Answered

Sub keeps disconnecting from Arc (resulting in "?" in the app)

M
Userlevel 1
Badge

I have added a new Arc and Sub to my system. The Arc is working fine (like the Playbar before it), but the Sub keeps disconnecting - in the app I then see “Arc +?”.

The Sub is about 1 m from the Arc and around 5 m from the access point. I cannot imagine that the WiFi signal might be too weak, so I have no idea why the Sub keeps disconnecting.

When the Sub is disconnected, sometimes the app asks me if I want to add the sub to the WiFi network, but this usually doesn’t work. The only thing that helps is either rebooting the access point, or unplugging the Sub. Unfortunately, the disconnect happens every 1-2 days, so this is not a solution.

What can I do?

 

Diagnostics: 1923053313

 

Many thanks in advance!

Markus

 

 

icon

Best answer by Airgetlam 28 May 2021, 21:35

View original
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

37 replies

F

I recently have encountered a similar issue with an arc and a beam on different floors both with individual subs.  In my case they say error not connected, do you want to configure or something to that affect. I have found rebooting the sub does nothing, but powering the sound bar or both seems to fix issue. I have had both sound bars for close to a year with no issues until last month or two. With that in mind I believe the issue is a big on the Sonos side of things. My subs are very close to their respectable sound bars so that can’t be the issue. I have not changed my WiFi either and have very good signals in my house so that shouldn’t be an issue either. My guess is this issue stems from a couple updates back until then I never had issues. It does aggravate me though at random no bass. 

N

I’ve been experiencing this same issue recently as well. The only (temporary) fix I have found is rebooting or resetting the Arc and Sub.  Didn’t have this issue before.  I suspect it’s a software issue.  

Airgetlam

Note that the SUB connects to the Arc, rather than the signal from your router.  It uses a 5Ghz channel, so it may be worth looking at making sure that the radio/wifi is still turned on on your Arc in the Sonos controler’s room settings, and that there aren’t any potential sources of wifi interference that might impact the 5Ghz signal. 

The ? is an indication that the SUB isn’t properly connecting, so there’s other things beyond the previous paragraph, and the suggestions from @GuitarSuperstar has provided. It might be worth refreshing your network, too, by rebooting your router. 

And I concur with the concern about the access point, in general Sonos doesn’t like those types of things, and most often recommend a wired network setup, where one Sonos device (not a surround or SUB) is wired to the root device of the router. Access points frequently split up networks, and make it hard for Sonos devices to communicate across the split, even though they frequently have the same SSID and password. 

Bruce
M

I’ve been experiencing this same issue recently as well. The only (temporary) fix I have found is rebooting or resetting the Arc and Sub.  Didn’t have this issue before.  I suspect it’s a software issue.  

I have exact same issue

Ken_Griffiths

It’s literally 4 feet away - and the light just starts flashing on the back if I power it off and back on again.  I have to fully go through the pair process each time w/ the Sub.

Obviously the Sub connects directly to the Beam itself using an ad-hoc 5GHz wireless connection, so powering off/on the Beam is always a worthwhile option and perhaps just check nothing else is around the Beam/Sub that is likely to cause any wireless interference - it’s always good to have the products a metre away from other wireless devices (where practicable) and not have any wireless access points near to them, maybe even consider putting other nearby devices on the 2.4Ghz band if you think that may reduce interference.
 

The Beam itself needs a good 2.4Ghz connection, or wired connection, back to the router too, so if running the Beam on WiFi, I would suggest using a non-overlapping WiFi channel such as ch.1, 6 or 11 on the router, and if the router allows, also set the 2.4Ghz band to use a channel-width of 20MHz only and see if that then improves things for you.

Airgetlam

As has been repeatedly stated in many threads, some mesh networks/extenders do odd things to the network, so that Sonos can have issues. In most cases, wiring a single Sonos device to the base network device, and not an extender, should resolve the issue, by putting the Sonos devices on their own ‘network’. If you’re continuing to have issues, likely calling in to Sonos with a diagnostic would certainly be an intelligent move. 

Bruce
W

Same issue here with the +?, connected to a beam, the beam never skips a beat.  This started about 4 months ago after an update. I'm sure its a bug, my network is rock steady, no changes to its placement or new devices in my house, its 15 feet from my router with only a couch in between as it always has been. It connected flawlessly since new and all of a sudden it hides itself from the beam a week of working... Only way i can get it back online is doing a factory reset and re-pairing it. This is a stupid slow and cumbersome process. I normally just leave it unconnected for weeks at a time because it's such a hassle. I have tried every suggestion in this thread and the issue continues.

Sonos you need to adress this issue.

Ken_Griffiths

Also they are on different WiFi access points. Everything in my house WiFi works fine just the two soundbar and subs have to this issue.  

I think your comment that I have highlighted above, is the ‘likely’ reason you are having these issues, as Sonos uses SSDP to initially discover the players, multicasting via UDP to 239.255.255.250:1900 and, for good measure, broadcasting to 255.255.255.255:1900. Communication is then unicast and if you have multiple access points that are perhaps on different auto-selected channels - then it’s quite possible the communication is dropping out to the main HT players and causing issues with the surrounds and sub… maybe put all to run on your router WiFi, or SonosNet, instead …and switch off the other access points (even temporarily) to see if that resolves your issues.

J

It isn't a bug. There would be thousands of posts about it if there were. Everybody blames a bug. It hardly ever is. 

What sort of router are you Using? Any access points or extenders?

F

Of course I have access points Sonos main selling point is WiFi.  I have access points on every floor of house built into the ceiling. They are not extenders but fully wired access points that offer the same ssid but are tuned to not broadcast through the floor to help the WiFi rfc figure out the best connection as all WiFi does. . As stated I don’t have issues with other speakers and I have at least 9 Sonos speakers. Also from sub to sound bar does that use proprietary connections or does it use WiFi?  All I can say is I have not had this issue with my previous sound bar, which I had for years or my 1 year ish old arc and beam. They both twice in last 6-8 weeks have exhibited this issue and I do wonder/suspect it came after an update.  Today rebooting the sound bars was the fix needed for whatever reason. 

F

Side note both times this has happened both subs go offline as a pair. I will monitor the access point the bars use but nothing else is having issues on my network. 

Airgetlam

I suspect you have a network issue, either wifi interference inthe 5Ghz range, which the Sub connects to the Arc on, or less likely, but still possible, a duplicate IP address issue in your router. 

If it were a software issue, there would be thousands of posts. 

Bruce
L

I have been suffering from the same SUB/AMP disconnection issue. Very frustrating. I just finished up a call with Sonos support and was told that if you are specifically pairing the SUB with an AMP, “the SUB has to be within 10 feet of the AMP for them to talk to each other properly”. That was a direct quote from the support representative. I explained to him that my actual speakers are 30 feet away in the next room so I put the sub in that room so you can hear the base in the same room as the music thinking it would work. He said it will not. Frankly, I’m a little shocked that they do not disclaim this serious flaw when they are selling the AMP. Sending all of my new products back and will revert to the old S1 system until Sonos addresses this issue. Hope others have found better results.

G
Userlevel 7

If you move your Sub to a different spot in the room, do you have the same problem? Are you able to connect your Arc directly to the router with an ethernet cable? What router are you using?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
P

Hi. I too recently started having this problem with an Arc and Sub. It’s been working fine for months and suddenly this has started happening. I’ve changed nothing.

I have factory reset the sub and reconnected it. It worked for a day and now the ? appears in the app.

M
Userlevel 1
Badge

I have not tried moving the Sub, it’s only 1 m away from the Arc. Also, I have not tried using a cable. I have a One which is even further away, and working flawlessly.

I’m using an AVM FRITZ!Box, the Arc and Sub are connected to an AVM Repeater (which is connected to the Router via cable and acts as access point).

I had hoped that the diagnostics might help to identify the problem...

G
Userlevel 7

I think the Repeater might be causing the problem. Can the Arc be connected to the Fritz!Box rather than the Repeater? Is any Sonos speaker you own close enough to the Fritz!Box where it can be connected directly to it with an ethernet cable?

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
Ken_Griffiths

Hi. I too recently started having this problem with an Arc and Sub. It’s been working fine for months and suddenly this has started happening. I’ve changed nothing.

I have factory reset the sub and reconnected it. It worked for a day and now the ? appears in the app.

Do you know if the Sub is still working, even when you see the ? in the App - can you try playing music audio or a 5.1 TV audio source just to see if outputs the .LFE channel. Also what is its status LED showing (assuming you have left it enabled in the HT Room Settings)?

106rallye
Userlevel 7
Badge +17

The Sub uses a wireless 5ghz connection to the Amp. 5Ghz is a high speed connection, but is more sensitive to interference. I can understand placing the Sub in another physical room (maybe even separated by a wall?) than the Amp can lead to problems.

I can understand your frustration, but do find your use case a little specific. If you have a more specific use case, I would expect a customer to read up on the possible problems to expect. The use of a dedicated 5Ghz link between Amp and Sub, and so the possible problems this would pose to your use case is one of the things you’d have known about.

Have you spoken to Sonos about connecting the Sub in a wired configuration like this:

Seeing your remark about disclamers. I think you expect too much. If Sonos would disclaim this, what specific use cases would they have to disclaim further?

Since in your use case Sonos might not be an option, it is good there’s a return policy.

D

I’ve been having the same issue for the last four or five months.  Constant disconnects w/ the ? in the app next to my surround speakers.  This all requires me to remove my sub from the “room”, unplug my Beam and restart it, then add back the sub.  It’s absolutely ridiculous.  It worked for 2 years, nothing in my house changed at all...yet here we are.  So frustrated and there isn’t a fix in site in all of my research.  

Ken_Griffiths

I’ve been having the same issue for the last four or five months.  Constant disconnects w/ the ? in the app next to my surround speakers.  This all requires me to remove my sub from the “room”, unplug my Beam and restart it, then add back the sub.  It’s absolutely ridiculous.  It worked for 2 years, nothing in my house changed at all...yet here we are.  So frustrated and there isn’t a fix in site in all of my research.  

Have you tried moving the sub closer to the Beam (if your room allows - even just as a temporary measure) and/or perhaps powering the Beam off for a few minutes and back on again to see if that may resolve the issue?

D

I’ve been having the same issue for the last four or five months.  Constant disconnects w/ the ? in the app next to my surround speakers.  This all requires me to remove my sub from the “room”, unplug my Beam and restart it, then add back the sub.  It’s absolutely ridiculous.  It worked for 2 years, nothing in my house changed at all...yet here we are.  So frustrated and there isn’t a fix in site in all of my research.  

Have you tried moving the sub closer to the Beam (if your room allows - even just as a temporary measure) and/or perhaps powering the Beam off for a few minutes and back on again to see if that may resolve the issue?

 

It’s literally 4 feet away - and the light just starts flashing on the back if I power it off and back on again.  I have to fully go through the pair process each time w/ the Sub.

F

I am still having the issue it started in spring. I have arc,beam and two subs. The sound bar and sub pairs are on different floors. When the issue happens both subs go offline together every time. They may or may not be connected to same WiFi access point as I have more than one. The sound bar subs are a few feet away from sound bar. The only way I can fix it is by rebooting the sound bars. I am struggling to believe this is WiFi related, nothing else in my house including 7 other sonos speakers have issues. 

buzz

Falukkevv,

Which versions of SUB(s) are you using? 

Airgetlam

Might not be WiFi, could be network, though.

Bruce
Terms & ConditionsCookie settings