Sonos - Please STOP with the CONSTANT updates!!!
I've spent thousands of dollars on Sonos hardware, and it's fantastic. I'm ready to sell it all off and just go back to my wired system. Why? CONSTANT UPDATES that are disruptive and anything but helpful. As a former software engineer, I understand that code needs to be maintained in order to streamline the user experience, but this is bordering on ridiculous. It seems like every other time I open the app, I'm told I need to update, which often leads to me having to run around my office and reconnect ten players - VERY annoying. If you could simply reduce your updates to every quarter or at least every couple of months, I'm sure we would all appreciate it.
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Turn off automatic updates on your mobile devices and turn off update notifications on the Sonos app.
Userlevel 7
+22
Sonos please continue the updates...looking forward to Airplay2 and Google Home.
No one is asking for updates to stop, just plan them out strategically, which is what most developers do. We don't need microupdates every two weeks.
There have been no updates every two weeks. There haven't even been two in the last two months. Unless you are running a beta, updates just aren't as frequent as you say. Usually, it is every 3-4 months.
I'm not running a beta. I've been prompted to update several times in the last 8 weeks, requiring complete reconnection of every player. I wouldn't be on here posting this if there were only a couple of updates every now and then. If you search the forum, you'll see that there are countless other members posting the same complaint. More strategic development planning would be a good idea.
Userlevel 7
+22
I can count the few - if your having troubles when it does an update I would recommend going into your router and assigning fixed IP addresses to your Sonos units. This will alleviate about all issue if / when you do get an update.
As noted above - go to settings..and turn off auto updates if you want to start skipping some.
I don't think we know enough about their development plan to start criticizing it. We used to only get a few updates a year and Sonos never progressed with features people have asked for.
As noted above - go to settings..and turn off auto updates if you want to start skipping some.
I don't think we know enough about their development plan to start criticizing it. We used to only get a few updates a year and Sonos never progressed with features people have asked for.
Well, we'll have to agree to disagree. If I were the only one complaining, I'd think twice about posting, but it seems to be a very common complaint from users. I used to issue updates no more often than quarterly for my software, and intermittently only if absolutely necessary for security or other serious issues, which rarely occurred. I'll try your suggestion about assigning a fixed IP, though. Thanks.
I think maybe I need to start keeping a calendar of when these updates are published from Sonos. While I understand the consternation by some, I really don't think it's as frequently as all that. And since I assigned reserved IP addresses for all my players, I've never had an issue with an update.
That being said, I would love to have the updates complete automatically when I'm not using my system. When I start up Sonos, it's because I want to listen to music, not update 🙂 But there's issues around that desire, too...as I can easily imagine the speakers updating, but not the controller, since folks like Apple want to control that process. I think it's a conundrum for Sonos to get around, which is why they haven't made any substantial changes to the process so far.
So, while I continue to think of a better method, I'm happy to remain at the way things are. But as soon as someone comes up with a better method....
That being said, I would love to have the updates complete automatically when I'm not using my system. When I start up Sonos, it's because I want to listen to music, not update 🙂 But there's issues around that desire, too...as I can easily imagine the speakers updating, but not the controller, since folks like Apple want to control that process. I think it's a conundrum for Sonos to get around, which is why they haven't made any substantial changes to the process so far.
So, while I continue to think of a better method, I'm happy to remain at the way things are. But as soon as someone comes up with a better method....
It’s probable that one or more of your units wasn’t connected to the system when an update occurred, leaving it out of the process. Once it came back online, the prompt to update activates. Repeat for each unit that wasn’t present for the update. Fixed IPs will most definitely fix that issue.
Sonos software engineers hate end users. After latest update it took two hours to install one speaker, all for no apparent end user benefit.
If I had the option of trading my Sonos system for a Denon system I would do it. The experience could not be any worse than Sonos, and hopefully is much less time wasting and frustrating.
If I had the option of trading my Sonos system for a Denon system I would do it. The experience could not be any worse than Sonos, and hopefully is much less time wasting and frustrating.
Userlevel 7
+22
Denon updates remove features. So no features in update is better.
An update should never cause you to have to reinstall Sonos. Connection problems like these which appear suddenly are often caused by network problems, not Sonos problems. The typical cause is duplicate IP addresses. These often show up after an update or power outage because a reboot requires the device to request a new IP, and the router, having lost track of current IP assignments, issues a new IP that is in use by another device. To cure this, do the following:
Reboot/power cycle your devices in the following order:
Modem
Router
Switches or hubs
Wired Sonos units
Wireless Sonos units
Computers/printers
Wireless devices - phones/tablets etc.
Allow each device to come back up before proceeding to the next. Note that you can permanently prevent duplicate IP addresses by assigning an IP to each device's MAC address in the router setup. See your router manual for details.
Reboot/power cycle your devices in the following order:
Modem
Router
Switches or hubs
Wired Sonos units
Wireless Sonos units
Computers/printers
Wireless devices - phones/tablets etc.
Allow each device to come back up before proceeding to the next. Note that you can permanently prevent duplicate IP addresses by assigning an IP to each device's MAC address in the router setup. See your router manual for details.
This would be fine, but when you're having to do it all the time, it's very annoying.
If you follow the advice in the last two sentences of the post, you won't have to.
Userlevel 7
+22
If you don't want to do the above every time just take a few minutes (as suggested above) using your router's DHCP page to assign static/reserved IP addresses to your Sonos gear. Do the reboot above one last time and it should not be a problem again. Just remember to add new Sonos gear to the DHCP list.
Thanks, will give a try
If you follow the advice in the last two sentences of the post, you won't have to.
Not really practical though - have about 30 devices and will still have to redo every time I reset or replace the router.
If you follow the advice in the last two sentences of the post, you won't have to.
Not really practical though - have about 30 devices and will still have to redo every time I reset or replace the router.
30 devices in total, or 30 Sonos devices, which are the important ones? Yes, it takes a little bit of time to reserve addresses, but it makes a huge difference to the stability of the Sonos system. And yes, you would have to set them up again if you change routers.
I suppose that one should ask why you are changing routers 'all the time' - it doesn't suggest a stable network. Having said that, I've changed the router a few times in the last few days, and Sonos has played flawlessly throughout, as the amount of time that the system has been without a reservation table has been shorter than the lease time.
Also, when setting up a new router, you can set up most options without connecting to the main network, so making the transition between routers even easier.
1. 30 devices in total
2. Not changing (or doing hard resets) all the time, but it's common enough that I don't want to have to reset IP addresses for 30 devices each time that it happens. If you ever get a broadband problem and ask for help, first thing they will ask you to do is factory reboot.
3. Glad it's been fine as you've changed routers - that's also my experience, which is why I want to avoid customising the router settings too much.
2. Not changing (or doing hard resets) all the time, but it's common enough that I don't want to have to reset IP addresses for 30 devices each time that it happens. If you ever get a broadband problem and ask for help, first thing they will ask you to do is factory reboot.
3. Glad it's been fine as you've changed routers - that's also my experience, which is why I want to avoid customising the router settings too much.
Userlevel 7
+22
Don't know about your router but on some you can export the settings and then re-import them after a reset if manually setting them is too much trouble.
Since you don't need DNS names for your Sonos devices I'd hope your router and browser offer you some help in setting things up.
In my case I click on the MAC edit button, type the first digit of my IP, click the IP that the browser prompts with, hit one or two backspaces to shorten the IP then type in the needed digits followed by clicking the submit button. It takes about 10 seconds per MAC so redoing my nine devices and 5 controllers goes pretty quick.
I'd suggest you only do static/reserved IPs for any servers and Sonos devices. Saved me from a lot more hours walking around plugging and unplugging Sonos gear after what seemed like every update.
Since you don't need DNS names for your Sonos devices I'd hope your router and browser offer you some help in setting things up.
In my case I click on the MAC edit button, type the first digit of my IP, click the IP that the browser prompts with, hit one or two backspaces to shorten the IP then type in the needed digits followed by clicking the submit button. It takes about 10 seconds per MAC so redoing my nine devices and 5 controllers goes pretty quick.
I'd suggest you only do static/reserved IPs for any servers and Sonos devices. Saved me from a lot more hours walking around plugging and unplugging Sonos gear after what seemed like every update.
Thanks, Stanley_4, this is various helpful. Will definitely do that if it needs doing, especially useful about exporting the settings.
updates are too frequent and too trivial, I agree. A pain in the neck, especially some less regular users
Userlevel 7
+21
Then turn off updates in the app. There is no win for Sonos here. People are clamouring for new functionality at the same time others want the system frozen in time.
Userlevel 7
+22
Turn off updates is a partial solution, you really should do a manual check every couple months and update at a quiet time.
A potential problem that may bite you is if someone connects to your network with an updated controller they will be prompted to update your gear, likely at a bad time. Same if someone you trust to access your network slips and accepts a Controller update from their OS provider.
If you search the CR-100 topics I believe someone has researched how to actually block updates using your local router's firewall. That is probably worth the effort if you allow friends or family network access. Review what the updates offer and take away and decide if it is worth updating, but be aware that services could require updates to continue working so it isn't a clean solution to keeping what you have now.
A potential problem that may bite you is if someone connects to your network with an updated controller they will be prompted to update your gear, likely at a bad time. Same if someone you trust to access your network slips and accepts a Controller update from their OS provider.
If you search the CR-100 topics I believe someone has researched how to actually block updates using your local router's firewall. That is probably worth the effort if you allow friends or family network access. Review what the updates offer and take away and decide if it is worth updating, but be aware that services could require updates to continue working so it isn't a clean solution to keeping what you have now.
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