Using Sonos without Internet Access

You need a temporary connection to the internet to allow you to set up. You cannot use your phone as a mobile hotspot and use it as a controller at the same time. Do you have a personal and also a business phone? You could use one for the hotspot and another to control the system.

To play Sonos, you will need the LAN, but not the internet connection.

Thanks John. If I set the Connect AMP up with a router at home using my existing Sonos system, then unplug and take router and Connect AMP to site and re-onnect. Get Agent to download Sonos APP, will it then work streaming music from the Agents phone please?

Yes, essentially. The one thing I would question would be 'using my own Sonos system'. You need to be careful not to mess up your own system. Do you normally run in 'Boost' mode at home, with a wired Sonos device, or 'Standard' mode, i.e. fully wifi, no wired Sonos?

And also, will the Connect:Amp be wired to the router at the property?

And just a check... it's fine to power two pairs of 8 Ohm speakers with one C:A. But if they are 4 or 6 Ohm speakers that could overload the amp. Just thought I ought to mention.

Just me, but I wouldn't set this up under your current home network first, particularly since you already have sonos products there. It's going to be difficult to make sure you have your two sonos systems properly setup. As well, if there are issues, you won't know for sure until you move the system to property. If you can temporarily use your phone as a mobile hotspot, then you can set it up and test properly at the property site.

Also, I would not ask realtors to use their phone to connect to Sonos and demonstrate the functionality. The realtor has to download the app and connect to the local wifi network you've set up. I can set realtors either not understanding what they need to do, or not wanting to bother because it takes too long and they want to squeeze in another house.

Instead, I'd get a cheap tablet that you can leave at the house that already has the Sonos app and connected to the wifi network. You could leave some brief instructions next to the tablet. This would also allow the potential buyers to actual hold and control sonos.

Out of curiosity, what are you planning to use for the source of the music? You could preload music on a hard drive (connected to router) or possibly load that cheap tablet with some music.

That's good advice from @melvimbe concerning the tablet. A 7 inch Amazon Fire would be by far the best choice.

Using the tablet as controller, you could set up at the property using your phone as a hotspot as suggested by @melivimbe. You would then have to Ethernet the C:A to the router either temporarily or permanently, depending on what is planned. Then either delete the hotspot wifi details from Sonos (if Ethernet is to remain) or replace them with the router's wifi credentials (if the Ethernet has to be disconnected.).

Thanks John. I was going to suggest a Fire tablet as well, but honestly haven't looking into tablet pricing in quite some time. Out of curiosity, are you including the C:A in the sale of the property? If so, it might be helpful to add a play:1 or Sonos One to the property as well. It would help illustrate that the system is expandable and not limited to in-ceiling speakers.

The Fire is the only $50 (£50 over here) tablet that I have seen that is not absolute rubbish - but is in fact quite good. I use one as a dedicated Sonos controller.

Joanne. If you do get a Fire tablet for this, I have created a child's profile on it, on which the only accessible utility is apps, and the only app is the Sonos app. My own profile is PIN protected (this is obligatory once you set up the child profile).

But by keeping the tablet on the child's profile, there is no PIN needed to get at the app, and the Sonos app button is the only thing on the screen, so it couldn't be much easier.

You have all been really helpful, thank you. I will run all these past my engineer and see what is the best fit. I may be back 😉