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Impossible to connect my SONOS ROAM in Bluetooth

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114 replies

Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @patdude 

The problem is that your system is on S1, and the Roam is only compatible with S2, as mentioned on our Set up your Sonos Roam help page.

You’ll need to reset the S2 app and when reopening it select to setup a new system, not to connect to an existing one. It may also help to turn the S1 units off while setting up S2. Once setup, however, the S1 and S2 systems/apps will operate properly side-by-side (though separately).

If your Roam isn’t ready to be setup (flashing green) you’ll need to factory reset it first.

In answer to your direct questions:

  1. Units are manufactured in advance, to build up stock and we cannot update Roams while they are in boxes in a warehouse. Software development is an on-going process and doesn’t always go as smoothly as marketing plans/executives would like. Therefore, few products (of any brand) that run software are ever sold with up-to-date software installed at the factory.
  2. A Sonos system requires all units on it to be operating on the same software to operate and configure correctly. A new unit, therefore, is not allowed to be added until the app and system are operating on the same software - if they were not, many strange things could happen making you (and many others) even less satisfied with the products. In addition, S1 is vastly different from S2, despite their common look.
  3. If you’d like a refund, arrange for one - just visit https://support.sonos.com/s/money-back-guarantee or return it to the store from which it was bought (though in this case you will be subject to their refund policy, not ours).

I hope this helps.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
E

Just adding my frustration to this thread.

Out the box sonos roam WILL NOT connect to Bluetooth filling instructions from Sonos website.

I have about a dozen Sonos devices which are all in some partial stranded state due to the mix of Sonos 1 and Sonos 2. I am so incredibly frustrated that thousands of dollars of equipment are unusable due to this situation.

I bought a ROAM bc I wanted to completely bypass the app and registration due to that level of frustration. I just want the SONOS audio quality without any of the SONOS app crap. I just want to AirPlay or BT to THIS ONE ROAM. That’s it.

 

looks like it’s not possible and I’ll return it. JBL can likely help me at half the price?

S
Userlevel 3
Badge +7

Well that didnt work for me. 

I tried about 15 times.  it kept powering off and yes the power was marked as 100% in the Sonos app. 

As soon as I put the power cable in … i could pair. 

your mileage may vary but this is the only thing that worked. 

Southern Gal
Ken_Griffiths

Just adding my frustration to this thread.

Out the box sonos roam WILL NOT connect to Bluetooth filling instructions from Sonos website.

I have about a dozen Sonos devices which are all in some partial stranded state due to the mix of Sonos 1 and Sonos 2. I am so incredibly frustrated that thousands of dollars of equipment are unusable due to this situation.

I bought a ROAM bc I wanted to completely bypass the app and registration due to that level of frustration. I just want the SONOS audio quality without any of the SONOS app crap. I just want to AirPlay or BT to THIS ONE ROAM. That’s it.

 

looks like it’s not possible and I’ll return it. JBL can likely help me at half the price?

I don’t understand why you didn’t just use your ‘Sonos Move’ as shown in your community profile to achieve the outcome you were looking for, as that will play both Bluetooth and Airplay audio too without ever having to goto the Sonos App?

Airgetlam

You may want to submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of experiencing this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it. It definitely is supposed to work the way that Ken explained, I’m wondering if there’s a hardware issue with yours.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the phone folks, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your Sonos system and network.

Bruce
N

Disclaimer, I am an IT Consultant. Which means I am very technically savvy. The Roam is NOT easy to use. Maybe I have a lemon, but I attempted to set up the Roam while on vacation and it timed out when connecting to the wifi I was on. Unfortunately, this was after I had completed the initial setup of the speaker. I tried a factory reset, hold down the play/pause button, press the power button, and continue to hold the play/pause button. This did absolutely nothing the light never changes. No factory reset. I tried to just then connect via Bluetooth since the speaker was “set up,” it would not go to a discoverable mode. Back on my home wifi and the speaker will still not factory reset and is not discoverable when I search. 

I had no problems connecting my Play 5 or One Sl. Why is the Roam such an issue? 

I'm in the same boat. I don't understand why the operation has to be a 5 min process every time I want to play music. Here is a tip Sonos. Instead of your engineer team designing the logic on the on/sleep/off/Bluetooth/wifi button,  simply turn off her wifi, hand your mom this speaker, and ask to get music to play... 

It should be something like this:

 long press = on 

 Long press= off 

 X duration no music played= sleep

 Bluetooth pair = long press to turn on, then up+down volume.

*Then device remembers whatever method it receives data. I shouldn't have to need to Google how to setup Sonos roam everytime I move it or find that the battery is dead because I put device in sleep mode instead of actually turning it off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ken_Griffiths

I'm in the same boat. I don't understand why the operation has to be a 5 min process every time I want to play music.

5 minutes? …Do you mean 5 seconds - it doesn’t take 5 minutes at all to play music

Here is a tip Sonos. Instead of your engineer team designing the logic on the on/sleep/off/Bluetooth/wifi button,  simply turn off her wifi, hand your mom this speaker, and ask to get music to play... 

It should be something like this:

 long press = on 

 Long press= off 

 X duration no music played= sleep

 Bluetooth pair = long press to turn on, then up+down volume.

These things that you mention above, are exactly, how the Roam works? 
Quick press:  (first tone on power button)… device sleeps/wakes

2 sec. press: (second tone on power button)… toggles between Bluetooth/Wifi

5+ sec. press: (third tone on power button) …device powers off, press again to power on

*Then device remembers whatever method it receives data. I shouldn't have to need to Google how to setup Sonos roam everytime I move it or find that the battery is dead because I put device in sleep mode instead of actually turning it off.

The playing queue stays in place till you shutdown the device - in standby the speaker keeps it’s playlist.

M

I do, but the only chime I hear is the one that you can hear when the ROAM is turning off.

Perhaps see if the following steps helps to sort it for you.

  1. Play some music to the Roam via the Sonos App, this is just to ensure it’s currently connected via WiFi. Pause the music playback with its Play/Pause button.
  2. Next check your mobile Bluetooth device-list that you plan to connect to. If the Roam is in the list already, then remove that device, just in case it is the old connection that was in use before you factory-reset the speaker.
  3. Now press and hold the rear power button on the Roam for two seconds and let go.
  4. Check the Roam then appears in your mobile Bluetooth device-list and select it in order to pair the speaker to the mobile.
  5. All being well, you should now be able to play audio to the Roam via the Bluetooth-connected mobile.

I have gone though this process a couple of times, and still no luck.  I have never once hear a chime or have seen a blue light.  The Roam will just oscillate between blinking white and blinking orange, unless plugged in to which a white light stays on.  No matter how long I hold the power button 2 secs to as long as I can hold it down, I have never seen my phone find Sonos or Roam on my BT pairing.

Ken_Griffiths

I have gone though this process a couple of times, and still no luck.  I have never once hear a chime or have seen a blue light.  The Roam will just oscillate between blinking white and blinking orange, unless plugged in to which a white light stays on.  No matter how long I hold the power button 2 secs to as long as I can hold it down, I have never seen my phone find Sonos or Roam on my BT pairing.

It sounds like you are in ‘diagnostic dump’ mode. Fully power off the speaker by long-pressing the rear power button until all lights switch off. (About 5-10 seconds press should be long enough). Wait 30 seconds and power on again and when the device had settled and is showing in the S2 App, then try the steps mentioned again.

D

Initial setup was ok 

now it’s not working at all

it’s stuck with flashing orange light and doesn’t even turn off. 
I tried every possible combination of button pushing, in vain 

Bluetooth connectivity has serious issues 

Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Dgiann 

I recommend you hold the power button for 12 seconds to force a full reboot.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
Ken_Griffiths

Followed every suggestion in this thread. Still no joy. I’m a long time legacy Sonos user who know the product inside and out, and I also have a move. Can’t get the BT blue light to come on no matter what dance I do. Very frustrating Sonos!

 

By the way, I do hear the button-press chime, followed by the bluetooth pairing chime, still no joy. If I keep holding, I get the triple-chime power-off tone.

What device are your pairing the Roam with? Have you tried pairing with another device?

L
Userlevel 2

Followed every suggestion in this thread. Still no joy. I’m a long time legacy Sonos user who know the product inside and out, and I also have a move. Can’t get the BT blue light to come on no matter what dance I do. Very frustrating Sonos!

 

By the way, I do hear the button-press chime, followed by the bluetooth pairing chime, still no joy. If I keep holding, I get the triple-chime power-off tone.

Same here. No solution. I also have a Move.  Looks like it going back. Terrible biz model to prevent Legacy users from growing their systems.  

Ken_Griffiths

Same here. No solution. I also have a Move.  Looks like it going back. Terrible biz model to prevent Legacy users from growing their systems.  

It seems you perhaps may have a fault then on both your devices, which is really unusual… I’ve just tested both the Move and Roam here and each connect/pair to Bluetooth with no issues at all. I just paired them both and took the attached photo to show that is the case.

Perhaps submit a diagnostic report and then contact Support Staff via this LINK. 

1 Attachment
M

I have gone though this process a couple of times, and still no luck.  I have never once hear a chime or have seen a blue light.  The Roam will just oscillate between blinking white and blinking orange, unless plugged in to which a white light stays on.  No matter how long I hold the power button 2 secs to as long as I can hold it down, I have never seen my phone find Sonos or Roam on my BT pairing.

It sounds like you are in ‘diagnostic dump’ mode. Fully power off the speaker by long-pressing the rear power button until all lights switch off. (About 5-10 seconds press should be long enough). Wait 30 seconds and power on again and when the device had settled and is showing in the S2 App, then try the steps mentioned again.

I had to leave it over a long weekend and am now able to come back to working on this connection issue.  The Roam was off the entire time of my trip, I restarted it, and was able to connect via wifi and start playing music through the S2 app.  At this point I go to my BT settings on my Pixel 3 and there is nothing to remove as I have never once identified the roam as a BT signal.  I click pair new BT device and then hold the power button on the Sonos for 2 seconds.  No flashing lights still solid white, no sonos to pair to in my menu.  The only activation that I can get via the power button is on or off and that happens after 12 seconds of holding down the power button.

Y

I have tried everything and now have it plugged into my router to see if it needs an update. I cant even add it to my system, when i try it knocks off my amp in the other room and the music stops. for two days i have tried to BT the speaker to to different iphones. No joy. or even add it to the system, no joy. Broken, defective? not sure but not happy with Mr. Sonos

Ken_Griffiths

I have tried everything and now have it plugged into my router to see if it needs an update.

Intriguing and really quite amazing, all things considered 🤔?

Ken_Griffiths

Just got the roam and same issue here.  App was a mess, wouldn’t connect, didn’t like the wifi.  Uninstalled and reinstalled it.  Didn’t help.   I can turn it on but it goes from flashing white directly to flashing green.  I want to just connect via bluetooth but it won’t go into pairing mode.  Holding the power button at any point of the process just seems to turn it off with no sound whatsoever.  Really very frustrating and not very, well modern.  Feels like a decade ago in regard to ease of set-up.   

Are you are using the S2 App and does your controller device and the network setup meet the Sonos system requirements, only both my Sonos Roams each popped up themselves in the App, I hit "setup" and they were both sorted within a matter of seconds… it didn’t take any more than a minute for each setup.

Assuming your new speaker is not faulty, I’m thinking you are ‘perhaps’ doing something wrong in your case, as it was really was that simple.

Schlumpf
Userlevel 7
Badge +16

May be one more thing could be helpful for BT pairing…

If roam is turned on and in wifi mode, holding the power button for about 2-3 seconds until you can hear the second chime puts roam to pairing mode and the light is flashing blue. 
so far songood… ;-)

But this will only work if there is no other device near arround that already is paired with the roam. If so roam will connect to this known device and show a solid blue light instead of going to pairing mode. 
So if are in wifi mode and you want to pair a second device, either there has to be no already paired device nearby or you first have to switch roam to an active known BT connection an then start the procedure to initiate pairing mode. 
It took me one hour to find out this when i tried to pair my ipad after i had paired my iphone. ;-)

Ralf
Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Uriar 

If your Roam hasn’t been Bluetooth paired (or not since the last factory reset), you will need to hold the power button for 2 seconds until you hear the second chime.

If you are trying to pair to a new device, after Roam has already been paired before, you’ll then need to press and hold for another 2 seconds for a third chime.

I recommend you get in touch with our technical support team, who have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your Sonos system, if this doesn’t work.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
Y

After a couple of trys the update did it, as soon as i want back to the app it recognized it and folded right in. Bluetooth came right up and played like a champ.

Sonos should put out instructions to look for the update in ever box they sell.

Thank you for your help 

Ken_Griffiths

@Aitchliddle,

I’m away from Home for the weekend (enjoying the hot weather spell here in the U.K.) and Roam is working just fine here on both a Bluetooth connection and/or connected to a MiFi 4G device with the iPhone XR as a controller. If you can’t get it to work away from its normal home network, then it’s either user error, or perhaps a faulty device, but our Roam most definitely works. 

The images attached are the Roam (called Walkabout) playing Peter Gabriel on the MiFi signal and The Weekend playing on Bluetooth (using Amazon Music) - no update needed here for the Roam software.

Both types of connection when travelling with the Roam are working fine.

S

I am using the new app, S2.   Requirements look fine.  I’ll test at home today as well.  I don’t care about the WIFI part that much. 

Ken_Griffiths

Same here. Not happy at all with the Roam.

 

Unable to connect it on my WiFi, apparently it does not work well with network extension, which makes little sense for a nomad device.

I swallowed this excuse from support but when I tried to configure it sitting next to the router it did not work either… I managed to listen 3-5 sons over the past month…

 

Also, the - expensive - charger does not work properly, I have to use the cable instead + for some reason Sonos decided the color of the charger is different to the device (white vs grey).

 

Today I have tried to connect it via Bluetooth as a fallback option now but the music disconnects after 20sec.. (I took the device to the countryside where there is no wifi). Extremely frustrating.

 

@Sonos team, please don’t ship products before they are ready. I was very happy with my other products but this very negative experience is harming seriously my trust in the brand.

Perhaps try it on a different band of your router. So if it’s on the 5Ghz band move it to the 2.4Ghz and set the channel width to 20Mhz.

If using SonosNet for your ‘other’ Sonos products then ensure the SonosNet and 2.4Ghz WiFi channels do not overlap.

Hope that assists to improve your Roam playback and overall experience.

 

Ken_Griffiths

Can’t connect via Bluetooth. How about this: NO chime sounds at all, not even during power down. Did the reset. Can’t update because I’m out of town for the summer; my Sonos system is back home. No blue and white lights, no pairing tone.

Have been wasting hours of my time.

If you’re away from Home and opted for a ‘last-resort’ reset of the Roam, what were the setup steps taken to get the speaker back up and running? 

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