Why do I need to sign in


Userlevel 2
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Why do I need to sign into a Sonos account to add a speaker? Sonos speakers disappear regularly then I would just go in an add them again. And now, this PITA has been made worse by making me sign in to add hardware I OWN inside my OWN HOUSE. Explain to me someone why I need to sign in?

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55 replies

Userlevel 7
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The sign-in is required to link the speaker to your Sonos account. This is necessary to use the Spotify Connect functionality (which I realize you may not use), and will probably have tie-ins to other services in the future, especially if Sonos wants to allow other native apps to be able to control Sonos speakers as well.

If you're having issues with speakers disappearing, you might want to upload a diagnostic from your system after it happens and post the confirmation number here. Maybe someone from Sonos can help fix that issue.
Userlevel 2
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Signing in every time a speaker drops out is a huge inconvenience. Please change this new policy so I don't have to go searching for, and entering my password every time I need to re-add a speaker.
Userlevel 3
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Hi, totally agree, make a the sign in optional (again) or just remove it. We have done without sign-in for years and were very happy. I feel Sonos is changing too much (including the white, to me very confusing, app update) lately and it's losing the love I once had. I don't want that but I can't stop it from happening.
Userlevel 2
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I understand there will inevitably be issues with my wifi, or power supply that trips-up my speakers (and the entire Sonos system) requiring me to troubleshoot. Sonos should be working towards minimizing these issues and the requirement for me to re-install speakers, etc. Unfortunately, Sono's new requirement for me to log-in does the opposite, making these hic-ups more time consuming and more of a headache. I will no longer recommend Sonos to people unless they are tech savy and don't mind troubleshooting. I was going to give speakers to my 77 year old father-in-law but not now. I can only assume that Sonos is requiring the log-in because they are gathering information about me and my system. If they want to sell more speakers they should work to minimize system hic-ups and make registration and log-ins optional.

This is becoming maddening.
Userlevel 7
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I'll pass along your feedback.

From a troubleshooting perspective, you shouldn't need to go through those steps where you choose to add a player. My recommendation, if you have a dropped room, first, just reboot that player and let it come back on its own.

If it doesn't, I'd suggest checking the wireless environment, changing channels or further troubleshooting.

If this comes up often, you should definitely give us a call on our support line.

You shouldn't lose players, ever. If they're dropping on you and making you re-connect, it's definitely something to look into with us, likely network or wireless related.
Userlevel 2
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Ryan, How do I "reboot" a player. Should I be able to unplug and move a speaker to another part of a room without having to Add it?
Userlevel 7
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Ryan, How do I "reboot" a player. Should I be able to unplug and move a speaker to another part of a room without having to Add it? I have a Play 5 that I use as a portable device in the house and garage/garden. I have set it up as Room name Portable. Works fine whenever it is moved.
Userlevel 2
Until recently I never had to link my speakers to my account. I have no intention of ever using Spotify. Why can I not add a speaker to a room without logging on? It makes no sense really, if people use Spotify then they can log on - why force everyone to follow along despite them having no interest in Spotify? If I have no internet connection would that stop me from adding a speaker/sub to an existing room? It strikes me that this is more to do with data gathering on customers than for any real reason. Can you change this so I only need to log on if I use Spotify, that would make more sense - you opt in to the service rather than forcing all Sonos customers to register details that are not required by Sonos.
Userlevel 2
"The sign-in is required to link the speaker to your Sonos account. This is necessary to use the Spotify Connect functionality (which I realize you may not use), and will probably have tie-ins to other services in the future, especially if Sonos wants to allow other native apps to be able to control Sonos speakers as well." -- I don't want speakers linked to my account. This is not for my benefit, it only helps Sonos' marketing department. If I decide to use Spotify Connect functionality, then I can create an account. As I have no use for Spotify I have no need for an account. My purchased Sonos equipment should work in my home, to play my music collection, stored locally without the need or recourse to some online account. This was how it has always worked, so this is not a technical problem it is based on a decision made most likely to harvest user account details.

It's a shame as I have been quite an evangelist for Sonos, recommending various products to friends and family, but I would hesitate to do so now, I don't want to explain to elderly relatives why they need to provide their details in order to listen to their music collection in their own homes.
Userlevel 2
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Posting here as I agree with the above summary, the user experience is terrible (signing in just to add a speaker!!) and hasn't been thought through; what indeed happens if you have no internet connectivity?!?!?!?! Even though the Sonos account thing has been around for ages, introducing a sign-in every time you want to make a change to *your* *own* *system* is just bonkers.

I'm afraid that all of us who have been using Sonos for years are being sidelined by the apparent desire of Sonos to make changes for changes sake and to ignore their most faithful supporters. Frankly, the produc development team need firing, and probably the Chief Operating Officer too, as each update we see seems to rob Sonos of the glorious simplicity and ease of use that the system had, say 5 years ago.

One way of getting your own back (if you are in the UK) is to submit a Subject Access Request and ask for ALL the private/personal information that Sonos have collected on you, they are legally obliged to respond in a short timeframe and it coud be quite interesting to see what information they actually keep! (do they, for instance, know what I called the last speaker I added to my Sonos network?!?)

"Used2B_a_FAN"
No need to file anything. Sonos already tells you what data it collects, and gives you an opt out.
Userlevel 2
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No need to file anything. Sonos already tells you what data it collects, and gives you an opt out.

how do you opt-out? you must agree to the new privacy policy, they really are not super clear what they will do with the new details, why do they need to know what I play in the bathroom, or that I have a speaker in the bathroom. You also must always sign on, and must update if you want to update your music library. I strongly agree with the above, the long term customers are being abandoned for sonos' smart-streaming aspirations, something I am not interested in and doesn't look like they are doing very well.
Right in the privacy policy:

https://www.sonos.com/en-us/legal/privacy#controlling-personal-information
Userlevel 2
As a integration company that sells a lot of Sonos I have to tell you this new policy of one system per email must sign in is creating so many headaches for us as a company that we are now looking at alternative music systems for our high end residential systems. We do not want to have to have to deal with a spreadsheet that every tech needs to look at just to maintenance a system or add a device. This needs to go.
Userlevel 3
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Hi Clovenguth,

I got a message somehow about your post here in my e-mail box. Just my two cents:

I've been dissapointed too and I don't need a spreadsheet for my system...;) I replaced my Sonos players with similar players from Bluesound. My experience is plain good: no registration at all to setup (and Spotify Connect works), dark interface which with the current app versions compared works far more intuitive (except the settings menus). To top this you get better sound, Bluetooth integration and better looks (although this depends on taste). More expensive however, but it's a more than capable alternative. But: same blurred lookout on the future developments as Sonos since also Bluesound is not transparent about future plans with the platform and you just have to swallow all upcoming changes, no matter how much you have invested. This is new reality it seems for loyal customers.

Maybe if Sonos is smart it ditches this "login" feature. But how long will you wait?

Cheers,
Userlevel 7
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Hi Clovenguth,

I got a message somehow about your post here in my e-mail box. Just my two cents:

I've been dissapointed too and I don't need a spreadsheet for my system...;) I replaced my Sonos players with similar players from Bluesound. My experience is plain good: no registration at all to setup (and Spotify Connect works), dark interface which with the current app versions compared works far more intuitive (except the settings menus). To top this you get better sound, Bluetooth integration and better looks (although this depends on taste). More expensive however, but it's a more than capable alternative. But: same blurred lookout on the future developments as Sonos since also Bluesound is not transparent about future plans with the platform and you just have to swallow all upcoming changes, no matter how much you have invested. This is new reality it seems for loyal customers.

Maybe if Sonos is smart it ditches this "login" feature. But how long will you wait?

Cheers,

It’s subjective, but the Bluesound speakers just don’t sound as good as their Sonos equivalents, and by some margin. I auditioned both systems prior to making my first Sonos purchase.
Userlevel 1
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you could just create a new free email account on gmail or outlook and use it only for this purpose. give it an easy to remember username and password with "Sonos" in them. doesn't make it much easier to log in when you need it, but at least it keeps the marketing people from finding you.
We are also an Integration company for high end homes. We used to put in about $10K of sonos equipment a month. Once the account set up was required we moved on. I am adding a play one to my personal system today and I forgot what a pain it is. I actually had to set up a new email account to get it all to work. Well, actually I'm still working on it. A great system brought down by information greed. What a shame.
haha - a followup tot he post above. We recently changed our corporate URL and know I can't even add a speaker to my system because I have to log into the old email account which no longer exists. Good by sonos forever!!!
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There are two (or more) separate issues here: One, the privacy concerns of requiring people to give an email address to use the product, and Two, the need to enter the email and password every time you need to connect or re-connect a Sonos device. The privacy concerns can somewhat be remedied by getting a new free email account from gmail, but having to log in to add a device is extremely inconvenient when you are experiencing connection issues and trying to resolve them. Infuriating would be a better word, as I just spent the last two hours trying to get four devices connected and only succeeded with one. [Yes, I will call support, but that's beside the point.]
I totally agree with the comments made in this thread: I own my Sonos system for probably 10 years now. I have large music library myself and use it a lot to listen to my own stuff. It used to be simple, reliable, great! Then more and more SW updates were made... some of them added great features and new services for sure. But it is no longer as intuitive and simple as it used to be. As far as I can tell it is also not as reliable as it used to be (e.g., rooms dropping from the app, radio stations stop playing, etc. even though my internet connection is now probably 20 times as fast as it used to be;-) ). And then there is the account sign-in - no more comments necessary about that. I am also at the point where I can no longer recommend it to folks without some technology background. It's sad. I hope Sonos listens and goes back to the root and makes it a great system to listen to music.
Userlevel 7
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There are two (or more) separate issues here: One, the privacy concerns of requiring people to give an email address to use the product, and Two, the need to enter the email and password every time you need to connect or re-connect a Sonos device. The privacy concerns can somewhat be remedied by getting a new free email account from gmail, but having to log in to add a device is extremely inconvenient when you are experiencing connection issues and trying to resolve them. Infuriating would be a better word, as I just spent the last two hours trying to get four devices connected and only succeeded with one. [Yes, I will call support, but that's beside the point.]

As I understand it you only need to log-in when adding a NEW component. I recently did this with a new Play 1 and had to enter my mail and password.

You appear to be suggesting that you have to go through the process of adding a component as the result of having connection issues. It's very unlikely that the primary resolution of connection will be to go through the add new component process to re-connect existing previously added components. Further, I would say it will most likely lead to further frustration as adding components back that have dropped off/disappeared will most likely NOT resolve the core network issue and will at the very least lead to significantly further user frustration.

I do agree, however, that the last thing to attempt if you are suffering connection issues is to add a new component (a genuine new component). Get the system working properly before you attempt to add a new component
I am also completely frustrated with Sonos. Recently - 1. I bought my mother in law a Play:1. In the past I just fired up the controller, the controller found it, and it played. Now I need to set up a Sonos account. What a hassle and waste of time.
2. When I returned to the USA my system could not see the Connect I use and asked me to set up an account blah blah this system used to be easy to use now it's nearly as hard as Apple stuff. Thank you Sonos for taking something which was beautifully easy and messing it up. Suppose I didn't have an internet connection when I was trying to set it up? What then? Guys you need to get back to basics and give us a music player which simply connects to the controller and works. This is what it used to do and it why I recommended it. I am much less confident about recommending Sonos now.
Userlevel 2
Surely, this sign in step can be automated? Constantly asking a a client to log in to their account when adding multiple ne products (something that happens daily) gets old *very* fast.

Z...
I object to, to having to essentially ask permission from Sonos to use my own legally purchased speakers, in the privacy of my own home, there have been previous answers to the above question that suggest I should create a specific email account r some other rubbbish, just to be able to do this, it's also been suggested that this isn't a big deal, my problem is that the most recent software update from Sonos effectively deleted my rather than overwrote my system, which meant I had to install rather than reinstall the software on my PC, which meant losing my saved setting services names of speakers, music library settings etc and having to call sonos on 0800 026 1526 (UK) a hard to find phone number, then submit a diagnostic (which of course means being online) collect my spakers and plug them individually into the bridge to help them help me reinstall my speakers, up until now I been happy with the Sonos system its why I bought it, what I don't want to do is have a continuing relationship with Sonos other than updates, I don't use Spotify and whatever happens in this in the future happens in the future, but right now I just want to be able to use my system in its most simple from, I feel as though sonos still has its hand in my pocket after sale if they have this much control over my speakers in my own home does that mean that they can turn off turn them off or listin in? how much control do they have over my speakers without my consent, because to be clear they do not have my consent Sonos (they changed the rules after purchase) they tell me that this is a security measure, them having control over my speakers home speakers, so Sonos as if you read your own community support I would like in future to have to choose to opt in or out of any system, the same choice I have with every other system including Microsoft.