Avid Contributor I

Drastic action - Reset and go back to S1 App - Hints/tips appreciated

87 replies
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Ever since the 2024 update I have had issues with my Sonos system, but not a big enough problem to warrant taking drastic action. But the inability of the system to play a nice selection of Christmas music over the holidays has even had my wife saying the Sonos is a waste of time and money.

Hence, it’s time to do something about it.

I have had a good read at the comments about “downgrading from S2 to S1. These articles do appear to be, in some cases nearly 12 months old.

May I ask if it would be possible for someone to verify my understanding of what is required to “drop” back to the original S1 app functionality. All my devices are S1 compatible as they are typically 5+ years old.

All I want is my system to respond as it used to do, play the music I want and not drop speakers for days on end, only to then magically find the speaker again and play some random music.

My understanding is: -

Download the original S1 app to another device to avoid confusion. Not sure if there is a particular version of theS1 App to use.
Ensure the S2 app is up to date OR should I fully delete the S2 app from my mobile & tablet.
Delete any windows PC-based apps/tools for Sonos.
Unplug all Sonos devices from the mains power.
Select one Sonos device and power it up, ensuring the Play & Pause buttons are pressed. Allow it to reset itself and wait until the green light appears.
Now using the S1 app downgrade the device to S1.
Unplug the downgraded device and repeat with next device, Key question, do I do this with all my devices so they are at S1? before moving to the next item (h).
Add units one by one until they are being managed by the S1 app.
Hope and pray its all working again!!

Many thanks

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Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

While un/re-plugging rarely solves a Sonos issue it is amazing the percentage of the time it kicks the can down the road.

Well actually, unplugging, rebooting router and controller and replugging.

I'm more recently from the software side myself although I have a lot of electronic tech skills too. Networking, beyond the basics is probably my weakest skill when it comes to Sonos. When I got started I had so many problems, I turned to these forums for help. Stupidly I ignored the advice here that "just worked" and wanted a "proper" solution. Well here I sit 20 plus years later and still on the just worked option, even with many, many hours spent seeking a proper solution. The most frustrating bit for me is the "black-box" design where we have very limited (more so today than when I started) visibility inside the system. That makes effective diagnosis and troubleshooting very difficult.

G

GMRAuthor

Avid Contributor I

@Stanley_4

When it comes to networking I haven't got a clue and its showing.

G

GMRAuthor

Avid Contributor I

@Stanley_4

I hope you don't mind me asking you questions. If I am being a pain please say so.

I have hard wired a second speaker to my LAN

I have checked all my speakers, they are on WM:0, this I understand to mean they are working on “their own SonosNet”. Does the SonosNet have an SSID for identification purposes. I ask as I am running a network scanner and only my house network is shown on the 2.4Hhz band?

I

Ian_S

Prodigy III

What are you using for WiFi ignoring any Sonos kit?

Smilja

I have checked all my speakers, they are on WM:0, this I understand to mean they are working on “their own SonosNet”. Does the SonosNet have an SSID for identification purposes. I ask as I am running a network scanner and only my house network is shown on the 2.4Hhz band?

Yes it does, although it’s encrypted and hidden within the firmware, for security reasons.

»And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space, Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind.« (›Windmills Of Your Mind‹ [1967]. Music by Michel Legrand ; English lyrics written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman)

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

A real network scanner should show the Sonosnet, it isn't quite standard Wi-Fi and many consumer class scanners won't show it. A good Internet search should turn up some old discussions of it.

If your networking hardware is able to deal with multiple wired Sonos there will be no issue there and for the Sonosnet it will be similar to wiring a second (same channel) AP in a conventional Wi-Fi mesh system. That assumes you haven't disabled the wifi on any of the Sonos.

As others, I don't understand the desire to complicate your life by wiring Sonos instead of following the Sonos recommended wifi only option. I'm on a small screen so if that has been covered above I'm not finding it.

G

GMRAuthor

Avid Contributor I

What are you using for WiFi ignoring any Sonos kit?

Sorry Ian, I don't understand your question.

G

GMRAuthor

Avid Contributor I

I have checked all my speakers, they are on WM:0, this I understand to mean they are working on “their own SonosNet”. Does the SonosNet have an SSID for identification purposes. I ask as I am running a network scanner and only my house network is shown on the 2.4Hhz band?

Yes it does, although it’s encrypted and hidden within the firmware, for security reasons.

@Smilja

Many thanks for you reply, I am slowly getting to understand how this system does/doesn’t work. 99% of the problem is me, but I would like to get a firm understanding of the technology involved.

G

GMRAuthor

Avid Contributor I

@Stanley_4

As others, I don't understand the desire to complicate your life by wiring Sonos instead of following the Sonos recommended wifi only option.

You are more than right with the comment above. I always understood I was using the SonosNet, literally for years on end with no apparent problem. As I said in my first post, Since the dreaded App update things went from bad to worse, then over Christmas/Holiday period the Sonos appeared to fall of a cliff.

So I am “trying” my best to get it to work again.

Basic engineering principles would dictate that a “hard wired” connection is a known entity. Whereas WiFi is a bit of a black art that can easily fail, especially when idiots like me get involved.

For reference when you mentioned “recommended wifi only option” did you mean general household WiFi or the Sonosnet?

I

Ian_S

Prodigy III

What are you using for WiFi ignoring any Sonos kit?

Sorry Ian, I don't understand your question.

I simply mean what router are you using for your non-Sonos (i.e. not Sonos net) WiFi?

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