After many years with Sonos products, I think I've just about had it.
I recently moved 3 speakers to my GF's house for a party, and spent the more than an hour setting up, including new a Sonos account, and driving home to get a patch cable…
Back home afterwards, I've now set up one speaker but I can't really get back to my old account - Now it only wants to use 'The one used to set up the system'.
I'm really sick & tired of all the hassle and lack of user-friendliness. It is pretty extreme.. There must be other companies that deserve my hard earned cash more.
Anyone know the market well enough to suggest alternatives?
-Me
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I'm not sure why you had to create a new account and just not move the speakers to her house - plug one in via ethernet and bam - back in business at different location. If been with Sonos many years that is the way it always was (no direct wifi option)
Anyone know the market well enough to suggest alternatives?
-Me
I don't know the market very well but managed to perform a search with something called 'Google'. This is what came up as first result:
https://www.trustedreviews.com/guide/best-wireless-speakers
As for your described issues: you obviously set up a new household rather than simply adding your existing household to your girlfriend's LAN. Happens to the best of us.
It’s like Chris says.. run the speakers in Boost Mode and you can easily shift a batch of Sonos speakers anywhere that there is a router and internet access. Just plug one in and away you go, no new accounts, nor any configuration is necessary. It couldn’t really get any simpler.
First, thanks for the replies.
Second, I sure don't hope I did it the most efficient way - But it highlighted to me, just how difficult this can be. Using different devices, the experience was different and the challenges frustrating. At her house, it was a newly installed Sonos app on her device, and I really missed a quick setup-and-go solution.
It should have been easy. I'm usually the go-to guy for tech help, and I've no idea how non-technical people would have managed. I was not aware, though, that having a boost simplified things. I'll look into that.
Second, I sure don't hope I did it the most efficient way - But it highlighted to me, just how difficult this can be. Using different devices, the experience was different and the challenges frustrating. At her house, it was a newly installed Sonos app on her device, and I really missed a quick setup-and-go solution.
It should have been easy. I'm usually the go-to guy for tech help, and I've no idea how non-technical people would have managed. I was not aware, though, that having a boost simplified things. I'll look into that.
Just to clarify, you don't need to own a Boost- boost mode means you have at least one Sonos speaker connected through ethernet to the router.
"Boost Mode" is accomplished by plugging any sonos device with a direct connection to the router. It does not necessarily mean you need the Boost device.
Sonos does provide a support file on setting up Sonos with a new router.
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/1061?language=en_US
If you're like me, being the go-to tech guy sometimes means that I believe I can figure anything out and end up doing things the hard way because I never bothered to consult a manual or support.
Sonos does provide a support file on setting up Sonos with a new router.
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/1061?language=en_US
If you're like me, being the go-to tech guy sometimes means that I believe I can figure anything out and end up doing things the hard way because I never bothered to consult a manual or support.
'If all else fails, read the instructions'. Anon.
But it's much more fun to ignore the instructions, mess up and then complain about it isn't it?
But it's much more fun to ignore the instructions, mess up and then complain about it isn't it?
Well yes, but they sure could have made it easier! Setting these things up from apps is a real mess...
I was going to agree with you, that they could have put a link in the Sonos app or something.
But then I did a quick check and if you open the link and it fails to find a Sonos system to connect to (on a different wifi), it brings up a page to connect to the very same support article posted above.
I'm not sure what they could have done to make this any easier. You're experience was messy because you made some bad assumptions about how to do it that made setting it up the way you wanted more difficult then it needed to be.
But then I did a quick check and if you open the link and it fails to find a Sonos system to connect to (on a different wifi), it brings up a page to connect to the very same support article posted above.
I'm not sure what they could have done to make this any easier. You're experience was messy because you made some bad assumptions about how to do it that made setting it up the way you wanted more difficult then it needed to be.
But then I did a quick check and if you open the link and it fails to find a Sonos system to connect to (on a different wifi), it brings up a page to connect to the very same support article posted above.
I'm not sure what they could have done to make this any easier. You're experience was messy because you made some bad assumptions about how to do it that made setting it up the way you wanted more difficult then it needed to be.
Well, for one they could have allowed a setup without account! A quick setup to get going. And since they do insist on an account, why doesn't the playlists and setup follow the account, rather that the physical speaker?
Copyright restrictions?
Well, for one they could have allowed a setup without account! A quick setup to get going.
Are you switching topics now? If you're still talking about moving your products to a different router, I don't think entering an account is required, and they couldn't make it much quicker. If your talking about doing an initial setup of your first speaker, is entering an account really that much of a burden time wise?
Am I missing your point here?
And since they do insist on an account, why doesn't the playlists and setup follow the account, rather that the physical speaker?
Probably because Sonos devices began selling before cloud computing and streaming services were a common practice. All music was locally stored and indexed on each device, as well as playlists and setup. That also would mean Sonos products won't operate without an internet connection.
Melvimbe is correct in his post above, you don’t need to setup a Sonos account again when taking speakers to a friends house, not if the devices were already operating in Boost Mode when you unplugged them.
On arrival at your friends house, you just simply plug one of your speakers into your friends network, then power on the rest of the devices and away you go.
Every device will keep working on their own built-in hidden WiFi signal called SonosNet under their assigned SonosID. Your friend can even have their own Sonos speakers on the exact same local network... they would just be operating as an entirely different 'Sonos Household' which will also have its own SonosID.
Your friend would continue to control their own speakers with their own sonos controller App.
All you need do to control your speakers is to get your friend to allow you to add your phone (sonos controller) onto their local network. No sonos account setup, or anything like that, is required.
After your mobile 'controller' device joins your friends network, the Sonos App can be opened and all your Settings, Favourites, Playlists, Music Services are there ready and waiting to be used, because those things are held on your speakers.
It really is that simple.
On arrival at your friends house, you just simply plug one of your speakers into your friends network, then power on the rest of the devices and away you go.
Every device will keep working on their own built-in hidden WiFi signal called SonosNet under their assigned SonosID. Your friend can even have their own Sonos speakers on the exact same local network... they would just be operating as an entirely different 'Sonos Household' which will also have its own SonosID.
Your friend would continue to control their own speakers with their own sonos controller App.
All you need do to control your speakers is to get your friend to allow you to add your phone (sonos controller) onto their local network. No sonos account setup, or anything like that, is required.
After your mobile 'controller' device joins your friends network, the Sonos App can be opened and all your Settings, Favourites, Playlists, Music Services are there ready and waiting to be used, because those things are held on your speakers.
It really is that simple.
Well, they weren't in boost mode - Had I known this was an advantage, I would have done so before moving.
As for the setup, we needed to use her tablet for the event - So I used that to setup Sonos... Apparently my second mistake. But the process and following setup did not leave me many options to correct any of those.
And the setup process did specifically require me to have an internet connection - So they could have kept the setup on the account, rather than the hardware.
I realize that advance knowledge would have simplified the process a lot, but I've no doubt many people end up frustrated like me - Unnecessarily so... I'f Sonos had bothered to go through this process and improve it a bit.
As for the setup, we needed to use her tablet for the event - So I used that to setup Sonos... Apparently my second mistake. But the process and following setup did not leave me many options to correct any of those.
And the setup process did specifically require me to have an internet connection - So they could have kept the setup on the account, rather than the hardware.
I realize that advance knowledge would have simplified the process a lot, but I've no doubt many people end up frustrated like me - Unnecessarily so... I'f Sonos had bothered to go through this process and improve it a bit.
JustMe2,
Maybe you do have a point, but it’s clear you did not read, or possibly did not understand, the full capabilities of your product. A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing sometimes. It certainly has cost you a lot of unnecessary wasted time on this occasion. If only you had thought to ask yourself the questions before you started, you would have quickly seen that there is a quick and simple solution to what you were trying to do.
Anyhow, at least you know now, for next time.
Maybe you do have a point, but it’s clear you did not read, or possibly did not understand, the full capabilities of your product. A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing sometimes. It certainly has cost you a lot of unnecessary wasted time on this occasion. If only you had thought to ask yourself the questions before you started, you would have quickly seen that there is a quick and simple solution to what you were trying to do.
Anyhow, at least you know now, for next time.
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