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Sonos stops playing randomly

I
Hi. My Sonos system has worked perfectly for years, but have recently started to experience an issue whereby playback of music will suddenly stop altogether. The length of time this happens after is fairly random but it could happen a couple of minutes into the first song, or in the middle of the second or third. It happens both whilst playing music from my NAS, or from internet services like Amazon music.

This has been happening for a few weeks now and is difficult to pinpoint to a single cause, because several changes happened in my home at round about the same time: i) there was a large Sonos software update which failed several times before finally working; ii) I got a new NAS (so my music library moved); iii) I moved some of my network devices around; iv) I upgraded my main broadband router to a BT Smart Hub (although these last two were largely in response to the problem!).

So far, I have tried:
- Separating the 2.4 and 5GHz wifi frequencies
- Ensuring Sonos is on a different channel (11) to my home wifi (6)
- Checking for wireless interference from other networks in the area
- Checking for any IP address conflicts on my network (there are none)
- Replacing cable being used to connect Sonos Bridge to my network
- Moving the Sonos Bridge away from the router and other devices to a different part of the house
- Switching off my wireless IP cameras in case they were causing interference

Getting desperate now. Just done a diagnostic - 7660366 - if anybody can help!

TIA
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Best answer by Airgetlam 13 April 2019, 21:48

In most cases of music stopping randomly, it's caused by wifi interference.

If the solutions provided in that link, it might be helpful if you were to submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of replicating this issue, and either post the number here, or contact Sonos to discuss it. There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.
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35 replies

I
Update: I appear to be having some success removing the Bridge from the system and just using my home wi-fi now. Early days, though, but will update if any more problems occur.
I
OK, it's still happening, although less frequently than before. Playback has stopped randomly twice this morning whilst listening to Amazon music. This was on the Play:3 speaker right next to my BT Smart Hub, so wireless signal issues not suspected. Can someone please look into this? Diagnostics submitted a couple of minutes after the latest cut-out:

7715370

(also note, submitting diagnostics failed the first few attempts)
Stuart_W
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
You should definitely move the Play 3 away from the router. Even if not using SonosNet having taken the Bridge away you risk interference on the Play 3 from the router.
Playbar + Sub + 2 x Play 1/ Stereo Play 3s/ Play 1 Stereo in Kitchen, Play 1 in Bedroom, Study & Bathroom, Sonos One in Conservatory
I
Sorry, when I say next to, I was exaggerating. It's actually in the next room, but has a direct line of sight when the doors are open.

Can anybody look at the diagnostics? That will hopefully diagnose the issue?
Stuart_W
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
Only a Sonos staff member can do that and they seem rather busy and they may take over a week to respond. You could try calling
Playbar + Sub + 2 x Play 1/ Stereo Play 3s/ Play 1 Stereo in Kitchen, Play 1 in Bedroom, Study & Bathroom, Sonos One in Conservatory
I
Mm, OK thanks, may try that. Perhaps I'm not the only one with issues. A friend of mine is also experiencing similar issues after the last major software update, and like me, his system worked faultlessly prior to that.
Stuart_W
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
Given that Sonos is in millions of households globally the chances that the last software update introduced some general bug is remote especially given that this forum hasn't blown up.

Updates do, however, expose network issues especially duplicate IPs.

I know you say you've checked but the point is you can't check for it. Everything "looks" ok but the Sonos unit and the router have different ideas and you can't test this.

Remove power from router, all Sonos and EVRY item attached to the network (PCs, phones, NAS, TVs etc). then put power back to router, wait a few mins, power back to Bridge/Boost if you have them, wait a few mins. Then the rest of the Sonos unit, wait a few minutes and then restart everything else

This will flush out any duplicate IPs. Following that you can if you want set up static IPs for the Sonos units in the router.
Playbar + Sub + 2 x Play 1/ Stereo Play 3s/ Play 1 Stereo in Kitchen, Play 1 in Bedroom, Study & Bathroom, Sonos One in Conservatory
I
Thanks, but believe me, I've tried all that already - dynamic and static IPs. Factory reset on router. Connecting things one by one. With Sonos Bridge and without. And I'm not ruling out a problem with another device on my network, but how to nail it down? All I'm saying is that the issues started round about the same time as a major Sonos update, and that update failed several times involving me having to rebuild my Sonos system from scratch.

I phoned Sonos support earlier and they looked at the diagnostic. Nothing conclusive, but they said there were lots of "groupcast" messages that needed investigating and wanted me to do a test without my file server running. Done that, but playback still failed eventually. So submitted another diagnostic. Will update with any solution, if it comes.
B
imagwia - I have been having a similar problem ever since I moved to San Diego and switch from ATT to Spectrum (Charter) cable internet....not sure if that has anything to do with it. Also, I have not noticed the problem when playing source Spotify. It only seems to be when using my IPHONE 7 - but that wasn't a problem before. I have tried everything like you, but have assumed it has something to do with iphone, Sonos or my cable provider and am hopeful it will get fixed. If not, I will just have to bite the bullet and covert to another solution.......it is very very frustrating.
I
Actually, I solved the problem. Turned out to be another router on my network which I was using as a switch, but it was intermittently trying to act as an internet gateway.
B
I tried changing my standard connection to a direct connection from my wifi router to one of the play 3s; that didn't help...any ideas?
Stuart_W
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
I tried changing my standard connection to a direct connection from my wifi router to one of the play 3s; that didn't help...any ideas?

A couple of things to tr. As you say the issue happens with your iPhone try disabling the Wi-Fi assist.
Also, check to see if your phone is connecting to your router's 5GHz or 2,4GHz wireless network - Less likely this is the issue if you still get the problem wth your Sonos wired.
Playbar + Sub + 2 x Play 1/ Stereo Play 3s/ Play 1 Stereo in Kitchen, Play 1 in Bedroom, Study & Bathroom, Sonos One in Conservatory
B
Stuart - I've tried what you suggested with the iPhone. My Wi-Fi assist was actually already off. I believe it is something with the iPhone as I tried another source - my Amazon Echo - which I have on 'line-in' to a play-5. I played an amazon cloud playlist through my entire sonos system and there were no skips, jumps or stoppages in play. It is something with the iPhone/sonos interface. I wonder if my various iPhone apps' notifications are interfering...I haven't seen a pattern there yet but I do have all sorts of notifications for mail, messenger, fb, etc. Any other ideas? perhaps there is a sonos' app setting that I am missing.
Stuart_W
Userlevel 7
Badge +21
Suggest you submit a diagnostic after it happens and post the number here for a Sonos rep
Playbar + Sub + 2 x Play 1/ Stereo Play 3s/ Play 1 Stereo in Kitchen, Play 1 in Bedroom, Study & Bathroom, Sonos One in Conservatory
B
Ok - submitted diagnostic #7914187
Keith N
Userlevel 7
Badge +19
Hi there, Bubbajoegus: Thanks for the diagnostic report. I was able to take a closer look at your account and saw that you have reached out to us. Should you still need assistance, let us know.
HomeBass: Boost, Play:1, Play:5 (x3), One (x4), Beam (x2), Sub (x2), Connect (x2) [Line Out: Pioneer DJM-850W -> KRK Rokit 5 (x2)], Connect:AMP [Input: Computer Audio / Speaker Out: Klipsch R-15M (x2)]
D
My music stops playing when playing music from iTunes on my phone. I submitted diagnostics, changed wifi channels and nothing seems to work. The only thing that works is switching to play music through amazon prime. I think its a bug purposely inserted by sonos with last years app update.
Keith N
Userlevel 7
Badge +19
Hey there, dsmoran. Thanks for posting and welcome to the Community. You may want to check out this topic where one of our users spoke to a senior technician about streaming content from your mobile device.
HomeBass: Boost, Play:1, Play:5 (x3), One (x4), Beam (x2), Sub (x2), Connect (x2) [Line Out: Pioneer DJM-850W -> KRK Rokit 5 (x2)], Connect:AMP [Input: Computer Audio / Speaker Out: Klipsch R-15M (x2)]
R
My sonos one stop music randomly. It doesn't important the music source. Mostly stop playing after 10 min or more
Airgetlam
In most cases of music stopping randomly, it's caused by wifi interference.

If the solutions provided in that link, it might be helpful if you were to submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of replicating this issue, and either post the number here, or contact Sonos to discuss it. There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.
Bruce
R
Thanks, i will try that and send the system diagnostic to sonos if i couldn't find the problems
F
I’m having the same problem on my iPhoneX and my wife’s iPhoneX
the playback stops randomly
BUT the iPhone tells me that Sonos has lost connection with my iphone
That’s s fine explanation but I have 3 bars wifi signal strength on my iphone

Help
Airgetlam
But that doesn’t indicate what the strength of the signal is between your speakers and your router, and also doesn’t show you if you might have a potential IP conflict. The only indication there is that your phone sees a 3 bar signal average over time.
Bruce
F
I have submitted my system diagnostic
1149825584

my iPhoneX.... the problem goes away when I turn the iPhone’s Auto-Lock to NEVER

Dear Mr Sonos
is this the answer to the problem?
Your comment would be appreciated
thx
F
Bruce
i don’t have wireless speakers
My Connect :Amp is wired to my speakers and the amp is connected to the Google Wifi via ethernet cable and a switch
IphoneX is connected via wifi to Google Wifi
Connect:Amp has a static IP address on Google WiFi
cheers John

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