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Roam setup nightmares.

  • 25 April 2021
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39 replies

W
Userlevel 1

Further to my experiences with my first Sonos product, the Roam, and receiving it (while roaming) at a hotel with a typical wi-fi configuration.

I did figure out a way to get it set up, using my iPad with cellular data as a hotspot,  and then connecting to it with my phone with the Sonos app and the Roam. This allowed me to enable the magical functionality of using the Roam as a Bluetooth speaker with my various devices. 

A solution, incidentally, I thought of myself with zero credit to Sonos support whom I contacted and could only repeat the mantra of “it has to connect to wi-fi first before you can use Bluetooth”. Funny thing, if you Google “Use Sonos Roam with Bluetooth” it details the process of how to do so with zero mention of the setup steps for a new Sonos device.

Anyway, just in the process of getting an RMA to return it, even though it’s now working with BT.

Not because of the ridiculous user experience...but because it sounds pretty mediocre.

Ken_Griffiths

@Falorian,

Just setup the Roam using a mobile Hotspot. Connect your mobile controller to the same Hotspot and set it up with the Sonos App inside of a couple of minutes and then simply switch to using Bluetooth.

Corry P
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @Pwestdubs 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

Thank you all for your feedback - both on Roam setup and the guides/FAQs online. I’ll pass this on to our development team for consideration.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
W
Userlevel 1

Yes, it is. Shame the Sonos support person didn’t have a clue about it. 

I used to enjoy kludging stuff like this but I’m kinda past the point where I have either the time or interest in searching online for silly workarounds to enable basic functionality of things. Of course Sonos isn’t the only company making products like this. No biggie, it’s already on the way back. Fortunately the market for portable speakers is a crowded one with a lot of great options.

 

 

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

I agree Sonos could have mentioned this. I do not agree that a Roam should per sé work out of the box on Bluetooth, though. 

Ken_Griffiths

I’m also surprised by people defending Sonos here. Unless there’s a security concern with allowing people to connect to bluetooth without pairing via the app first, I don’t understand the logic.

“Connect to bluetooth without pairing via the App first”? - Note you only need register the speaker one-time only to an online Sonos account, then anyone in proximity with access to the speaker can connect to it over Bluetooth - exactly the same as you would pair every other Bluetooth speaker - you just have to disconnect it from one Bluetooth device and pair it with another. The paired mobile device (as an example) doesn’t even need the Sonos App installed to Bluetooth-pair to a registered Roam.

Being able to pair without the app/network while traveling is key. Case in point: I knew of this issue and prepared for the situation by setting up Bluetooth on mine & my partner’s phone, but we’re now visiting family and are the only ones who can connect to the device. (Note that this behavior dose not mirror networked functionality in any way, since anyone connected to my home WiFi can stream to Sonos via AirPlay 2 regardless of whether they have the Sonos app.)

You must be doing something wrong here - any member of your family can connect to your Roam over Bluetooth. Disconnect the speaker in your mobile device Bluetooth settings and switch it to pairing mode to allow a relative to pair with the speaker using their transmitter device. (Mobile/Tablet/PC/TV etc.)

Unless it’s impossible to address this issue due to technical limitations and/or security concerns, I see no reason not to. I doubt making bluetooth connection easier would undermine Sonos’s main business as a network speaker company. If anything, it could help draw in new customers by introducing them to the ecosystem.

A registered Sonos Roam can behave almost like every other Bluetooth speaker - I think you have perhaps misunderstood how to operate the speaker in this instance - there is quite a lot of information of how to use this speaker in Bluetooth/WiFi mode etc on this forum, YouTube videos and through various online searches. 

Ken_Griffiths

@Cranial 

Maybe see the  Sonos Support document linked below. It details how to Bluetooth pair your Roam to ‘different’ devices. Hope that assists…

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/4989

Ken_Griffiths

Problem Solving?

A lad in college and his mates can’t figure out how to setup the Roam by themselves... that’s the bit I find difficult to understand?

What are they teaching kids these days?

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

So? Set it up while you’re at home and use is for Bluetooth at work. This is a possible hindrance only for one day….

S

So? Set it up while you’re at home and use is for Bluetooth at work. This is a possible hindrance only for one day….

The point is totally lost? 

 

Why force a wifi setup for Simple Bluetooth.? 

 

Ken_Griffiths

My only question now is how to clean up the Roam entry in my system listing. Just states ‘offline’ now.  Read someplace a factory reset would work but guess not.  When I want it gone, of course it’s there.  LOL

The now offline Roam device will disappear after 72 hours if it’s not connected again. You can force it to disappear sooner by rebooting all your other devices and the router, as well as force closing the Sonos App. HTH

F

++ bump.

Love Sonos sound.  Bought the Roam because… well the name seems to suggest that it does act more like the other Bluetooth speakers on the market with the Wi-Fi speaker awesomeness.  I was totally expecting that I need to connect with the app for full feature use, but the fact I can’t use a public access point to set it up? That is just bad product design/product management.  Working in tech industry for years and I can tell you, this is a VERY easy to solve for even in a firmware update.  Some exec heard the product marketing team say this was a feature that would be value-able and it was nixed for some silly reason - probably wanting to collect user data or the “app team” objected because… god forbid you don’t utilize their software. 

 

I’m also traveling on business and wont be back on a home network for several weeks. I’ve tried public Wi-Fi that has no password, and this also doesn’t work.  Maybe I should ask my friend to use his Wi-Fi to set up my Bluetooth speaker? Haha come on - complete silliness.  If you can enable NFT product recognition you sure as heck synchronize a BT connection to stream some music.  

 

If anyone has a work-around, would be great to hear it.  

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

There’s no denying this would benefit some, but Sonos must have had good reason to do this. I do not see why this is such a big problem though. Why be so passionate about a one time only set up?

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

The travel router-option is mentioned a lot here on the forum for situations like yours. This is kind of the same thing.

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