Why Does My Sonos Keep Cutting Out? [ANSWERED]

Smooth sound is essential for any party. Music that cuts out can stunt conversation and feel jarring for guests. It also makes dancing incredibly awkward.

If you’ve ever been to an event with shoddy music playing, you know it can interfere with the flow of an evening. While clubs and lounges often provide professional sound systems, these can be confusing for a home setup. Finding the right sound delivery is not always as easy as it sounds. 

Table of Contents

• Why Does My Sonos Keep Cutting Out? 
• Why Does My Sonos Keep Cutting Out?
• What Is Wireless Interference?
  • How To Fix Wireless Interference
• Streaming Restrictions
  • How To Adjust Streaming Restrictions
• Check Your Router Connection
  • Detecting Router Issues
• How Do I Reset the Speakers?
• What if It Doesn’t Work?
• Sonos Articles Popular With Readers

Why Does My Sonos Keep Cutting Out?

Sonos, while providing quality sound with different apps, can also experience glitches. If the wireless access points can’t merge with different channels, the sound will cut out. Luckily these problems can be fixed by removing certain devices, positioning equipment, and changing the channel settings. 

There are a few common issues that can be fixed in minutes. Examining the wifi router is just one of them. Streaming restrictions and network speed should be checked before trying to reposition the device because sometimes the simplest answers are more effective. 

I use Sonos for hosting house shows and parties on a monthly basis. When I first bought them I thought they were the best out there, until one night when they were randomly cut out without warning. 

Fortunately getting to know your sound equipment is like getting to know a new best friend. The connection is intuitive. 

Why Does My Sonos Keep Cutting Out?

Sound systems are increasingly complex. Since the classic hi-fi system your dad bought in the 90s, wireless systems are now a staple of many households. The Sonos cuts out for the same reason many wireless devices cut out. The only difference between a skipping CD and a wifi glitch is the technology.

Do All Wifi Speakers Cut Out?

All wifi speakers can be cut out, but not all do. There are a few ways to prevent this from happening in addition to fixing the issue itself. 

Wifi speakers depend on a few different elements. The ISP, internal software, and network connection are important regardless of the brand. If data cannot be shared and transferred between the streaming app and the sound device, this will lead to sound interference. 

What Is Wireless Interference?

Wireless interference can happen with Bluetooth, cordless phones, and microwaves. It occurs when 2.4 and 5GHz bands are used for transmission. 

Audio dropouts are likely to occur if Sonos is experiencing wireless interference. 

This phenomenon occurs when two or more wireless devices are competing for the same wifi space. The most competitive wireless devices are usually phones, Bluetooth mice, and tablets. If you are using the Sonos speakers in addition to electronic keyboards, this can also have an impact on sound quality. 

How To Fix Wireless Interference

One of the easiest ways to get rid of interference is by changing the wireless channel. The router’s 2.4GHz wireless channel can be changed without wrecking the wifi. Even though there are multiple components to handling interference, you will not permanently damage anything.

One thing to remember: if you are changing the router’s wireless channel in addition to the Sonos wireless channel, do not set them to the same channel. This can actually add to the problem of wireless interference. 

Another easy way to fix wireless interference is to simply move the other devices that may be causing interference. Luckily a lot of these gadgets are relatively small. Sonos products tend to work best when they’re approximately 20 inches away from any competing device.

Streaming Restrictions

Unlike the Napster years, several music streaming services have specific restrictions. Depending on which service you use, these restrictions can range from refusal to play on wireless devices to only allowing one sign-in at a time. 

If you use an Apple ID to sign into several devices, but use a separate account to sign in to Pandora or Spotify, this can be problematic. The Sonos will only stream to one single device. This can be altered for each room.

How To Adjust Streaming Restrictions

Speaker groups can be adjusted so that separate speakers have access to different music apps. This is especially handy if some stations are not accessible. If you have one room playing jazz and another playing blues, this will also likely require different services. Streaming music services that work best on Sonos include BBC Sounds, Cloud Cover Music, FamilyStream, Global Player, iHeartRadio, KKBOX, Pandora, RadioPlay, and Spotify. 

The streaming service you use will treat speaker groups as one speaker. Adding speaker groups will not only organize music, but it will free up space from competing devices. If the speakers are trying to use multiple forms of data this will slow down the process. 

Check Your Router Connection

The router is one of the main components of internet access. It allows messages to be sent between networks so that you can stream music.

Essentially, its two main responsibilities are to send information where it needs to go and to collect the necessary data. If a router is properly running, data will not clog the connection.

Routers will inevitably experience damage throughout the years. If it begins to cause issues, you may experience an unstable connection. This often creates the “skip” in a wireless sound system. 

Detecting Router Issues

There is a simple way to check your router that doesn’t require any hardware knowledge. Instead of trying to take apart the router, certain websites will allow you to check the speed. 

Speedtest is an incredibly popular site to test speed. The average speed of a healthy home router is between 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps. 

For streaming music on a Sonos device, 100 Mbps is ideal. If for some reason the router is below 50 Mbps, check the ISP. You may need a new router. 

How Do I Reset the Speakers?

If you’ve ever called a tech support line you know the first thing they tell you to do is reset the device.

I personally found this to be an insulting request since it seems akin to “did you turn your computer off and on?” However, I did have this issue specifically with Sonos speakers.

If there is some type of software glitch in the system, Sonos speakers will not function. Even if Sonos is still playing, bugs in the software can lead to sound drops. Software problems can occur when you first buy the speakers, but they can also happen later on. 

First disconnect the power cord to completely shut down the device. The power cord is directly plugged into the Sonos speaker unless you have a Sonos Move. If you have the Sonos Move then remove the cord from its base and hold down the power button until the light disappears.

The device is still set even if it is powered off. This is often where people get confused. Unlike turning a computer on and off, the reboot does not provide what’s necessary to fix any potential problems. 

To reset the speakers you need to locate the “infinity” button. Sometimes this button has a logo with arrows pointing to each other. If you have a first-generation Sonos, this button is actually the same as the play/pause button. 

Press down on the reset button and hold for approximately thirty seconds. The Sonos’ indicator light should be orange. Do not try to plug in the power cord until the light blinks green. This means it is safe to reboot.

What if It Doesn’t Work?

Wireless speaker systems can be attached to multiple parts of the house. They provide different rooms with different music and are great for both families and parties. Like all wireless speakers, Sonos can experience glitches with the internet, channeling, and software.

If Sonos continues to malfunction after trying the above solutions, it may be a problem with the device itself. This is not the end of the world. Sonos does have customer support that can fix faulty software.