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Sonos App Not Connecting to Wifi

  • 1 June 2023
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  • Contributor I
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So all of a sudden my Sonos speakers would not play Spotify. I tried a bunch of different fixes and ultimately tried disconnecting from Spotify in the Sonos App. When I went to add it back in, it would not let me. It said something like cannot connect to Spotify. I called customer service and we went around and around. At one point they could see both speakers in my system and I could not. At another point I could see one and they couldn’t see either. We tried to run a diagnostics check but it would not connect. We tried rebooting my Wifi. This did not work. Basically nothing on the App was working corrrectly. I had waited 25 minutes and now been on the phone for another 45. At that point the rep starting going in the direction of my Wi-Fi blocking the Sonos app and started talking about me downloading the Xfinity app and check and reconfiguring my Wi-Fi so it could read the Sonos signal. Frustrated at this point, I said I would call back later. Has anyone ever experienced this problem? Does this sound like the right fix? It seems like a lot work to fix this issue including messing with my router, etc. I am ready to just toss my speakers and return to using another speaker I own that relies on Bluetooth. 

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Best answer by Corry P 2 June 2023, 10:36

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Hi @DTW 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

I’m sorry to hear of the issues your are experiencing.

If you have one of the following models of Xfinity xFi router:

  • Arris XB6 TG3482G

  • Technicolor XB6 CGM4140COM

  • Arris XB7 TG4482A

  • Technicolor XB7 CGM4140COM

  • Technicolor XB8 CMG4981COM

  • Technicolor CBR CGA4131COM

  • Technicolor CGM4331COM

Then we recommend you follow these steps:

  • Launch the xFi app.

  • Tap on the Connect tab. image.png

  • Scroll down and look for any Paused devices as shown below, preferably Sonos devices. image.png

  • Tap on the paused device, and the Unpause device button to unblock it. image.png

  • Confirm the action from the bottom popup menu. image.png

  • Once completed, the Sonos Player will be able to connect, register, update, or stream. You may need to reboot the affected Sonos component(s).

I hope you feel more comfortable making these changes with the instructions in front of you, and that this helps with the problem you’re having.

 

Edit: If you happen to have Microsoft Defender installed on your phone/tablet, please try disabling it and then try adding Spotify once more.

So I waited a couple of days, and it just came back. Had to add speakers back to Wi-Fi but app all good. So glad I did not go through the steps above. I am still a little frustrated with the whole system. Every few months, it’s something. The speakers no longer connect. The App stops working. Still wondering if it’s all worth it

It just made no sense that all of a sudden my Wi-Fi router was blocking the Sonos app when it had been working fine for two years and no changes were made to my router or the Sonos app. 

Unless the network is correctly setup, “accidents” can happen and things might work OK for a while, then the phantom strikes. One of the more frustrating accidents occurs if you have not “reserved” IP addresses in your router. 100 times in a row, you could get away without incident while rebooting and updating things, then the phantom strikes. The incorrect assumption is that the last installed or updated application XYZ has a bug, but this “bug” could have been prevented with correct network setup.

SONOS requires more robust network services than simple web browsing and email.

Are you saying that I should be manually controlling my router, manipulating settings, IP addresses, etc. through the xFI app rather than just letting it do its thing? I am not particularly tech savvy and do not do anything with my router other than occasionally unplugging it and plugging it back in when needed. I do not have the app to do this, and I am not sure I want it. Just one more thing. 

Inside the router is a function similar to the receptionist at the building entrance who gives everyone a unique number as they enter. This “IP address” is assigned by the “DHCP Server” (the receptionist). If someone spills coffee into the little box she uses to track things or she runs off to get married, (or the router is reset) the box is simply dumped and the numbering starts over. Unfortunately, there is no general broadcast asking everyone to stop back and take a new number. Everyone continues to use their old number. As you can imagine, this can create chaos if duplicates are assigned — “where’s my order?”, “I didn’t order that”, “… is not replying.”, etc.

”Reservation” creates a VIP list and these clients are always assigned the same IP address, thus avoiding duplicates. A SONOS update creates demands on the DHCP Server and the little tracking box is at risk.

A potentially frustrating aspect of duplicates is that IP addresses are “leased”. Clients periodically return to the server and “renew” their lease. While this tends to resolve duplicates over time, this is not guaranteed. Over a period of days, a wrecked network could heal. This gives rise to the complaint that “it didn’t work yesterday, but it works today”.

The Community regulars started using reservations years ago, and we don’t have duplicate IP address issues.

Of course, this is not the only possible network issue, but the percentage is so high that reservations are the low hanging fruit on the “fixit tree”.

Thank you for your detailed response. A bit too technical for me but glad the community regulars have found a way to avoid these issues. Sounds like a lot (I’m sure it’s not for a lot of folks) to just play and listen to  music when I can just use my old Bose portable speaker and connect thru Bluetooth.