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Connecting old Sonos TV Sound Bar and Sonos Play Ones to a new Sonos Sub

H
Badge +2

I had a TV sound bar and 2 Sonos Play Ones connected to my music and TV some years ago.  I have now purchased a brand spanking new Sonos Sub.

While trying to link the new Sub to the older equipment, I was told that it was not compatible with my bridge.  I was advised to update to Sonos S2.  Once I did this, all my music and everything disappeared from my Sonos S1 controller on my PC.  I was then shown the message;

‘The Sonos S1 controller’ isn’t compatible with your system.  You have options.”

’Download the Sonos S2 app.  All your settings and services will be saved.  Or, use the Sonos S1 controller to set up a new system or connect to a compatible one.’

Then I have the choices ‘Update’ or ‘More Options.’

Does that mean that I need to go back to the Sonos S1?  If I do that, will all my music that was originally there, still be intact?  

Can somebody tell me what I need to do so that I can use all my old Sonos equipment with the new Sonos Sub together in one room?  Thank you.

HB

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Best answer by John B 14 March 2021, 14:40

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25 replies

J

Hi. You have to be on S2. The Bridge is redundant. 

You need to wire the Playbar to your router temporarily and use the mobile app not the desktop app.

Go into Settings,  System, Network then tap Wireless Setup. Follow the prompts. 

That should get your system back..

 

N
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

You’ve probably got a Gen 3 sub, which can only work on the S2 environment. You should check what of your older kit can/can’t run on S2 and decide from there what to do. But I’m pretty sure your Bridge is S1 only and that may be your problem. 
 

ok, John beat me to the reply. 

H
Badge +2

Hi John, Nik, thank you for your replies.

@John
My Playbar is on a bracket beneath my TV and at opposite widths of the room to the router.  We are talking about 10-12 feet apart from each other.  Does that mean I would need to get an ethernet cable that long?

Plus, by doing that, would that also get the 2 plus ones working at the same time as the sound bar and Sub?
----------------------
@Nik
Yes, this is a brand-new Sub so I am assuming it is the latest version.  Yes, I am pretty sure I have an S1 Bridge that was probably why I was prompted to update to the S2 app.

What do you mean when you say, the S1 Bridge may be my problem?  Does that mean I cannot link all these components together and that I may need to buy another bridge?  Or, as John says, the bridge just becomes redundant and is not needed anymore?

What would I need to do so that all these speakers work in unison with each other?

Thanks.  I appreciate your answers.

HB

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

You could run all devices on your wifi, but you’d have to tell them your wifi credentials first - because you where using a Bridge your system have no knowledge of that. The system can only be told the wifi credentials via a connection to your router whence the temporary cable connection.

You could also replace the Bridge by it’s S2 compliant successor, the Boost. See 

 

H
Badge +2

So, guys, if I understand you correctly,

Whatever happens, I need the new S2 app? 

If I connect an ethernet cable from my Sound Bar to the router and then put in my Wi-Fi password, I can then reset up everything in sync including the 2 no. Play Ones and the new Sub? 
(I don’t have to do this to the Play Ones and the Sub separately if I have used the Sound Bar with the cable?)

By doing this, will I lose all my settings to my original setup?

I briefly looked at your link and it did say that having a boost would save all my original settings and be able to link everything up including the new Sub.  Is that true?  What other advantages does the boost have or does it just take the place of the Bridge?

All I have done so far is download the S2 app on my phone and went through the next set of instructions.  When I open Sonos on my PC Now, I get the choices that I labelled in my original post to this thread. What one of those choices should I choose?

Any more advice on this will be most appreciated.  Thanks.

HB

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Yes. A Gen 3 Sub (the newest) needs at least all devices in the same room to be on S2. And since you want to be able to group Sonos-rooms, all devices need to be on S2, which will mean the end for your Bridge.

Connecting to wifi does not mean you have to rest anything, so you keep all settings (see https://support.sonos.com/s/article/1061). The soundbar is the master of all Sonos devices in the same Sonos room, so it will communicate with the other devices (via a proprietary 5GHz connection). No need to cable those too, as long as you leave wifi turned on in the soundbar.

Replacing the Brigde for a Boost will also not lose you any settings - they are in the system itself and you do not change that.

Have you replace the S1 app on your PC with the S2 app too? please be wawre the PC does not allow any big set up changes - those shoudl all be doen by phone.

H
Badge +2

So, I don’t need a Boost?  So, what is the purpose of it and what advantages will it give me?  I do not really want to fork out another £80 if I don’t need to especially when I have just forked out £699 for a Sonos Sub.

When I used to open my Sonos controller on the PC, it used to show all my songs, playlists, folders etc.  Since I have upgraded to the S2 app on my phone and followed the instructions, now when I open the Sonos controller on my PC, I get the image shown below.  This is where I am at this point in time.  What one of those options shown should I choose going forward?

I must point out that since I have changed to the S2 app on the phone and followed the instructions, I do not have any sound coming out of the 2 Play Ones now.  However, the Sound Bar still works in conjunction with my TV.


To complicate the mix, in another room (my garage) I now have one Sonos Play One.  I have now added another Sonos One (the speaker with Alexa voice control built in).  How do I link these 2 together so that they both play out in stereo?

  Appreciate any replies on this.  Thank you.

HB

J

This help sheet explains the difference between a ‘wired’ and ‘wireless’ setup.  Up to now you have run a wired system, with the Bridge as the one wired device.

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3235?language=en_US

You now have to use the S2 system because the latest Sub can only run on S2.  The Bridge is not compatible with S2 so has to go.  So you can either wire a different device, or switch to a wireless setup. 

I suggest you switch to running on your WiFi.  To do that, you need to temporarily wire an existing device so that you can enter your WiFi SSID and password.  The only suitable speaker (given that the Ones are set up as surrounds) is the Playbar.

Once you have got the Playbar working the whole system should be working.  

If you cannot wire the Playbar temporarily, you have the option of factory resetting all your speakers and setting up as a new system.  This would lose your Sonos playlists and favourites, you would need to add any streaming accounts again etc.

What would you like to do?  We can help you to do either.

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

@Heathsideboy Please follow @John B ’s advice, that is the easiest method to connect your speakers again.

 

Reading the message in your screenshot it does look like you still have the S1 app on your PC. Once the speakers are working again (all steps done via your phone) you need to remove the Sonos S1 app from your PC and install the S2 app.

H
Badge +2

@John B & 106rallye

in answer to John’s question, I would prefer to keep all my existing Sonos settings on the PC.

I still have the S1 app on my PC.  As per the screenshot, do I update to the S2 app on my PC first before doing anything else?

Do I then need to put an ethernet cable from the Playbar to the router? 

If so, I would need a 4 metre ethernet cable suitable for this.  Could you recommend the correct 4 metre ethernet cable to connect between the Sonos, Playbar and the router please?  A link for this item would be good thanks.

The only thing I am worried about is, if I go completely wireless, I may suffer dropouts with my existing wireless system.  To avoid this, would it be better to supplement the existing Bridge with a Boost component to take its place?

Can you tell me what would be the best solution in my case?

Could you give me step-by-step instructions on doing both scenarios in order of each instruction please?  That way, I can then choose between the two.

Where I am at the moment.  As per the screenshot, I have not updated my PC to the S2 app yet.

My Playbar still works in conjunction with my TV but my 2 Play Ones do not now.

Thanks

HB

J

Turn your PC off, it's irrelevant. Use the mobile controller. Temporarily wire your Playbar then go through Wireless Setup. 

If you get dropouts, buy a Boost.

 

H
Badge +2

Gotcha John.

Could you recommend an appropriate 4 metre ethernet cable to connect between the Sonos, Playbar and the router please?  A link for this item would be good thanks.

Thanks

HB
 

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

@Heathsideboy Any 4m ethernet cable will do. Like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-Cat5e-Ethernet-Cable15-feet/dp/B00008VF3F/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=cat+5e+cabling+5m&qid=1615732087&sr=8-6


 

By the way. All information and settings are on the system, not on a controller (your phone or PC). Removing the app from a phone or PC does not do change anything on the system. Set up can only be done from a phone, not from the PC app.

H
Badge +2

Yes, got all that information now thank you guys and thank you for the links.

I have another question regarding my setup in another room.  Should I ask it here or start another thread?

HB

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

If it’s not related I wouldn’t post it here.

H
Badge +2

I was going to add, in another room (my garage) I now have one Sonos Play One.  I have now added another Sonos One (the speaker with Alexa voice control built in).  How do I link these 2 together so that they both play in stereo with Alexa working?

Thanks

HB
 

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

@Heathsideboy The set up in your garage is not completely clear to me. There is no speaker named Sonos “Play One", it is either “Play:1”, “One” or “One SL". The One and One SL can be paired in a stereo set up with another One (SL), but not with a Play:1. The Play:1 can only  be in a stereo set up with another Play:1

H
Badge +2

Sorry, in another room (my garage) I originally only had one speaker that was the old Sonos "Play 1"  as shown in the first picture.  Then I recently added a "Sonos One" (with Alexa) as shown in the 2nd picture. So, are you saying that these 2 cannot be paired together?
 

Thanks

HB

H
Badge +2

That is really naughty of Sonos and really hard on people who have forked out and bought only Sonos Play 1s.

Okay, what if I swap one of my Play 1s in the other room with the Sonos One with Alexa and then use the Sonos One with Alexa in the other room where I have the TV Playbar?

Or, could I use another of the Sonos range (not the really expensive TV Playbar) instead?  If so, what item as I have no TV in the garage?

Thanks

HB

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

As I said “The Play:1 can only  be in a stereo set up with another Play:1", so if you'd have two Play:1's in your garage they could be paired as a stereo set up.

But: you also can't mix'n'match speakers in a surround set up. So with you Playbar you also need either two Play:1's or two One (SL)'s. So you can't replace only one Play:1 with a One in your surround set up because for surround you also need two speakers of the same kind.

H
Badge +2

I did not realise this.  Can I link a Play:1 to a One with an Echo show? 

If not, that means that I have a brand-new spare Sonos One because it is not going to fit in anywhere.

Anybody want to buy it?

HB

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

I'm sorry, no. You can only pair or bond Sonos speakers in the Sonos app. If you do not insist  on a stereo set up in the garage you could set up the Play:1 and the One as two Sonos "rooms", and group them. You'd not have stereo (double mono, in fact), but would that matter in the garage?

If the One is really not returnable, you could also buy another One (SL would be cheaper and in a stereo set up only one of the speakers’microphone is used so you will not need a second microphone)  and sell the Play:1 on eBay. 

H
Badge +2

Funny you mentioning eBay!  I was thinking of buying a second-hand Play 1 to match the existing Play 1 in the garage.  I already have a spare small Echo Show.  I would prefer stereo really.

Or, I could go down your route.

Don’t know what possessed me to buy a Sonos One.  That’s what you get for not reading up properly :)

HB

H
Badge +2

Just to recap:

I Have a Gen 3 Sub, 2 no. Play 1s and a Playbar.  This combination will work together if I temporarily link up an ethernet cable from the Playbar to my router.

Do I need to do this procedure first and then upgrade to the S2 app or do I need to upgrade to the S2 app first?

Thanks

HB

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Reading your first post I understand you already upgraded to S2: “I was advised to update to Sonos S2.  Once I did this…..”

This is what I would try.

I would connect the cable, leave the Sub for now, and start with the S1 app. Give everything time to fully start up.

If the app sees your devices fill in your WiFi credentials and upgrade them to S2. The system should guide you. After that remove the S1 app and use the S2 app. 

If you do not see the system in the S1 app you are already in S2. Remove the S1 app and go on in the S2 app.

Then set up the system for so far this is needed, setting up the Sub last.

 

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