Playing music from Twonky Server on Sonos

  • 2 October 2021
  • 13 replies
  • 1342 views

I am new to this so please bear with me.

I have a Western Digital MyCloud EX2 Ultra hosting a Twonky Server (Version 8.5.2-5) to provide access to Pictures, Video and Music. All works fine except the Music will not play on my Sonos Play1 via the Sonos app (Version: 13.3 OS:S2) loaded on my (Android) mobile devices.

The Sonos app sees the Music (Folders, Albums, Tracks) but says “an error occurred while adding tracks to the Queue (701).

On the Twonky Server, the Sonos support option is OFF. This is because the text warns that the option prevents Windows Media Player running on the same machine, from sharing media. I did once set it on, but the required server restart failed (I am using a Windows 10 laptop to configure the Twonnky Server). I have also read that “The Sonos feature included in Twonky is not functionally supported. WD support Sonos using SMB”.

I do not really understand what that means but have also read “I’ve activated (SMB1, SMB2, SMB3) and (NTML V1 and NTML V2) and I’m able to add it to Sonos app). I do not understand what this means or how to do it. As I understand that Microsoft dropped SMB1 etc. from W10 because of security issues, I am reluctant to make these changes.

Can anyone help please?


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13 replies

Badge +17

Hi @Colin - new to this, welcome to the community.

 

A couple of things that stand out to me here -

 

  1. If you’re unable to change the setting to enable Sonos connections from within Twonky, that’s most likely where things are falling over.
  2. You would have to ensure that the NTLMv1 module (thus SMB1) is enabled to allow Sonos to connect to the drive. If this isn’t enabled, then the connection will fail.

 

Outside of those two points, I’m unfamiliar with the inner workings of Twonky Server, so I can only offer general advice when trying to add a NAS share to Sonos.

If you do choose to enable those settings, and the connection still doesn’t work, submit a diagnostic and get back in touch with us with the confirmation number.

Thank you James, I appreciate your help.

Setting SMB1 and NTLMv1 is also recommended by WD Support but I have a concern because their site says that both are “deprecated since 2014 and considered obsolete and insecure”.

Will SONOS ever support SMB2/3 and NTLMv2 ?

Regards

Colin

Badge +17

Thank you James, I appreciate your help.

Setting SMB1 and NTLMv1 is also recommended by WD Support but I have a concern because their site says that both are “deprecated since 2014 and considered obsolete and insecure”.

Will SONOS ever support SMB2/3 and NTLMv2 ?

Regards

Colin

We don’t comment on our roadmap or upcoming features and products, so I wouldn’t be able to confirm that for you. I will be sure to pass along these comments that you’d like a later version of SMB to be implemented.

Again, thank you James.

 

It’s disappointing that SONOS rely on an obsolete and insecure protocol (I don’t know if that’s the correct terminology) to make this work. You will be aware of the security issues with Western Digital recently. They have closed the weakness it seems but the requirements of SONOS may well open it again.

Do any of your products use NTLM V2? Is this a case of me needing to purchase a later model speaker or risk the security of my system, or go elsewhere?

Regards

Colin

Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Colin - new to this 

James is on holiday, but I’ll be happy to answer.

We don’t support NTLM v2. For Sonos devices, SMB is a fall-back option if HTTP sharing from a desktop computer fails (the desktop Sonos app comes with a background service that responds to local Sonos HTTP requests). As you’re using a NAS and not a desktop, HTTP sharing isn’t an option, so you’re left with SMB instead. If you happen to have a Windows/Mac computer that’s on all day usually anyway, it may be an idea to share from it instead of from the NAS.

As mentioned by James, we cannot comment on what may be coming in the future, but the splitting of S1 and S2 software has certainly freed us to make significant changes in the S2 firmware. No real changes will be made to the S1 firmware.

I hope this helps.

Thank you Corry, I’ll give it a try from my laptop and use the NAS as a back up only.

Regards

Colin

Sorry but I don’t know how to do this, can you help?

When I Browse on my Sonos app I see my NAS (Twyonky Server) but not my laptop.

When I try to add new share into the Sonos app it asks for \\mycomputer\shared\music. How do I link it to my laptop?

I appreciate this may be very basic to some.

 

Thanks

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Colin - new to this 

Apologies - I should have provided instructions. This is all best done from the Sonos app on your laptop.

Please see our Add your music library to Sonos help page for the steps to take.

I hope this helps.

Thank you again Corry.

I tried what you suggested but the SONOS app on my laptop could not see my SONOS system without extensive changes to the (Norton) firewall which, I suspect, would make it as vulnerable to sad sack hackers as my NAS would be if I employed SMB1 and NTLM v1.

Having done further research I conclude that the problem is with SONOS not supporting the secure level of protocol now the accepted industry norm. I am left with no choice but to either find a wireless speaker that does support NTLM v2 and SMB 2/3 or play my NAS based material via my wired LAN.

I would add that for SONOS to continue to advertise that their speakers will play music from a LAN base NAS is irresponsible. I lost the content of my previous NAS as a result of a hack (SMB1?). I don’t intend risking it again.

I look forward to SONOS supporting NTLM v2 and SMB 2/3.

With regards

Colin

Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Colin - new to this 

If you’ve suffered from the results of a SMBv1 hack before, then I certainly understand your position. If your NAS supports Plex, perhaps that would be the best path forward as Plex can be added to Sonos as a Music Service. Requests would be routed through the Plex cloud, but it would avoid the use of SMB completely.

The Plex Media Server can be downloaded for free from the Plex Media Server download page, and runs on many platforms. You will probably need to install it from within your NAS’s configuration tool, however. Using Plex has the advantage of bypassing the 65,000 song limit of Sonos’ music library and also adds (unsupported) Alexa functionality - that is, you can voice-command your own music library to play. I wouldn’t like to say if this works with Google Assistant as well as I haven’t tested it myself.

I hope this helps.

Userlevel 7
Badge +22

You can work around the SMBv1 issue by leaving your NAS set to the newer protocols and adding a SMBv2/3 to SMBv1 gateway. I did it using a Raspberry Pi as it was cheap, easy and low power. 

It is a decent option until Sonos gets the S2 SMB update in place or for S1 systems that aren’t likely to see the improved networking.

https://stan-miller.livejournal.com/357.html

Hi Corry, it worked and I’m very grateful.

I would recommend reading the SONOS support guide on Plex before starting as I made a couple of mistakes at first but I’m happily playing all my music now. Again thank you.

Hi Stanley, thank you for your suggestion which I read with a growing sense of admiration for your expertise and a growing sense of my own limitation in this field. What you suggest is way beyond my ability. No worries, Corry’s suggestion works a treat.

Now, how loud dare I play ‘Wish you were here?’ without damaging my SONOS?

Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Colin - new to this 

I’m glad to hear you got it working! Should you ever have trouble with Plex on Sonos, please remove the account from Sonos and add it again.

You may find your ears get damaged first!