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HomePod Help with HomePod Frequently Disconnecting

H

Hitch08

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 21, 2008
361
20
I am using my HomePod at work. It is connected to my work's wifi. My iPhone is also connected to my work's wifi. When I am using my phone to play music on my HomePod, it disconnects frequently. I can often make it through one song, although it has disconnected during the first song. It usually disconnects during the fourth or fifth song.

This is true when I'm playing songs on my iPhone via the "Music" app, which includes my library of ripped songs. It is also true when I am playing music via the SiriusXM app on my iPhone.

The only time that it doesn't disconnect is when I play music from the Cloud - songs that I've purchased from iTunes. If I tap the top of the HomePod, it will play those songs and I've never had a disconnection.

This is kinda frustrating. Any advice?

Thanks!
 
Great question. Unfortunately, I don't know, as I've only used it at work. I'll bring it home this weekend and give it a try. Thanks!
 
Not sure why I didn't think to do this earlier, but I (finally) called Support this morning. The CSR had me go to Settings > [my name] > iCloud > and then sign out of "Keychain" and then sign back in.

When given the option between deleting and removing the information on my iPhone, she told me to keep it.

She was certain that this would fix the issue. Testing now, but thought I would post before I forgot.
 
Unfortunately, that "fix" do not solve the issue.

Is there a way to use iTunes Match to play music directly from the cloud to the HomePod? My current theory is that my phone is not maintaining a connection to the HomePod via WiFi, so I'm trying to take that out of the equation.

Thanks!
 
I had similar issues with songs playing on my homepod over airplay but after a few songs it would mysteriously stop and i couldnt play anymore. I've reset the homepod for the 3rd time and this time it seems to be working so who knows. I have a 2nd homepod that hasnt had any of these issues.
 
Weird. I'll try a reset - maybe it'll work. This is frustrating.

I do appreciate the post! Thanks!
 
Are there a lot of people on your works wifi network?

If resetting it doesn't work you may want to try the setting under "Allow Speaker Access" set to "Only People Sharing This Home". And definitely not "Everyone".

It could be overwhelmed per se if its syncing ready for request to an abnormally large amount AirPlay sources. Swiping around iTunes on a PC/Mac and/or the Music app on an iOS device is all really takes for it sync each other (show them what you are playing and prepare to play what they want to play) regardless if they play anything or not.

Just a thought.
 
Very much appreciate the post and thoughts.

Unfortunately, there aren't many on the network. There are less than 10 people in the office and, everyone else, I believe, is using the private network. I setup the HomePod on the password protected guest network.

The reset did not help.

When I have some time, I'll call Apple again. However, with this issue, this device is pretty much useless for me. The only time that it doesn't disconnect is when I play songs that I've downloaded from iTunes (which isn't all that many). I purchased iTunes Match hoping that would help. However, asking Siri to play those songs doesn't work. I was hoping that the HomePod would play those songs directly from the cloud and not through my iPhone. No such luck.
 
I also dont subscribe to apple music and siri will only play songs i've purchased thru itunes so i dont think that functionality will change once you get it working. However airplay should work.
 
I have had the EXACT same issue as you OP. This trouble began when I updated my phone and pad to 11.2.6. I have tried every solution thrown my way and nothing works. Since it started with a software update, I am hopeful that 11.3 resolves this.
 
I'm having this issue with both my home pods. It's frustrating because it seems the device drops the connection sometime during the night and then when I go to query it in the morning, "I'm having trouble connecting to the internet, please check the home App for more information."
 
jfx94 said:
I'm having this issue with both my home pods. It's frustrating because it seems the device drops the connection sometime during the night and then when I go to query it in the morning, "I'm having trouble connecting to the internet, please check the home App for more information."
Click to expand...


What is your setup? Where is the HP in relation to your router? Have you tried resetting?
 
I have this exact same problem since last year. I have 5 HomePods around the house. Playing music from my laptop via iTunes Airplay to any of them results in periodic drop offs - to the point now where I've had enough. I've reset router / bought new router / reset HPods so many times both in the app and by pressing the button on top till it goes red - I've changed channels in my router - turned ALL wifi attached devices in the house off and only had the lap top and the Hpods turned on - NOTHING makes a difference. I've tried it with songs ripped from CD - bought in iTunes - bought on Amazon - all the same. I've been in touch with Apple support since it started - In January this year they installed a profile on my iphone to collect data for the homepods - asked me to write down the times of the drop offs also - which I've done - they then retrieved the data - I'm still waiting and when I ask for an update I'm told they are still processing it all - personally I think it's a ridiculous amount of time and a ridiculous amount of money I've spent - have more users encountered this? I'm on Software 13.4 on the pods. G
 
Ga Ka said:
I have this exact same problem since last year. I have 5 HomePods around the house. Playing music from my laptop via iTunes Airplay to any of them results in periodic drop offs - to the point now where I've had enough. I've reset router / bought new router / reset HPods so many times both in the app and by pressing the button on top till it goes red - I've changed channels in my router - turned ALL wifi attached devices in the house off and only had the lap top and the Hpods turned on - NOTHING makes a difference. I've tried it with songs ripped from CD - bought in iTunes - bought on Amazon - all the same. I've been in touch with Apple support since it started - In January this year they installed a profile on my iphone to collect data for the homepods - asked me to write down the times of the drop offs also - which I've done - they then retrieved the data - I'm still waiting and when I ask for an update I'm told they are still processing it all - personally I think it's a ridiculous amount of time and a ridiculous amount of money I've spent - have more users encountered this? I'm on Software 13.4 on the pods. G
Click to expand...
Sounds frustrating. I'll occasionally play music from my iMac to my HomePods (two, linked in a stereo setup) and have never noticed an issue. I am subscribed to Apple Music and wasn't sure if that made the difference. I played a song just now that I had ripped from a CD some years ago and it seemed to play flawlessly, as well.

I have the HomePods on iOS 13.4, and my Mac (2015 iMac) is on macOS 10.15.4. I have a mesh wifi network and none of the devices are in areas with spotty coverage. I don't have any advice for you other than to say that it seemingly can work as intended... not sure why yours is having issues.
 
The issue seems to be with iTunes on Windows devices - I posted the same issue on the Apple Support pages and there are quite a few others with the same issue too - I have no spotty spots lol in the house - I can stream to other speakers such as Altec Lansing in the house using the the same laptop - even to the furthest part of the house with no issue - just these homepods driving me buts lol
 
I have the same issue, playing music from my macpro 5.1 to home pod keep dropping after 10 minutes. WIFI is strong, homepod sits right next to an Orbi satellite, no problem streaming 4K video to TV further away.
 
Same here, from iMac to Homepod Mini.

I've tried resetting the Mini, etc. Is this a software issue? The Homepod Mini is a week old, should I return/replace this?

Thanks
 
Ga Ka said:
I have this exact same problem since last year. I have 5 HomePods around the house. Playing music from my laptop via iTunes Airplay to any of them results in periodic drop offs - to the point now where I've had enough. I've reset router / bought new router / reset HPods so many times both in the app and by pressing the button on top till it goes red - I've changed channels in my router - turned ALL wifi attached devices in the house off and only had the lap top and the Hpods turned on - NOTHING makes a difference. I've tried it with songs ripped from CD - bought in iTunes - bought on Amazon - all the same. I've been in touch with Apple support since it started - In January this year they installed a profile on my iphone to collect data for the homepods - asked me to write down the times of the drop offs also - which I've done - they then retrieved the data - I'm still waiting and when I ask for an update I'm told they are still processing it all - personally I think it's a ridiculous amount of time and a ridiculous amount of money I've spent - have more users encountered this? I'm on Software 13.4 on the pods. G
Click to expand...
I am having the same issue as the poster above. 5 HomePods connected through my IPad which runs off of my iTunes account. Sometimes just one HomePod work drop off and then randomly play its own music from my library independent from the playlist that I told it to play. Other times all of the HomePods will just drop and I will have to manually press play from iTunes again.

I have tried deleting them from the home app, restarting them, and even configuring them on another router port as I was told there could be interference with airplay or something of the other.

Any help is much obliged.
 
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