Internet radio troubleshooting in SonicPanel

When your station goes quiet or a presenter cannot get on air, match the symptom below. Most fixes are a setting in SonicPanel or in the broadcasting software.

You cannot sign in to SonicPanel

• Your IP address is blocked. After 5 failed logins within an hour, SonicPanel blocks the IP address for an hour. FTP logins are blocked for 15 minutes after repeated failures. Wait, then sign in with the correct details.
• You lost the password. SonicPanel does not display passwords. Use the reset link on the login page, or open a ticket and we change it for you.

A DJ cannot connect

• The AutoDJ is offline. DJs can only connect and stream while the AutoDJ is online. Start it in SonicPanel.
• Wrong server type. Select Shoutcast v1 (or Shoutcast) in the broadcasting software, even if the radio runs Icecast or Shoutcast v2.
• A user name is filled in. Enter only the DJ port and the DJ password; leave the user name empty.
• The radio port was used instead of the DJ port. Use the DJ port from SonicPanel.
• The DJ account has no streaming permission. Check it under List/Edit DJ Accounts.
• VirtualDJ connects to nothing and shows no error. Recent VirtualDJ versions need a session name in the broadcast settings for Shoutcast v2.5 and v2.6; fill it in.

Verify: the stream address plays the live audio.

The AutoDJ plays nothing

• The chosen playlist is empty, or it is the sample Auto Playlist whose files are deleted when you save the AutoDJ with it. Choose a playlist of your own on Manage AutoDJ.
• The radio or the AutoDJ is offline. Start it.
• Your files were not valid MP3 audio: SonicPanel deletes such files after an FTP upload, even if their name ends in .mp3.

Uploads fail

• FTP error 550 (quota exceeded). Your disk space is full. Delete old tracks or download and delete old DJ show recordings; recordings can be large (a long show can take 500 MB to 1 GB).
• Files in subfolders are refused. Over FTP, each playlist has one folder and subfolders are not accepted. Upload the MP3 files directly into the playlist folder.

Jingles are cut off or playlists start late

• Short tracks are cut. The crossfade can cut tracks shorter than about 8 seconds. Use jingles of 8 to 10 seconds or more, or lower the crossfade on Manage AutoDJ.
• A scheduled playlist starts after the current song. That is what AutoDJ Interruption Settings does when it is disabled. Enable it to fade the playing song and start at once.
• An interval does not play as planned. Overlapping minute-based intervals replace each other (the last one wins), and scheduled playlists take priority over them. Intervals only run while the AutoDJ is online.

Listeners cannot tune in

• All listener slots are in use. New listeners are refused until someone leaves. If this happens often, move up a plan.
• The player on your website stays silent. On HTTPS websites, use the HTTPS address from SSL Connections/Play; an http:// stream is blocked as mixed content.
• Song titles are missing in your own HTML player. The direct play address ending in /stream carries no titles; use the https://domain:port address in players that show titles.

Still not working?

Open a ticket with the time of the problem, the stream address, the software and settings you use (without the password) and what you hear or see.

Next steps

• Set-up from the start: internet radio with SonicPanel.