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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I've gone through a lot of these threads. I've had Sonos for a long time. It used to be a niche product and so didn't have a lot of knowledge on how to access the system. Now I have friends come over and mess with it just for fun. It's quite annoying.

The "parent your friends" folks in this thread really need to wake up and smell the coffee. People here are asking for something apparently simple -- if Sonos wants to come on here and say it's dramatically complex for some reason to add a PIN, then we're all ears. But until then, let's assume adding a PIN to the process is easy. Many of the devices we use -- wifi, computer, phone, car, house, iPad, etc -- require authentication with a key or PIN. Our house key doesn't work on our car because we intentionally DO NOT want to couple those together, so that if you give someone your car key you have also given that person access to the house. Is it really unreasonable to ask for something so that giving someone wifi access doesn't give someone access to sonos? In every group of people there will be an immature person who will think it's funny to mess with the sonos. Or even a literally immature person, like a 5 year old who gets a hold of an unlocked iPad and wants to blast music at 6am. "Why not just lock the iPAD?? Huh? Huhhhh????" Well, why can you lock "in-app purchases" on an iphone? Because there are many instance where you allow access to the phone, but not EVERYTHING on it. Sonos included.

Sonos is such that they don't even need YOUR device to break in. They can use their own phone to buzz in, as long as they have your wifi password. "Just set up a guest network!!!" OK, maybe I will, but it seems like a nuisance to have to do that because Sonos simply won't use a PIN. It boggles the mind that they haven't added this feature.


Sorry, I'm simply not having it. Just listen to yourself. You say "I might set-up a guest network". Why not just set one up? Why should every body else have to deal with the hassle of extra passwords or PINs just because people can't be bothered to use the functionality already available on their routers or have childish friends or can't control their children.

Sorry but this is the nanny state and abrogation of responsibility writ large.
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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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Or a responsible company will listen to their customer needs and wants and react accordingly. Putting the responsibility on the user is ridiculous. It's a very simple thing to implement. Or implement it on the front end. That you need to enter a PIN number on the first time you install the speaker on the app. After that all speakers in that connection are enabled
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The funniest shit in these sonos forums is always how people state workarounds that are absurd. Go unplug the power cords. Get a guest wifi setup or buy a dedicated bridge. Etc. how about making the app better? It's not hard as thousands of apps have this feature so why is this being pushed off by sonos and being have to dealt with by the customer?

The sonos defenders here are crazy
I would say both sides are throwing stones, though I can see why you seem to be particularly aggrieved. Shall we call a timeout?

I recognize your opinion and sound parenting advice. However I don't agree with it. I've received solid advice on this thread and am at an equilibrium with this issue. However certain life changes will mean that this equilibrium will not last. There is only so much I can do to mitigate the issues on my end. But in the end IMO Sonos is the one who should be solving this problem at a more satisfactory level.


Only one of those "both sides" offer alternatives to posters and others who may be lurking. Big difference. I've also found these so called "Sonos defenders" are the ones posting in thread after thread, tirelessly offering sales and/or technical support to total strangers for little payback. Yet, when it comes to threads like these, their tireless support, not to mention their years of expertise, are laughed off with thinly veiled accusations of being nothing but cheap shills for the product. So forgive me if, after years on this and the former forum(s), I have concluded these types of posters purposefully have nothing to add except the aforementioned pissing and moaning and really, to paraphrase Alfred Pennyworth, "only want to watch the thread burn". Call me a cynic.

ETA: Please note these comments are directed to one type of post only, typified by the coarse language, insulting labels, and mental illness accusations in the post I replied to above . It is not directed at thoughtful posters who may simply disagree, without all the drama.
If you want people to have access to your WIFI, that is your responsibility... Not Sonos'. A guess network will resolve the issue. It is quick, and easy, and built into most WIFI routers today. My cheap $35 one has it.
No one is against anything if it's optional. What I'm against is the attitude that Sonos is responsible for the behavior of the kin of owners and needs to fix it. Especially when the fix is already present in their own homes to control their pesky ilk. I've had Sonos almost ten years now and not once did I have a problem with my kids or my guests messing with the system.
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And who said anything about "Sonos being responsible" for misbehavior? Users are noticing a recurring issue with the product, and have given feedback to Sonos that we would appreciate a relatively simple add-on. Who is the grand poobah that decides what feature requests are morally acceptable and which ones are not? If enough people make them complaint, it's a legit issue for Sonos to look into, in my opinion. It's great you haven't had an issue, but many of us have.

I can use my phone to change channels on my TV. But I need to authenticate first with my ATT password. If the app didn't have authentication and users complained that guests could change channels, that would be complaints about "ATT being responsible for misbehavior"?

And I assure you that there are PLENTY of people out there who wouldn't even like the IDEA that it's possible for a guest to wrest control of the devices -- for those people they have NO IDEA that they need a guest network. However, if the option to "Set up your PIN!" had come up on installation they of course would have done that.
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I'm not sure I understand this feature request myself either.

Before Sonos, if I had a party any guest could change the CD, change the record, swap the cassette, re-tune the radio. Other than some tracks having some nasty language, I can;t see any content issues at the moment where I would want to protect my kids. It seems that the most disrespect mentioned on this thread is the people who think it is okay to abuse the stereo that they have access to.

Each to their own, lets all embrace the differences between people round the world etc!
My friend also has a sonos system and every time he comes around and gets drunk he starts changing the music on my sonos which is really annoying. Another thing he does as a practical joke is sets my alarm on the sonos for 3 in the morning at full blast cmon sonos just put a four digit pin to access each system so I can keep the serial pest from messing with my toons and sleep.
Thanks in advance
yeah sonos at least having the option to lock people out would be nice for us drunk people the sober somber people can do what they like
Why did you give him your wifi password?
Got my Sonos bass and play bar for the house and really love the product. Had a party recently and one of my drunken friends kept wacking the volume up to full blast and thought that this was funny when he was standing out in the garden at 2 am. Ended up unplugging the play bar. Got really pissed off. After spending 1800 euros a fantastic piece of kit, I would love to be able to block anyone that would otherwise gain access to the sonos and act the mick with it, easily through the app.

Sonos requires access to your entire LAN. If you don't trust somebody to not clown around with your music, you certainly don't want them with access to your personal data. Modern routers almost all have a Guest WiFi for these situations. Keep your private WiFi secret and give the Guest SSID and password to your guests.
I'm not sure who sonos put in charge of this forum, but the attitude is awful. Just got a sonos for Christmas and this was one of the first things I thought about. Getting into the router each time I want to allow or disallow access to my sonos network doesn't work for me.

So, I'm having a party and I want to control the music. No one gets my private network password. Someone has another playlist and wants to take control of the music? I have to give them access to my network. No longer a guest network and I have to go change my router to secure it again.

This is a shortfall of the system. Admit it. There should be an easy way to secure, or share, the system within the sonos app. Hey, how about sonos setup a guest and private feature. Much easier than changing the router each time.
Hi All,
Bought my first unit for my son's Christmas present. With the intention of expanding into a whole house system when we move into new house. The house is being fitted with in ceiling speakers pretty much throughout the place and I have run the cables to a central point where a bank of Connect:amps are planned to bring music to our ears.
I've come from a now pretty much end of life Squeezebox system.
This was a flawless and customisable system- admittedly perhaps too complicated for the masses and hence it's long term failure.
Sonos seemed the logical easy step.

For all those not understanding the need to restrict controllers to certain players I can't think of a reason why you shouldn't be able to do this!
I don't want my Son (accidentally or otherwise) putting on music in other zones. Or changing the volume etc
Music servers should also be set up to allow restrictions to controllers.

This is a big short coming as far as I can tell.

13 years in the asking on this forum so I don't think it will get sorted unfortunately...

Nic 🙂
For something that has been on request for 14 year you would figure that this wouldn't be a problem. So what I'm being told by people that think they understand the world is that the number of people who this feature would benefit is so small that it would be negligible to implement. That statement right there is flawed immediately for the small fact that this is a request this is ranging over a DECADE. On top of which I can't very well create a separate LAN network when I'm in college and had no power on the system. I am writing this about 10 minutes after having my speaker just randomly cycle through 5 different songs that were not of my doing. This is the result of someone in my building thinking they are listening to their music but just connected to my speaker. What I'm being told is that in a building that has the same network ranging nearly a mile, a password system would be completely useless when people with the same speaker or app can just access my speaker, that I paid $200+ for, and be a okay? Can someone with an actual brain explain to me the sound logic behind that? And yes I understand that in the grand scheme of things $200 is pocket change, but for people who have spent upwards of 10k on an extensive system (which isn't hard) would be happy to know a simple feature like this is included in their rather hefty investment.
As a software developer, this seems like a pretty simple thing to fix. I will admit that most of the people on my home network are trustworthy and I don't have an issue with them having access to control my shared devices. But there are a few relevant points in this thread where users share their WIFI with a roommate accidentally playing music in the bedrooms at all hours of the night, etc. Rather than forcing users to create separate networks or maintain a password, the app just needs to allow an administrator (the first user to set up the system) to grant access to other devices on the network trying to connect. By default, it can work the way it currently does in allowing everyone access. But, if a user wishes to limit who can access the system, they could choose to only allow approved devices to control the network. This would filter by the device MAC address and a user could grant any level of access to any one or more of the devices on the network.

A little thought would need to go into this, but I think it is a feature that could be implemented without much time and/or effort. It would allow the devices to function like they do now for so many of the users that prefer that, yet give a better level of control for users who would like that.
The same 5 people that keep repeating "this isn't an issue" or "change your wifi settings" are infuriating. This lack of being able to password is the one reason I haven't yet purchased the Sonos, and am looking for alternatives.
I'm not sure who sonos put in charge of this forum, but the attitude is awful. Just got a sonos for Christmas and this was one of the first things I thought about. Getting into the router each time I want to allow or disallow access to my sonos network doesn't work for me.

So, I'm having a party and I want to control the music. No one gets my private network password. Someone has another playlist and wants to take control of the music? I have to give them access to my network. No longer a guest network and I have to go change my router to secure it again.

This is a shortfall of the system. Admit it. There should be an easy way to secure, or share, the system within the sonos app. Hey, how about sonos setup a guest and private feature. Much easier than changing the router each time.


Absolutely, but the guys here think they know best.
Hey guys, I have this problem -keep it simple, change the language in room settings for the party that no one speaks. nice
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Any recent comment from Sonos on this?
This is the Feature Request with Most Comments.
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182 posts [...] in 5+ years.
One could say it's a long awaited feature
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As ratty suggests, the best thing to do is to add a guest wireless network

Thanks Ryan. I already have this but it does not allow for any control of sonos.

My problem is that I want the guests to have some control, just not full control

Like for example, I'd love them to have control of all the common areas (Living Room, Kitchen, etc), but not the bedrooms.
For overnight guests, this is particularly appreciated.
My guests don't do it on purpose. They are just trying to learn how to use a new app in a house they don't live in and end up playing musing in the bedrooms when people are sleeping...