Play Together problems
A Play Together session is reached in two ways: directly on the same Wi-Fi, or through Stab’s relay from anywhere. When joining fails, the message says which part went wrong. This page goes through them, then the checks for each kind of connection. How sessions work is in Hosting and Joining a session.
Can’t join or host a session
Available on every platform.
How a join finds the session
Stab looks for the session on your Wi-Fi first, then, after a moment, through the relay. The relay is used only when the host has Join from Anywhere on (it’s on at first); off, only devices on the host’s network can join. The web app can’t look on the network, so it always joins through the relay: a host with Join from Anywhere off can’t be joined from a browser.
What the messages mean
- “No session with that code.” (“No session with that code: check it with the host.”) or “The code didn’t match, or the session has ended.” No session has that code: check the six letters and digits with the host (the dash doesn’t matter), and check that they’re still hosting.
- “This session is full.” The session has no room. Hosting with a licence or Stab Cloud takes up to seven people; hosting free, one. Someone leaving makes room, or the host can unlock Stab.
- “This session is on a newer version of Stab: update Stab on this device to join.” Update Stab here, then join again.
- “The host’s Stab is older than yours: they need to update it before you can join.” The host updates Stab and hosts again.
- “This session is for the song’s members.” It’s a session on a song shared through Stab Cloud: only the song’s members can join. See Shared songs.
- “Too busy right now: try again in a moment.”“The relay is busy: try again in a moment.” The relay can’t take the connection just now. Try again shortly.
- “Couldn’t reach the session.”“Couldn’t reach the session: check the network.” The network didn’t let the connection through: see the checks below.
Joining on the same Wi-Fi
- Be on the same network. A guest Wi-Fi, a phone on cellular data, or a network that keeps devices apart (common in hotels, schools and offices) stops devices from finding each other. There, use the code with Join from Anywhere on: it goes through the relay instead.
- Allow the local network. The first time, Stab asks for permission to find devices on your network. If the answer was no, nothing nearby is found: allow Stab under Local Network in System Settings › Privacy & Security. Let Stab through the firewall. If Windows asked whether Stab may use the network and the answer was no, devices nearby can’t reach it. Allow Stab on private networks in Windows Security’s firewall settings.
- A session with a lock needs its code: the host hasn’t turned on Open to Nearby.
Joining from anywhere
- The host needs Join from Anywhere on: the panel’s line says “The code works from anywhere.” If it says “The code works on this Wi-Fi.”, only devices on that network can join.
- Check the connection on both sides. A network that blocks secure web connections to
relay.stab.audiostops the relay; try another network. - Recordings stay on the Wi-Fi. A guest who joined through the relay can’t send a recording: Stab says “Recordings travel on the Wi-Fi only: join from the same network to send one.” See Recordings in a session.
Join links and QR codes
A join link looks like https://stab.audio/j/ABC-DEF, and the host’s QR code is the same link. On an iPhone or iPad with Stab installed, it opens in the app; anywhere else, it opens Stab in the browser with the code filled in. A link stops working when the host stops hosting: a new session has a new code, and a new link.
When the connection drops
During a session, Stab reconnects by itself and says Reconnecting… over the song. If it can’t, or the host stopped, it says the session ended, with Rejoin to try again. See Joining a session.