Shambolic & Frustrating experience attempting to purchase from Sonos Shop in Europe

  • 20 August 2018
  • 37 replies
  • 1721 views

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Ordered yesterday from Europe shop (12.00 BST). In seconds I received confirmation from Paypal.

24 hrs later there was still no confirmation from Sonos.

So, I phoned Sales contact number (Netherlands) - on hold for 15 minutes - then connected to UK agent (???). All this at international phone rates.

The agent was able to discover the order and informed me it was in the delivery system. I received a confirnation e-mail from him giving me the actual order number..

I just checked via my account for Orders - There are no orders listed!

This purchase was intended as a birthday present for Thursday - I took the Sonos blurb at face value (delivery within 2 working days).

So far, this has been a VERY negative experience.

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37 replies

Userlevel 6
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Okay - no rush - enjoy the meal!

1. I have two ISPs. So, 2 routers. One is used for usual devices (PCs, smart speakers, etc.). Second is only for FireTV box (and now the Beam)

The Beam failed to connect to One, so I used the closer Second router - just to get it going.

2. No extenders, etc.

3. Sonos app on PC - android app on 1 smartphone using One router, android app on 2 smartphone using Second router.

I can control the original sonos devices using only the android on One. Beam control via 2 smartphone and PC app (using second network).
The PC app *using first network fails to show anything

Complicated or what?

(Anyway to have 2 instances of the PC app? I'm not a fan of android apps and these fiddly phone thingies!)

PS. Should we start a new thread?
If you want to create a new thread then I don’t mind either way, at least others may then chip in with advice, whilst I’m out for the meal this evening...

If you do decide to do the separate thread, can you describe your network in some more detail and say if the two routers are being run entirely separately or if they are bridged or connected together in some way? Do you use one as an access point to the other, different subnets etc.

It would be nice to perhaps also cover these points below...

What original Sonos devices do you have, that means those speakers prior to adding the Beam to your collection?

Are your original Sonos devices running in 'Boost Mode' or are they running in 'Standard Setup'? ... Note: A standard setup is where no Sonos devices are cabled to any part of your network using an ethernet lead and running therefore just on WiFi.

Can you kindly state your WiFi routers 2.4ghz WiFi channels for both routers and whether or not they broadcast the same SSID or use a different SSID/Password etc. and 'if' you are running your original Sonos system in Boost Mode, your SonosNet channel from the Advanced Settings in the Sonos App (note the SonosNet channel doesn’t appear on the Sonos Controller when running in standard mode).

I think then at least that will help to get things started, whist I’m out with the family. Anyhow it sounds like it’s going to be easy to fix, so hopefully it will all be sorted soon.
I’ve just realised you are using two ISP's rather than just two routers bridged together, that’s me misreading things whilst dashing to get ready... that makes things easier to resolve, but if you can cover the other questions I have raised then I think it will be a simple fix (famous last words)... anyhow I am just going out now, so will check on where you are with things when I return home later this evening.
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I'll reply here ....

Sonos Play 1 (the original) using standard connection wifi

Routers - two completely independent wifi networks (separate SSIDs) - channels 1 and 11
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A small step forward re: Alexa. I deleted the Sonos skill and re-enabled it. The Beam now appears as an Alexa device .... haven't tested it due to WAF (as Beam is serving the TV most of the evening). More testing later.
Castalla,

Okay I’m back home... so you have two totally independent routers.

The first is on wifi channel 1 and the second is WiFi channel 11 that initially sounds fine to me, particularly as both are using different SSID's, whilst that may sound okay, you can if you want to, just go that extra mile here and run a quick wireless scan from your laptotop to see all the visible and hidden WiFi networks in and around your home.

The below link is to a free WiFi scanner which you can read all about here...
https://nirsoft.net/utils/wifi_information_view.html

Download the FREE zip file software from the link here to your laptop.
https://nirsoft.net/utils/wifiinfoview.zip

Extract just the executable from the zip and run it and it will scan your locality and it will tell you the WiFi channels that are in use by the neighbouring properties... I would do this just to make sure your neighbours are not using either of the two chosen wifi channels 1 and 11. If they are, then may I suggest you change your router channels, but try to keep them well away from your neighbours channels and ensure your two router channels are also well away from each other. The further the better.

Note changing your router channels should not affect any devices on either network.

When you have done that, turn off your second router, just temporarily, the one that has the beam attached to it. Leave it switched off until instructed otherwise below. I would like you then to hard-reset your Beam using the method shown in this link...

Factory resetting a Sonos product

Once the Beam has been reset, open your Sonos Controller App that currently gives you access to your original Sonos One Speaker. Note the device (laptop or mobile) that this controller is installed on, must be connected to the first routers wifi network. Double check that it is.

In the sonos App you will see your Sonos One Speaker... now goto the App Settings and choose the option that says Add a player or Sub. Follow the onscreen instructions to add your Beam to the same controller. This will add your Beam to the same Sonos Household.

When the setup is complete you will now see the Beam and the Sonos One 'Rooms' in the same App.

Because you have several types of devices with Sonos Controller Apps installed on them, you next need to connect those devices to the same first router... open the Sonos Apps and make sure they each Connect and see the same Sonos Household. If for any reason then don’t, then double check the device is connected to the same router. As a very last resort you can reset any of these additional sonos controller devices by going to the Apps Advanced Settings and selecting 'Reset Controller'.

After reset then choose the option to connect to an EXISTING sonos household or system... do not create a new one.

After all your controllers and Sonos devices are working, then it’s now time to switch back on your second router, which you can then continue to use as you did before for whatever purpose it had originally... please note this important point however...any mobile/devices you connect to this second router network will NOT have any access to your sonos system. Only the devices attached to your first router are capable of accessing your two speakers.

If you follow the above instructions carefully, you should now be all sorted with your network and the Sonos devices. If any devices with the Sonos Controller App cannot see your two speakers then it’s probably going to be because they are not connected to the first routers WiFi network.

Hope that is easy for you to follow and that you achieve the Sonos setup were hoping for.

Kind Regards...

Ken
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Thanks so much. I'll try the above tomorrow - so far, I've got the Beam working with the TV (very good), and the Alexa integration is now working well. I can play Tunein radio, access my other alexa skills, etc. I just need to try to sort out how to get a unified PC app access to the Sonos players. I'll start with the scanner you mention. Thanks again, Will report back later.

Hope you enjoyed the birthday meal!
Thanks so much. I'll try the above tomorrow - so far, I've got the Beam working with the TV (very good), and the Alexa integration is now working well. I can play Tunein radio, access my other alexa skills, etc. I just need to try to sort out how to get a unified PC app access to the Sonos players. I'll start with the scanner you mention. Thanks again, Will report back later.

Hope you enjoyed the birthday meal!

Yes, it was a nice evening out with the family and our daughter in law's family too. 12 in total for dinner... a nice meal, beer, wine and good company. My wife Jane and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for asking.

It’s not often we all get chance to get together, pity some have work in the morning, otherwise I think it might have been quite a late night.
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Sounds great! I'm one of those OAPs with too much time on my hands coupled with short-term memory problems, which really frustrates me!

Cheers
Sounds great! I'm one of those OAPs with too much time on my hands coupled with short-term memory problems, which really frustrates me!

Cheers

I guess that can happen to the best of us as we reach into our older years. I hope my posts above help sort things for you. If not, you know where we are and there are plenty of us here all willing to help you with your Sonos issues, so you have no worries there.
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@KG.

Sorry - haven't had a chance to mess about with the settings today. Maybe tomorrow - cheers.
@KG.

Sorry - haven't had a chance to mess about with the settings today. Maybe tomorrow - cheers.

No worries, there’s no rush to do these things. I’m just reading up on the new Sonos Amp anyway