Sonos Roam - can't play this right now via Spotify - band steering router?


I’m continually unable to play to my Sonos Roam via the Spotify app.  The Sonos Roam will be grayed out with the message “Can’t play this right now.” 

I can play to the Roam without issue from the Sonos app.  Both apps are fully updated, and all of my other Sonos speakers are available via the Spotify app.  

My router automatically band steers depending on my device’s location in the house.  I was just on with Sonos customer support, who was telling me that I need to turn off band steering to connect to the Roam (and always have my phone on the band that the Roam is on).  (It seems like my phone and the Roam may judge network strength / interference differently and so not reliably be present on the same band.)

I’m also not clear why band steering would be the issue if I can play to the Roam via the Sonos app, but not via Spotify (including when on different bands).

Turning off band steering seems like a bad solution, as I like band steering, feel that router technology is generally moving in that direction (?) and I have had no other issues with it.  It seems like an especially bad solution for a device that’s meant to move around the house with you.

What gives?  Is there something else I should be doing to solve for this?  Are others experiencing the same issue?  

 

Thanks for the help. 


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14 replies

Same issue. Was fine up until a week or so ago. It can see my play 1s, 3, 5 and symfonisk but I'm having the same issue on my roam. 

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Hi @Jakubs, it may be worth reaching out to our Support Team via live chat or phone call if you’ve tried the steps so far with no improvement, as they have more tools available for troubleshooting with.

I’d also make sure that you’re not trying to cast Podcasts to the Roam, as there does seem to be an issue in doing that currently.

Hope this helps :)

Are any of your other SONOS units wired to the network? Which model router are you using?

All are connected over WiFi.  Sonos Five, two Ones and a Playbar.   Router is the TP-Link Archer A7 here (Amazon link). 

 

Further update:  With Roam fully powered off (so not appearing on the network), I have three of the four Sonos devices on 2.4 Ghz and one on 5 Ghz, with my mobile on 5 Ghz.  I can play to all four Sonos devices via Spotify, suggesting that the issue with the Roam isn’t an issue with my mobile being on a different band.  (But, caveat, my knowledge of networking is pretty limited.)  

Another update.  My wife and I both have Pixels and the problem occurs for both of us when trying to use the Spotify app (even with fully updated Android OS).  We can play from the Spotify app via work and personal Macbooks but not from a Dell.  

 

Is this a Roam compatibility issue with non-Apple operating systems?  (We don’t have an iPhone to test.)

 

Anyone have thoughts on this? 

Further update:  Doesn’t seem to matter that I’m on a wired or wireless configuration.  Just changed everything over to wired by connecting the Playbar to my router.  Still having the same issue via the Spotify app but can play to the Roam via the Sonos app (incl. via Spotify within that app).  

I’m not having any trouble playing to ROAM from the Android or iPad Spotify Apps.

Make sure that the phones are signing on to your network, not the cell network.

Submit a diagnostic and post the confirmation number here. SONOS staff has access to the diagnostic information and can comment on local network issues.

 

Further update:  The Apple OS thing seems to be a red herring, it generally doesn’t work either.  Curiously, a workaround is holding play on the Roam and pairing the Roam with a speaker that is playing audio or pulling the audio completely to the Roam via a long hold of play.   This works for a time, possibly until the Roam goes to sleep.  

 

I see Sonos support mentioning Spotify issues that arose in mid / late May in other threads, and that’s around the time that this issue arose as well.  I am wondering if the issues are connected.

 

I’ve submitted a number of diagnostics to Sonos in connection with this process, and my most recent case no. was 02xxxx7.  Any ideas, @Support - Sonos ?

 

[Mod edit: removed case number]

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Hi @DharmaBum910, thanks for reaching out to the Sonos Community!

The Spotify issue we’re investigating affects playback from the Sonos app, with Direct Control being used as a workaround, so unlikely to be related to your issue.

I did notice from the case notes however, that you are using a powerline adapter in the network somewhere? What is connecting to the network via powerline adapter? Would it be possible to test if there’s any change with the adapter removed?

Let us know how you get on :)

Thanks for the response, @Xander P

 

The powerline adapter connects the router to my work computer and has no connections to the Sonos setup, and, as far as I’ve been able to tell, has not had any effect on the setup. 

 

The issue I’ve described began only toward the end of May (well after my powerline was in place) and has related solely to the Roam and playing to the Roam via the Spotify app.  The Roam had worked with Spotify after I got the Roam (around May 19) for say a week or so.  

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Understood @DharmaBum910, thanks for clarifying.

It may be worth fully uninstalling and re-installing the Spotify app on one of your phones to see if that helps at all - if not, then my next step would be to reboot everything, in this order; Router, Roam (for a hard reboot, hold power button for about 14 seconds while on), and phones.

Hope this helps :)

Hi, I have exactly the same problem. Your proposed solution worked until i turned off the Sonos roam, now it is again “can’t play this right now”. It would be really annoying to restart all devices before playing from spotify. Other sonos sevices works just fine.

 

Can you proposed any other solution @Xander P ?

Hi, I have exactly the same problem. Your proposed solution worked until i turned off the Sonos roam, now it is again “can’t play this right now”. It would be really annoying to restart all devices before playing from spotify. Other sonos sevices works just fine.

 

Can you proposed any other solution @Xander P ?

Update: The reboot of everything doesn’t work, it is even worse, now I can’t connect to Roam from my Computer’s Spotify. I could do that like 2 days ago. Any advice @Xander P ?

Hi @Jakubs, it may be worth reaching out to our Support Team via live chat or phone call if you’ve tried the steps so far with no improvement, as they have more tools available for troubleshooting with.

I’d also make sure that you’re not trying to cast Podcasts to the Roam, as there does seem to be an issue in doing that currently.

Hope this helps :)

Thank you, it is really the podcast thing :O Hope it will be repaired :D Thanks!!!