SONOS speakers are convenient for people who want advanced control over their home music system. When correctly set up, you can control more than one speaker from your phone since Sonos makes smart speakers. That is why I purchased the SONOS Ray soundbar, which has been working smoothly except for a few scattered system malfunctions.
Since the speakers rely on Wi-Fi, when you update your network information like the password/SSID, or get a new router, you also have to transfer the SONOS devices to the new network.
Below is a comprehensive description of how I connected my SONOS to our new router and how you can also connect any Sonos product to a new Wi-Fi network.
Key Takeaways
- You will need a phone or tablet that can access apps on the Apple store or Google Play store to connect Sonos speakers to a new Wi-Fi network.
- Ensure that your phone is already connected to the new Wi-Fi network before attempting to connect the SONOS devices.
- You can use either the Sonos S1 app or the Sonos S2 app for some devices but only use the S1 app if your devices are incompatible with the SONOS S2 app.
- Instead of reconnecting the Sonos system to your new Wi-Fi network, you can give the new Wi-Fi the same SSID and password as the old Wi-Fi. That way, there is no need to reconfigure the Sonos to your Wi-Fi, as it will not detect any changes.
- Alternatively, you could use the wired setup as it is less prone to malfunctions.
When Using a Wired Setup
If you change your Wi-Fi password, SSID, or router, you must register Sonos devices on the new network so they can continue working properly.
The easiest and fastest way to connect the Sonos devices to your new Wi-Fi network is to use the wired setup.
A wired setup requires at least one of the Sonos products to be connected to the new router via Ethernet, or if using the Sonos boost, it should be connected to the router via Ethernet.
Then the wired product will broadcast a wireless network exclusive for Sonos products, known as Sonosnet, that the other products can join automatically.
Therefore, to connect your Sonos products to Wi-Fi in a wired setup, pick the one with an Ethernet port and connect it to the router.
After a few moments, you should be able to see the other products appear on the Rooms list on your Sonos controller app, provided the other products are powered on.
If you cannot see a particular product, restart it (the missing product, not the wired product) and wait for it to appear on the app.
However, note that some portable Sonos products like the Sonos Roam and the Move cannot connect to Sonosnet and should be added to the new Wi-Fi via the wireless setup.
How to Connect SONOS Speakers to a New Wi-Fi Network – COMPLETE TUTORIAL
When Using a Wireless Setup
A wireless setup tends to be more prone to malfunctioning, but it will work seamlessly when properly done. Ensure your Sonos devices are compatible with your new Wi-Fi network to avoid unnecessary complications.
When reconnecting the Sonos products to a new Wi-Fi network, you need an Android or iOS phone/tablet, as the procedure will not work with the Sonos app for PC and Mac devices.
Assuming you already have the app and have been using it for a while, you should ensure the phone is connected to the new Wi-Fi network, and the Sonos device is powered on. Then proceed to the steps below to complete the connection.
- Launch the Sonos S2 app, and you should see a notification stating, “Unable to connect to Sonos. Let’s fix it.”
- Alternatively, you can tap Settings to reveal one of the following notifications on the screen; “Sonos and your mobile device must be on the same network. Let’s fix it’’ or “Unable to find your Sonos system,” or “Update your network settings.” Tap the notifications.
- A window will appear on your device notifying you that the Sonos and your phone/tablet are on different Wi-Fi networks, and you should connect the Sonos products to the new network. Tap the Update Network option.
- The app will remind you to ensure that all the Sonos devices are turned on. Once you are sure they are powered on, tap the Find system option.
- Wait for the app to find the Sonos devices in the vicinity. Select the one closest to the router if you have multiple Sonos devices. However, you can select any Sonos device, and the app will show you its serial number.
- Once you choose a device, press Select, and wait for the app to establish a connection to the device.
- Next, press Continue and wait for the speaker you selected to play a chime to verify that you chose the correct speaker so that the phone and speaker are connected.
- Next, go to the speaker and ensure that its LED is flashing white and green, and press the Join button on the speaker. This button is marked with an infinity symbol for new Sonos speakers, but for older models, you can use the play/pause or mute buttons.
- After a couple of seconds, the speaker will ask you to enter the new network’s Wi-Fi password. Enter the password and press the Connect option and wait.
- After a successful connection, the app will notify you that the new network has been added as a trusted network for your Sonos devices. Press Done.
- The connected speaker will then take a while to migrate other Sonos devices onto the new network. If you notice a device is still on the old network, restart it, and it should appear on the app.
Some legacy Sonos products are only compatible with the Sonos S1 app but not the S2 app. If yours is one of them, you can use the S1 app.
To use the S1 app, tap the “Unable to connect to Sonos, Learn More” notification and select “Change router or Wi-Fi settings?”. The app will then guide you through prompts to enter the Wi-Fi password and complete the connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: How do I reset my SONOS?
- Answer: To reset the SONOS Roam and Roam SL, press the power button behind the Sonos until you hear a chime from the speaker and its LEDs go off.
- Then simultaneously press and hold the Play/Pause button and press then release the power button. While still holding the Play/pause button wait for the Roam LED to flash orange and white, then release the Play/pause button. The speaker will be done resetting when you see the LED flash green.
How to Reset SONOS Roam
- For the Sonos Move, unplug it from the charger and press and hold the power button until the speaker turns off. This will take approximately five seconds.
- Next, press and hold the join button, then simultaneously press and release the power button to turn the speaker on and only release the join button when you see the speaker’s LED light orange and white. Wait for it to turn green, then start setting it up.
How to Reset SONOS Move
- The remaining Sonos speakers can be reset by unplugging them from the outlet and pressing the play/pause, join, or mute buttons. Next, reconnect the power cable to the power outlet while still pressing and holding the mentioned buttons until the LED flashes orange and white.
- The speaker will be done resetting when the LED flashes green.
How to Reset a SONOS Speaker
- Question: How do I forget old Wi-Fi from SONOS?
- Answer: The SONOS app can erase old Wi-Fi networks from your system. Simply launch the app, go to Settings, tap System, and select Network, then Networks. Select the network you want to forget and select Remove.
- Question: How do I reconnect my SONOS after changing my router?
- Answer: Connect your phone to the new Wi-Fi network and launch the SONOS S2 app. The app will immediately notify you that the speakers and phone are on separate networks. Tap the notification, and the app will guide you through the process of connecting the speaker to the new network.
- If you have Sonos products that can use Sonosnet, you can connect one to the router via Ethernet, and the rest will connect to the newly created Sonosnet.
Conclusion
SONOS speakers are a great addition to your home if you are a smart home enthusiast. The speakers allow extensive control through your phone, making them very easy to use.
Unfortunately, they are also known to malfunction when migrating to a new Wi-Fi network, especially if you intend to use a wireless setup.
To overcome this, you can purchase the Sonos boost; however, if it is too expensive, consider using an Ethernet cable to connect one Sonos device to the router.
If you have only one SONOS speaker that cannot connect to the router via an Ethernet cable and are having connection issues, the next option is to factory reset the speaker. But contact SONOS customer support first, as they might have a solution that is unique to your situation.
