Sonos cannot see my iMac iTunes library.

[gowiththeflow]

When I installed my Sonos system last year, everything went well and operated as it should, allowing me to access online content and services as well as the music stored in the iTunes libary on my iMac (pending purchase of a NAS).

I've been using a Sonos Bridge to connect into my home network.

Recently I changed ISP and went onto a fibre optic broadband service, therefore I have a new router.

I've connected the Sonos Bridge to a spare port on the router (as I did with the previous one) and everything works as it should, including the Sonos control app on my iMac. However, the Sonos can no longer find the iTunes library on my iMac.

When I do a manual search for the library via the Sonos, I can see the relevant folders but when I select them to add the library, the Sonos says it cannot find my iMac

It's odd because any changes made on the Sonos Controller (handset) are reflected on the desktop controller and vice versa, so the Sonos and iMac are talking to each other.

What do I need to do to sort this out. There must be a simple solution.

p.s. sharing is enabled on the iMac, nothing has changed there.

 

[The_Lhc]

You might do better asking the question on the Sonos forums. I don't know anything about Macs but immediate things that spring to mind, is your new router using a different wireless channel to the old one? Set the router to channels 1, 6 or 11 and set the Sonos to one of the other channels (ie don't use the same channel for both), turn off any wideband or 40Mhz or 300mbps modes on the router as they hog more channels.

Is the Mac wired to the router? It needs to be to be a supported configuration, you could test this by wiring to the router and disabling the Mac's wireless.

 

[bigboss]

Is your iMac connected to your router on the 5GHz network instead of 2.4GHz?

 

[gowiththeflow]

Thanks for the swift replies.

The iMac is connected to the router by ethernet (1 mtr away).

Wireless is switched off on the Mac.

There is no interference between the Sonos Mesh wireless network and the home WiFi network. Everything works without any problems and just to be on the safe side, I checked and they are using different channels.

The Sonos network and zones all works perfectly. The only thing I can't do is get it to see my Mac to access the iTunes library, although it is communicating perfectly well with the Sonos controller app on the Mac.

 

[gowiththeflow]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I still haven't managed to find a resoluution to this problem.

I suspect there is something in the new router that's preventing the Sonos from getting access to my iTunes library.

Any ideas?

 

[The_Lhc]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I still haven't managed to find a resoluution to this problem.

I suspect there is something in the new router that's preventing the Sonos from getting access to my iTunes library.

If the iMac was connecting wirelessly then I might have suspected that, some routers block traffic between the wired and wireless networks by default (mine does and you can't switch it off!), your wireless is definitely switched off on the iMac? If it's left on it might still be connecting wirelessly even though there's a cable plugged in.

Is it a Virgin Superhub by any chance? I understand there can be issues with those and Sonos, I'd seriously suggest asking at the Sonos forum, they've seen most issues before now so you can probalby sort you out.

 

[michael hoy]

Have you tried re adding the library and if so do you get any error message.

 

[daveh75]

Recently I changed ISP and went onto a fibre optic broadband service, therefore I have a new router.

Not Plusnet by any chance?, the Technicolor router they supply isn't fit for purpose.

 

[gowiththeflow]

....your wireless is definitely switched off on the iMac? If it's left on it might still be connecting wirelessly even though there's a cable plugged in.

Is it a Virgin Superhub by any chance? I understand there can be issues with those and Sonos, I'd seriously suggest asking at the Sonos forum, they've seen most issues before now so you can probalby sort you out.

Thanks for responding.

Wireless is definately switched off on the iMac. The router is a Sagem model, supplied by Sky.

I've already asked on the Sonos forum, with no luck. There are a number of similar types of issues from other people and there is very little in the way of clear guidance.

 

[gowiththeflow]

Have you tried re adding the library and if so do you get any error message.

Yes, I've tried re-adding the library. Both the automatic search and the manual method result in the same error message, "xxxx-iMac cannot be found" (where xxxx is the name of my computer).

As I've said earlier, Sonos speaks to the desktop Sonos Controller on the iMac and vice versa.

So data is able to flow back and forth across the router.

 

[bigboss]

Try uninstalling and reinstalling Sonos controller on your iMac, & search again.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi

I have a plusnet router,and it works find my Sonos.

Paul.

 

[michael hoy]

Have you tried re adding the library and if so do you get any error message.

Yes, I've tried re-adding the library. Both the automatic search and the manual method result in the same error message, "xxxx-iMac cannot be found" (where xxxx is the name of my computer).

As I've said earlier, Sonos speaks to the desktop Sonos Controller on the iMac and vice versa.

So data is able to flow back and forth across the router.

From the menu within the Sonos desktop software, did you go to - manage - music library settings.

Remove the existing link and re add the path.

mine stopped seeing the unc path to my server recently and this did solve it. Not used a MAC in ernest so cannot help with that..

by completing the above it will force you to re enter everything even your username and password.

Just a thought, sorry if you have already done this.

 

[gowiththeflow]

From the menu within the Sonos desktop software, did you go to - manage - music library settings.

Remove the existing link and re add the path.......

.....Just a thought, sorry if you have already done this.

Sorry. I thought I'd made it clear earlier.

I've removed the library and tried to re-add it.

The Sonos controllers (desktop on the iMac and on the CR200 cannot find my iMac)

 

[The_Lhc]

....your wireless is definitely switched off on the iMac? If it's left on it might still be connecting wirelessly even though there's a cable plugged in.

Is it a Virgin Superhub by any chance? I understand there can be issues with those and Sonos, I'd seriously suggest asking at the Sonos forum, they've seen most issues before now so you can probalby sort you out.

Thanks for responding.

Wireless is definately switched off on the iMac. The router is a Sagem model, supplied by Sky.

I've already asked on the Sonos forum, with no luck. There are a number of similar types of issues from other people and there is very little in the way of clear guidance.

OK, have you actually spoken to Sonos support themselves? The forum is a user forum, it's not official (even though Sonos host it, work that one out). You could also try on ask.sonos.com, that IS official and senior support staff are more readily available on there.

 

[scene]

You might want to try:

1. un-tick the sharing for the iTunes directory on your Mac,

2. reboot the Mac

3. Re-share the iTunes directory on your Mac

4. Delete the Music directory on the Sonos and re-select it

If this fails... Is your new router a firewall/router - in which case, there's a possibility that one of the ports required by the Sonos system are being blocked by the firewall. This article might help: Sonos Ports

 

[michael hoy]

have you any devices on static IP addresses, also have you tried:

Shut down and power off all on this list, then power on, in this order:

Modem
Router
Wired ZonePlayers and ZoneBridges
Wireless ZonePlayers and ZoneBridges
NAS if you use one
Everything else (computers, printers, etc.)

Wait until the component is fully up before restarting the next on the list.

 

[The_Lhc]

If he's already been to the Sonos forums he'll have tried that already! Although I could find his posts on there.

I'd always be inclined to start the NAS before the Sonos as well, given there's a good chance the Sonos will be trying to read off the NAS.

 

[scene]

If he's already been to the Sonos forums he'll have tried that already! Although I could find his posts on there

Was that for my suggestion, or Mr. Hoy's?

I only suggested the issue with Ports as I had no end of issues when I first installed Kaspersky and when I changed my firewall/router, I had some more fun - but then I moved to having a switch plugged into the external network firewall/router, with everything plugged into the switch and that sorted most of the issues.

 

[The_Lhc]

If he's already been to the Sonos forums he'll have tried that already! Although I couldn't find his posts on there

Was that for my suggestion, or Mr. Hoy's?

Mr Hoy's, the "shut everything down restart in this order" schpiel is the standard advice. This doesn't sound like an IP issue though, more like a MacOS problem. Never did ask what version he was using, 10.5 isn't supported any more.

I only suggested the issue with Ports as I had no end of issues when I first installed Kaspersky and when I changed my firewall/router, I had some more fun - but then I moved to having a switch plugged into the external network firewall/router, with everything plugged into the switch and that sorted most of the issues.

No worries, good suggestion.

 

[michael hoy]

If he's already been to the Sonos forums he'll have tried that already! Although I could find his posts on there

Was that for my suggestion, or Mr. Hoy's?

I only suggested the issue with Ports as I had no end of issues when I first installed Kaspersky and when I changed my firewall/router, I had some more fun - but then I moved to having a switch plugged into the external network firewall/router, with everything plugged into the switch and that sorted most of the issues.

Always presume the person has not tried something.

Scene, I have mine setup this way as well, Cyrus also recommend using a switch into the router and then plugging the device into the switch.

I run my own DHCP server and do not use the router to do this, I then have total control over my devices. I am not saying the OP needs to do this.

I would also turn off all antivirus and firewall for a brief period and see if devices start to connect.

 

[scene]

Always presume the person has not tried something.

Fair point - sometimes it's the most obvious thing that causes the issue.

Scene, I have mine setup this way as well, Cyrus also recommend using a switch into the router and then plugging the device into the switch.

I run my own DHCP server and do not use the router to do this, I then have total control over my devices. I am not saying the OP needs to do this.

I would also turn off all antivirus and firewall for a brief period and see if devices start to connect.

I'd onlyrecommend the last point after physically disconnecting the router from the internet - I've seen an unprotected PC get infected in less than a minute when connected up...

Yes, I have Cable - so I go cable modem -> firewall/router -> switch

And everything then hangs off the switch. I use the firewall/router as DHCP server, as I finds this simplified configuration. I have an old wifi router which I'm now using as a wifi switch - everything seems a lot more stable now...

 

[gowiththeflow]

An update to this saga.

First of all, thanks to all who have offered suggestions.

As I suspected the problem lies with the new router and not with Sonos or my iMac.

I signed up with Sky for their Fibre Optic unlimited broadband (cheaper than BT infinity).

Sky provided the new router and BT Openreach installed their own modem.

Having spent a considerable time searching various forums, I have found that there are problems with Sky routers in so far as they don't support port forwarding and limit home networking options.

The internet forums contain numerous common issues with these Sky routers, such as not being able to use a NAS, Sonos not being fully usable (accessing music libraries), not supporting network printers, unable to share files between computers etc.

To make matters worst, apparently Sky hard code the passwords in the routers firmware and will not give them out, so you cannot substitute the supplied router with one of your own.

I spent some time talking to Sky Fibre technical support and they cannot discuss this sort of problem. The same on Sky's online support forum and confirmed by numerous anecdotes.

Some work arounds are suggested, including assigning static IP addresses, but this doesn't resolve some of the issues with these particular routers.

Another option is to disable the DCHP and wireless functions in the Sky router and introduce another router into the chain to provide these functions and the wired hub. Reducing the Sky router to being a modem only.

This last suggestion would on the face of it, seem to be a possible answer to my problem; however in the Fibre Broadband case the Sky router's modem function is by-passed and the BT Openreach modem provides that function. There are no examples of this arrangement on any forum I have come across.

The set-up would be....

BT modem - Sky Router - Own Router - Home network

....where my Own Router would perform DCHP services and run all the home network connections, wired and wirelessly, to my iMac, Sonos, NAS and other computers and devices (laptops, iPad, iPod's, internet radio etc.).

Can anyone confirm this would work?

I have no idea about this level of computer or networking knowledge.

Stuff like assigning static IP addresses is quite beyond me, so I'm not really confident about tinkering with various settings.

The other question is why are Sky's routers dogged by this restriction?

Any other router will allow full home networking, including those supplied by ISP's, but not those supplied by Sky (including their new Sky Hub).

 

[The_Lhc]

The set-up would be....

BT modem - Sky Router - Own Router - Home network

....where my Own Router would perform DCHP services and run all the home network connections, wired and wirelessly, to my iMac, Sonos, NAS and other computers and devices (laptops, iPad, iPod's, internet radio etc.).

Can anyone confirm this would work?

Assuming you don't buy another router with the same sort of restrictions then yes, there are plenty of other people doing similar things for similar reasons.

Stuff like assigning static IP addresses is quite beyond me, so I'm not really confident about tinkering with various settings.

Well that shouldn't be necessary unless you start getting IP address conflicts but certainly not everyone does it. Depending on the router it should be pretty straightforward.

The other question is why are Sky's routers dogged by this restriction?

Well that's not entirely the case, have a look on the Sonos forum and you'll find people that can't get the Virgin Superhub to work with Sonos and have had to do the same thing you're talking about (set the Virgin hub to modem only and supply their own router), BT's Homehubs were notorious for blocking Sonos traffic, although the HH3 is apparently ok and I'm not sure there was any work around for that.

Somewhere on the Sonos forum there's a thread about recommended routers, might be worth checking that out before making a purchase.

 

[gvs46]

Hi,

Mine was doing the same thing and I fixed this by going to my sharing settings and noticed my user ID was set to read only, I changed all the users to read and write and it now works.