Contributor I

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Can play 1s work on wifi without at least one being hardwired to router.

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I have a new router in the hall now and don't want to permanently hardwire a play 1 speaker there. Can a 5 x play 1 system work on wifi with none hardwired to a router? Asking as the app isn't detecting my products, unless hardwired and doesn't seem to be using wifi anyway.

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nik9669aAnswer

Senior Virtuoso

Thank you for the replies. When i disconnect from the router my products ( which are all powered on) aren't picked up. As soon as i hardwire a speaker to the router the whole set up appears. When i try to add via wifi, i just receive an exclamation mark screen. Do you have to put the speakers into some mode in order to set up again? I am trying to avoid a factory reset. Sonos know about my wifi and doesn't ask for a password as i think ive been through this and changed it.

As I understand it, with older devices such as the Play:1 a factory reset is required when changing routers/wifi credentials: https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/connect-sonos-to-a-new-router-or-wi-fi-network

Or you could set the new wifi details to duplicate how the old one was set.

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Mr. T

I'm still not clear tbh on whether or not new devices can be used, even temporarily, to help - but I'll try to phrase a question as clearly as possible…

A user has a system comprised solely of ‘older’ Play 1 speakers. It is connected by Sonosnet and has never been used on WiFi.

Is there any way at all to switch this setup to a WiFi setup WITHOUT resetting all of the speakers and losing all settings, Sonos Playlists etc.? (this was the one where I was wondering about temporarily adding a newer device to the system and adding the details to it. Then maybe resetting each of the older ones with the ‘backup’ of the settings still being in the newer device.)

If the same, older speakers had been on WiFi but the user needed to change the WiFi details, can this be done without resetting and losing settings?

My understanding would be:

You would add the newer device to the system (on SonosNet) and add the Wi-Fi credentials to the newer device via the app. You then need to factory reset all the older devices and add back to the system, where all settings, playlists etc have been stored on the newer device so nothing is lost.
No. If Wi-Fi details have been changed (and not updated to match those previously used) then to use as a wireless system, the older speakers need to be reset in order to get the new Wi-Fi credentials so all settings would be lost.

S

sjw

Local Superstar

For the first question, you say that it can't be done without another, newer speaker - but that, although we're explicitly talking about getting onto WiFi, that “the one thing it cannot share with Play:1s (or other older units) is the WiFi credentials.”, so I'm not following what the new device achieves?

Or, can the newer speaker be added to the system, add the WiFi details, remove the older ones and reset them and then add them back as new devices - where they will inherit the new credentials and settings as part if the ‘Add a Product' process? If this isn't an option then I don't understand the relevance of the new device when talking specifically about moving to WiFi...

jgatie

Good grief! 🙄

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nik9669a

Senior Virtuoso

If you’re tearing your hair out in frustration over the way this thread has meandered away from your original question, @Duncerson, I’ll confirm for you:

With older devices such as the Play:1 a factory reset is required when changing routers/wifi credentials: https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/connect-sonos-to-a-new-router-or-wi-fi-network

Or you could set the new wifi details to duplicate how the old one was set.

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @sjw

For the first question, you say that it can't be done without another, newer speaker - but that, although we're explicitly talking about getting onto WiFi, that “the one thing it cannot share with Play:1s (or other older units) is the WiFi credentials.”, so I'm not following what the new device achieves?

Or, can the newer speaker be added to the system, add the WiFi details, remove the older ones and reset them and then add them back as new devices - where they will inherit the new credentials and settings as part if the ‘Add a Product' process? If this isn't an option then I don't understand the relevance of the new device when talking specifically about moving to WiFi...

It will save favourites settings and playlists - if a system consists of nothing but non-BTLE units and they are all reset as a result, then a newer speaker that can join a new WiFi without being reset can keep these until a reset unit has been added and receives them.

I really think you should stop thinking about this until you yourself are in that position.

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

Airgetlam

But the challenge for those of us who provide assistance to others, what we’ve been parroting for years appears to have changed ‘underneath’ us.

Bruce

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @Airgetlam

You are correct, of course - apologies @sjw - but at this stage, all I can really do is start repeating myself, which I am not inclined to do beyond the point I’ll now again make:

Play:1s - and other non-BTLE devices - can only ever receive new WiFi credentials during the Add a Product setup flow - all other answers flow from this fact alone.

The answer to the OP’s original question:

I have a new router in the hall now and don't want to permanently hardwire a play 1 speaker there. Can a 5 x play 1 system work on wifi with none hardwired to a router? Asking as the app isn't detecting my products, unless hardwired and doesn't seem to be using wifi anyway.

Is a resounding YES, but they should probably call in to find out why it’s not going well.

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

Airgetlam

I hear you, sir. I’m just struggling to figure out how to ‘fix’ the old posts that are no longer valid, on the offhand chance someone comes across them.

I’m somewhat fortunate that I run a mixed SonosNet and WiFi system, but I’ve been considering if it’s time to update my router, and drop my BOOST completely. That’s now complicated by the potential need to reset all my PLAY:3s and PLAY:1s , and possibly my PLAY:5 gen 2s. Fortunately, for me, that’s only time investment, as I have newer speakers to store any saved settings. Not sure how I’d feel if I only had those pre-BLE speakers in my system.

Bruce

Mr. T

But the challenge for those of us who provide assistance to others, what we’ve been parroting for years appears to have changed ‘underneath’ us.

The parroting still applies if using the S1 app, only the new “easier” Sonos app makes the process more complicated.

Corry P

Sonos Staff

Hi @Airgetlam

I am not sure what can be done for older forum posts that contradict this info - if someone tries to follow them, they will fail and then presumably ask for help, at which point we/you can give them newer info.

We do update our documentation for this reason, but I get your point about older posts, though I am not sure that anything can be done for them pre-emptively.

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

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