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Impossible to connect my SONOS ROAM in Bluetooth

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114 replies

G

Dear Sonos Gurus,

Brought Roam and learned the hardway while on vacation that one must first connect to your Sonos wifi system first (which was in Munich, Germany and I was working in Portland, OR).  Okay - all fair in love and reading all the fine print prior to buying something.

Got back to Munich, connected Roam, played music, worked great.  Read your very nice forum, read Sonos instructions, watch youtube video, got blue flashing light (no chime), my iphone 11 can’t see the Sonos Roam.

Okay

  • Did factory reboot (hold play button while holding power button)
  • Reconnected to my Sonos system
  • Played music
  • iphone App on S2 (went to Apple App Store and checked - latest)
  • Could not find any special information on how to update Roam’s software…
  • Went back, got blue flashing light (no chime) and once again, nothing on iphone bluetooth connection list
  • After the blue light flashes for about 5 seconds, it stays a steady blue. 
  • I have not connected it to anything and yes -- I have already done a factory reset (today - prior).

I find this amazing.  Sonos is such a quality product and this bluetooth setup is something.  If I would have known, I would have gone back to Bose….  I understand what Sonos is trying to do - no problem with the WiFi first setup and then everything -- but getting this bluetooth working is beyond difficult.

Depressing the amount of time I have spent and once again, I have read and re-read and re-read everything I can find yet all I get is the blue flashing light (no sound, no chime, no nothing).

 

Wow --

George Oregon

G

Dear Sonos Team,

Egads...it came up!!!!

What happened?  I was reading about how to do a factory reset and it said to hold down the power button for five seconds when powering off.  So I did it but then of all things, the blue light start flashing, a chime was emitted and it appeared on my phone.

This is insane.  I’m burned out on Sonos.  It should never be so fraught with sensitivities based on how long you hold down a button (please note that the end of my finger is sore since there is no tactile feedback as to whether or not you have pressed the button - that is silly - they could provide some sort of click or something since they are insisting on holding down the power button for a certain time amount).

Basically, I can’t recommend Sonos, my guess is that they have out-sourced a lot of their design...don’t really know but wish I would have brought Bose for my complete home system and for remote.  Not inspired by Sonos’es attitude of “strict adherance” or you will suffer mightily…

Logging out,

Burned out with Sonos,

George

Ken_Griffiths

As of now, I hate the Roam.  Impossible to connect simply and easily. It’s way too frustrating and too much work to use.  

The Roam buttons may seem complicated at first, but those that know the workings of Sonos will likely find it quite easy after a short while of using the device.

I did this quick summary below, which may hopefully assist with understanding the main button presses. The controls certainly do get easier with time and use, I personally don’t even have to think about them for operating the speaker.

Anyhow I hope this helps…

Roam Controls Summary

 Rear Power Button:

  1. Use this button to power on the device.
  2. A quick press puts device to sleep/wakes up device
  3. A longer press (2nd bleep) puts device into Bluetooth mode (it will go into BT pairing mode, if not paired), or repeat this step for pairing mode, repeat to return to WiFi (or disconnect the pairing on mobile device).
  4. A Longer 5+seconds (3rd bleep) button press, when powered on, will power-off the Roam completely.

Play/Pause Button:

  1. A quick press will play/pause the audio.
  2. A quick double press skips to next playing track (if available).
  3. A quick triple press (either restarts playing track, or skips to previous track - depends on audio service in use).
  4. A long press (2nd bleep) will ‘group’ the Roam with a playing Sonos speaker on LAN (repeat to cycle through all playing sources).
  5. A longer press (3rd bleep) will invoke Sonos SoundSwap between Roam and a nearby ‘compatible’ Sonos Speaker (WiFi only). See this feature LINK

There are other combination button options for device-reset and diagnostics etc. but they are rarely necessary, so I haven’t included those.

S
Userlevel 3
Badge +7

so i was trying to connect ROAM for the first time to bluetooth to my iPhone 

i had it unplugged from power and nothing would work - it kept powering off. 

the MINUTE i plugged it in, then i could get the bluetooth flashing blue light and then pair it with my iPhone

i will try pairing it with my chromebook later.  

I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND the directions on the SONOS website include 

FIRST CONNECT TO POWER

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4989?language=en_US

Southern Gal
Ken_Griffiths

so i was trying to connect ROAM for the first time to bluetooth to my iPhone 

i had it unplugged from power and nothing would work - it kept powering off. 

the MINUTE i plugged it in, then i could get the bluetooth flashing blue light and then pair it with my iPhone

i will try pairing it with my chromebook later.  

I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND the directions on the SONOS website include 

FIRST CONNECT TO POWER

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4989?language=en_US

The Roam doesn’t need to be connected to external power to operate in either Bluetooth or WiFi mode - it sounds like your Roam isn’t quite charging correctly, perhaps? …what is the power-output stated on the charger in terms of volts/amps?

A
Userlevel 2

#jdgrand 

100% agree

A

see below

A
Userlevel 2

AL1 None, not nine  

A

Angkor123 - if you still have your Roam and haven’t returned it quite yet, a flashing green light means the product hasn’t been set up via the Sonos app yet.

Please use the Sonos app to first set up Roam on your network, then you will be able to switch to Bluetooth by holding the power button down for 2 seconds.

 

Sonos Staff:

I tried that too. No success either. Sonos also plainly states one cannot use their app with a computer. Huh?! I was also unable to load it into my iPhone from the Apple store. And I find this whole app & Bluetooth relationship utterly puzzling. No audio device today should be this complicated to hook up. Life is too short. It goes in the mail today!

S
Userlevel 3
Badge +7

Reread 

FOR PAIRING you need to be connected to power otherwise pushing the power button turns off the speaker. 
At least MINE woUldnot pair until I connected to power 

Southern Gal
A

Sonos Staff:

I tried that too. No success either. Sonos also plainly states one cannot use their app with a computer. Huh?! I was also unable to load it into my iPhone from the Apple store. And I find this whole app & Bluetooth relationship utterly puzzling. No audio device today should be this complicated to hook up. Life is too short. It goes in the mail today!

 

Took me 2 minutes to set mine up and it has been running flawlessly ever since.  No “journalist” who is this inept at setting up electronics should be giving reviews. 

 

Attention Sonos Staff: I flag this comment for removal. The poster is rude and casting personal aspersions.

 

Ken_Griffiths

Reread 

FOR PAIRING you need to be connected to power otherwise pushing the power button turns off the speaker. 
At least MINE woUldnot pair until I connected to power 

Nope, I don’t need to have the Roam connected to power/charger to do that - it pairs just fine when I’m away from home and have taken it outdoors/camping, just like every other Bluetooth device… if it’s been paired with your phone once before, there’s no need to pair it a second time either, just select to reconnect/disconnect from your mobile BT device list. No need to keep pressing the rear power button unless you’re pairing with a ‘different’ device and you shouldn’t need to connect the Roam to power to do that either, just cycle through the pairing options.

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

The real problem does seem to be you not being able to install the Sonos app (Sonos is clear the computer app is not built for setting up a speaker) on your iPhone. What problem did you run into?

D

I was having the same issues. Pressing the power button for 2 secs did not bring up the flashing blue light/chime that signals pairing. Had first setup the Roam via my S2 app, as instructed, and it connected on my home Sonos system via wifi without issue… but would not connect to my device via bluetooth. Power was at 45% out of the box.

Then I tried plugging the Roam into a power source, retried the bluetooth sequence and… success! I was able to pair the Roam to my MS Surface.

Hope this works for others.

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