I’ve tried doing this a few times but never succeeded in what should be a simple process. In preparation for a trip where I’d like to add the Roam to a different WiFi without resetting it, I’ve just created a new WiFi hotspot at home and am trying to add it to my Roam.
Current setup:
Many speakers on S1 connected to Sonosnet.
Single Roam obviously on S2 connected to same network as S1.
Steps taken:
Switch on Roam and move phone to different WiFi (the new hotspot) and open S2:
Select ‘Unable to find your system’:
Select ‘Yes’:
Select ‘Yes’:
Select ‘Find system’:
The App finds two systems even though S1 is disconnected. This also happened when on holiday, far away from the S1 system.
Select ‘Continue’:
Select ‘Select’. I am returned to the ‘Find system’ screen. If I select that I’m returned to the ‘We’ve found multiple Sonos systems. Let’s confirm the one you want to update.’ screen.
It’s an endless loop.
I then tried the ‘Find Missing Products’ option:
I get this:
Select ‘Continue’:
Select ‘Continue’:
Select ‘Select’:
Select ‘Continue’:
I turn the Roam off and on again and select ‘Continue’:
After switching my router off and on again (didn’t think it would make any difference) and selecting ‘Continue’:, I finally get this:
What do I need to do to get this to work? Anything to do with Sonos Household? I’ve tried this with the S1 speakers available and also not. It’s exactly the same as when I was on holiday trying to add the Roam there. The only solution was resetting the Roam. I am not trying to add the Roam to another S2 system - I understand that does require a Reset.
I also raised diagnostic 482131843
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Hi @sjw
Thanks for your post!
Sonos does not support the use of hotspots for connection - they may work in some cases, but other times they won’t and nothing can be done about it other than changing the device which is creating the hotspot. Some just won’t relay particular types of network traffic.
For similar reasons, you also cannot get Sonos systems to run on public WiFi networks - such as hotel WiFis. On these types of networks, devices are prevented from talking to one another, and such networks often require logging in via a web portal, which the speaker cannot do.
To test the process prior to going on your next holiday, I would instead recommend you go to a friend’s home and connect to their WiFi - this will be much easier if they don’t already own Sonos themselves.
As for going on holiday, I recommend taking a travel router with you - this will connect to a public WiFi for internet access, but also allow your devices to talk to one another. If you opt for this, you can of course test connecting to it prior to leaving, instead of going to a friend’s.
I hope this helps.
Hi , I think there may be a misunderstanding here. How does Sonos know it’s connected to a ‘hotspot’ as opposed to a router? It’s just a DHCP Server and connects and gets an IP address from it. I’ve seen hotspots mentioned many times in this scenario to connect to - and then connect to it from a different device. In fact, if I reset the Sonos it connects just fine to the hotspot - but needs setting up again from scratch.
When I was on holiday it wasn’t a hotel setup, it was an apartment with its own router so should have worked perfectly?
Hi @sjw
Your Sonos device wouldn’t “know” one way or the other - as I said, sometimes it will work. What I meant by “unsupported” is that our technical support team won’t assist in such a matter, simply because in many cases it will not work. Even when it does, it can be unreliable. We sometimes even use hotspots for troubleshooting - if a hotspot works, we know there isn’t an issue with the speaker’s hardware. When it doesn’t work, however, we still can’t take that as proof of a fault and would need to try another network.
It is strange, however, that you were able to connect to the hotspot after a reset - the reset should have made no difference. And, assuming the router you had access to on holiday met the Sonos system requirements, you shouldn’t have had any issues there either.
As you have now reset your Roam and will need to reconnect it to your home WiFi, if you have trouble doing so please don’t reset it and instead contact our technical support team, who have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your Sonos system and what it reports about the process. Even if you don’t have trouble, it would still be good to get in touch explaining the issue you had with the hotspot and the fact that a reset helped when it shouldn’t have as getting the issue documented in a support case is the best way to move forward.
Hi @Corry P ,
The Roam is connected to my home WiFi fine - however, after returning from holiday, I needed to reset it to do so. That’s my point, I’m unable to add a second WiFi to my Roam. I don’t know if the presence of the S1 App is affecting things (but it shouldn’t).
I even tried switching off the S1 speakers while trying to do it. It’s strange because even on holiday, when trying to add the Roam to the second WiFi it gives the ‘We found multiple systems’ message and loops again after selecting the Roam.
If I try to add a new WiFi I find myself in a loop. If I reset the Roam and add it to the WiFi I was trying to add it to as a second WiFi it adds fine. The diagnostic is above from when I was trying to add it and was in a loop.
Hi @sjw
Apologies - I sought some assistance and was pointed towards a known issue that I should have remember about sooner:
We are aware of an issue preventing some Android controllers from completing the wireless setup. For now we recommend completing the wireless setup from an iOS controller or keeping at least one Sonos device wired as a workaround. A fix for this issue will be included in the 14.16 firmware that will be available later this year.
A factory reset avoids this issue as the credentials are no longer being updated with existing credentials in place. The advice regarding keeping a unit ethernet wired doesn’t apply to your situation, obviously, and you’re hardly likely to purchase an iPhone just to skirt this issue. From the statement above, however, it sounds like the bug has already been resolved and the fix will be published with the next update (I don’t have a date, unfortunately, but I do hope it will be in time for your holiday).
I hope this helps.
Thanks, @Corry P , that’s great news.
Yes, the wired option isn’t an ‘option’ for me as I only have the Roam on S2 - and I don’t have access to an iOS device.
I look forward to the update, glad it wasn’t something I was doing (or wasn’t doing!).
Just installed 14.16 and I get a bit further but I’m still unable to add the secondary WiFi.
It now asks for the new WiFi details but then fails to connect to it.
Select ‘Yes’
Select ‘Find system’:
Select ‘Select’ - this is now new to me - I’m now asked for the password for the new WiFi:
I input the password (100% correct..):
It tries but then fails…
It does not connect.
Interestingly though, it must be getting close - if I switch the phone back to the normal WiFi (the app obviously then comes back to life and it connects to the Roam) and go into the Network section, the new SSID IS there. It just doesn’t connect to it.
I’ve tried a few different WiFi’s too - always the same.
Hi @sjw
Good to hear that you are no longer stuck in that loop!
I assume that the Virgin Media WiFi isn’t available when you are trying to connect the new WiFi? If it is, the Roam will just connect to the last WiFi it was successful in connecting to, which is presumably the Virgin Media one. Also, some hotspots just won’t work - as discussed before - though from the SSID it’s unclear if that’s a hotspot or a router.
As you’re still having problems with this, and we did expect it to be resolved now, I recommend you get in touch with our technical support team, who have tools at their disposal that will allow them to go through some real-time troubleshooting steps with you.
I hope they are of help to you.
Hi @sjw
I just read on a similar thread that a user reporting the same as yourself was able to connect after rebooting their phone - please try this before calling in.
I hope this helps.
Hi @Corry P , yes, I renamed the VM WiFi while doing all of that so the speaker wasn’t connecting to it.
I then took the Roam to another house and went through the same process - and got the exact same error ‘There was a problem connecting your Sonos Roam to XXX’ etc. - but again, it still appeared in the list of ‘Manage Networks’.
The Sonos App still had the ‘Unable to find your Sonos system’ error. I restarted the phone but it was still the same. However, I did a full restart of the Roam - and it connected!
I came home and restarted it again and it also connected to the hotspot too!
So, it’s a bit flaky I’d say (giving an error and needing a reboot) - but got there in the end - thanks for the help
