Incompatible Network Set-Ups
Play-Fi is not compatible with Office or Guest networks
Play-Fi products are built to deliver a wonderful audio listening experience at home, on a personal Wi-Fi network. Offices and other corporate networks like hotels, airports, and areas with “guest” Wi-Fi networks are almost always set up to disable media streaming products. This is done for security reasons, and to preserve bandwidth. Regardless of the reason, these environments are not suitable for use of your Play-Fi products.
If for some reason you do need to use your Play-Fi products in an office environment, work with your IT department or network administrator on set up.
Some Routers and Access Points do not work well with Play-Fi products
Our team is constantly testing for Wi-Fi compatibility. This table shows a list of Wi-Fi hardware that can cause issues for your Play-Fi products, along with our suggested solutions for the problem.
| Make | Model | Problem | Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actiontec |
GT724WGR M1000 C1000 PK5000 |
Your Play-Fi product may not connect to the network, or it may connect, but not be visible to your Play-Fi software. This is due to the router not assigning an IP address. | Use another Wi-Fi access point instead, like one of these recommended options. |
| Apple | AirPort Express, Extreme, and Time Capsule | AirPort routers do not always make use of the best network sharing properties, and sometimes don’t handle media streaming the way certified routers do. This can lead to a poor Play-Fi streaming experience. | Use another Wi-Fi access point instead, like one of these recommended options. |
| Belkin | F6D4230-4 V3 F5D7234-4 v4 |
The Wi-Fi network may fail to forward broadcasts from one device to another. This can cause connection and performance issues for Play-Fi products. | Use another Wi-Fi access point instead, like one of these recommended options. |
| Linksys | E800 | This router is not 802.11n certified, and when WMM (an advanced media management mode) is enabled, performance of Play-Fi products can be impaired. | Disable WMM, and performance should improve. You will find instructions for how to do this in the router’s user manual or in their online support tools. |
| Motorola | SBG6580 | Your Play-Fi product may connect, but the Wi-Fi network may fail to forward broadcasts, making it difficult for your speakers to be discovered and used. | Use another Wi-Fi access point instead, like one of these recommended options. |
| Netgear | WNDR3400 WNDR4200 |
These routers have an isolation mode. If this mode is enabled, the router is not forwarding broadcasts between devices. Your Play-Fi product may connect, but it will be difficult for your speakers to be discovered and used. | Disable isolation mode in the router settings, and the Play-Fi devices will now be discoverable You will find instructions on how to disable isolation mode in the router user manual or in their online support tools. |
| TP-Link | TL-WR841N | Certain streaming services in your Play-Fi app may not work. | Update the app to the latest version and the issue should be resolved. |
If you are experiencing one of the issues listed above, but with a different router model, often the related solution listed here will resolve the problem for you. You can always contact customer support for help and suggestions on Wi-Fi networking issues.
For a general performance improvement suggestions, click here.