Question

Move on a guest network.

  • 30 August 2020
  • 9 replies
  • 917 views

Userlevel 1
Badge +2

At a rent by week cottage and attempting to setup a Move on a wi-fi, it fails to complete.  One article says the Move cannot be setup on a guest wi-fi network. How do I know if the wi-fi I'm trying to connect to is a guest one, and that's why we can't connect, or some other problem is in play?


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9 replies

There are a number of applications for phone/pad that will scan the network. I use FING. Once FING is installed, make sure that you have at least two of your own devices using the WiFi, then scan the network. The scan should be able to discover both of these devices. If you cannot discover your devices, probably this is a guest network. If you can discover your devices, then attempt to PING another device. If you are on a guest network, you will not be able to PING your devices.

A travel router can deal with this sort of issue. The travel router can be a guest on the house network and connect your devices to each other and the Internet.

Obviously, MOVE must be using the correct WiFi password before it can be discovered.

most likely the ‘network isolation’ feature has been enabled on the router which prevents devices on the wireless subnet ‘to see each other’ - you need administration access to the router to change this - if you have physical access to the router you could try to connect the MOVE with a ethernet cable

MOVE has no Ethernet port. 

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @paulmiller.

Welcome to the Sonos community and thanks for reaching out to us.

I would like to share with you the guide about the Sonos system requirement to better understand what router and router/network settings are required for Sonos to work. A guest network is usually a WiFi/wireless network connection that needs authentication prior to getting an internet connection.  Usually, a guest network requires validation of pictures, asking for a mobile phone number or email, verification of mobile phone number by sending a confirmation number and then asking for the confirmation number that was sent to the mobile phone or device,  etc. On the other hand, a regular network is just a WiFi/wireless connection that needs a password/Wifi Password with no validation or verification needed. I also agree with @ratty The Sonos Move is the only Sonos device that does not have a built-in ethernet port.

I hope this helps.

Please let us know if you still have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help.

Thanks,

All good points, but as noted the key factor is often wireless client isolation which of course breaks Sonos. 

It should be able to work with client isolation in place (guest networks). Amazon echoes work just fine this way.

Its even more asinine you can’t use Bluetooth out of the box.

I manage IT for a resort and helped a long term guest with one of these today but gave up after whitelisting it and realizing the limitation - told him to try a private hotspot or to get an Echo. And I thought Sonos was supposed to be slick. 

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +23

This is stupid. It should be able to work with client isolation in place (guest networks). Amazon echoes work just fine this way.

 

An Echo is a trivial network device and only connects to the internet, so a Guest network is fine. A Sonos speaker is a complex network device and (sometimes) needs the internet, AND always needs a local network, so it can chat with other Sonos devices as well as your phone. Client isolation, by definition, blocks inter-device communication.

I agree I guess I was just frustrated you can’t proceed with the setup to turn on the damn Bluetooth and think the setup process should be more clear for people in this scenario with an error message. I’m sure it’s great otherwise 

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

Hi @rp3.

Thanks for the immediate feedback. I understand the frustration on where you’re coming from.

I do agree with @ratty and @controlav. Wireless isolation only allows in and out communication via the internet (router) and does not allow local communication in which a Sonso device needs. I would like to recommend with you the Sonos system requirement so we can better understand what would be the recommended set up and what Sonos does not recommend. I would also like to add and make a correction about 

Wireless setup requirements

  • 2.4GHz WiFi signal
  • 802.11b/g modes enabled *** should be 802.11 b/g/n modes enabled.

I hope this helps.

Please let us know if you still have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help out.

Thanks,