add to every controlling device.
And what is 50-100 man hours + testing for a company like Sonos?
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Did you over own a record player? Tape desk? CD player?

When you had a party in your home, did you lock them in a cupboard so nobody could change the music? No, I thought not.


But you definitely close/lock doors to parts of the house you don't want people getting into. With Sonos, they could still control players in rooms you don't want them to. Also, if there are CD's you don't want your kids to play at a party (perhaps Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name for instance), yes, you would remove it from the cd's they can access. Might be a pain to do, but if it's important to you, you do it. With digital music, it could/should be easy.

If you don't want your children's Sonos household to be able to control the rest of the house, you can already do this. You configure their Sonos players to be part of a separate Sonos "household", just like my next door neighbour cannot control my Sonos devices. No password required.

That seems to be the best solution currently.

The reason you don't have a password on your daughter's phone/tablet etc. is because they are a pain in the ***. If you had to type a passcode each time you wanted to skip track or change volume, it would remove the simplicity that Sonos has been built upon.
If it was commonplace to have a key on a CD player, I'm sure Sonos would have implemented this many years ago.


Let's not carry things to the extremes. No one is talking about passwords for every user action (skip tracks, etc). It's simply access/no access. Obviously, passwords are important for many applications, otherwise they wouldn't be so ubiquitous or recommended. Let the user decide how much access the password would allow - that way you could require no password since you don't like them, and others could get the level of control they desire. Do you have something against allowing others to benefit from features that you don't necessarily need? Your only valid argument would be if it cost you more cash or makes things overlying complicated for you.
And what is 50-100 man hours + testing for a company like Sonos?
Opportunity cost
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My router (Asus RT-N56U) fully supports guest network/access. I have no need for a new router, and have never stated i need a new router.

Err, in your first two posts you stated, quite plainly, that it would need a new router!
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Err, in your first two posts you stated, quite plainly, that it would need a new router!

"this would require a new router (in some cases)"

"but it could also call for a new router!"

He's talking in general terms - point being that some users may have to buy a new router. As I read it - in his opinion for his situation, passwords would be more convenient than setting up his router for guest access.
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"this would require a new router (in some cases)"

"but it could also call for a new router!"

He's talking in general terms - point being that some users may have to buy a new router. As I read it - in his opinion and in his situation, passwords would be more convenient than setting up his router for guest access.


He's not talking in general terms, he's asking specifically for his case of wanting to throw a party. He's been given a simple answer to his problem. What do you think is going to happen first, Sonos implementing this idea or him just setting up a guest network?
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He's not talking in general terms, he's asking specifically for his case of wanting to throw a party. He's been given a simple answer to his problem. What do you think is going to happen first, Sonos implementing this idea or him just setting up a guest network?

In the case of the router, he is talking in general terms, as his own words indicate. You just read it the way you wanted to. He's already said he didn't need a new router, so clearly he was referring to others who may. I'll let the OP follow up if he so desires.

It doesn't matter what I think is going to happen first. Whether he sets up a guest network first or not, he still has the opinion that passwords might be useful, and started a thread to express that opinion. You obviously don't think it would be. That should be enough. But when facts are distorted and misinterpreted, corrections are in order.
I still don't get it...

Main devices to manage your Sonos music today are smartphone, tablet or computer. All of them are personal/private devices and guests shouldn't have access to them as they usually contain a lot of personal/sensitive information. So I think we all agree that you should protect your devices by a passcode/password/whatever...

But if using a smartphone (let's just stay with that) requires a passcode there's no need for the Sonos app to also require a password. You don't want guests to change your music by using your smartphone. But I guess you don't want them to search your private emails, photos, chats, etc. either. So protect your devices and your done. Without the need for an additional Sonos passcode.

Just my 2 cents... 😉