My Orbi RBR850 and two RBS850 with Sonos Boost connected to RBR850 runs perfect. To increase SonosNet coverage outdoor I connected a second Boost to RBS850. This temporarily did run perfect, boosting SonosNet as expected... until RBS850 decided to reconfigure automatically and use the very slow SonosNet as 'wired' backhaul replacing the Netgear fast wifi backhaul. How do I force Netgear RBS850 to solely use its very fast wifi backhaul ? (and prevent changing to the slow wired backhaul)

I observe the same. To work around I hardwire Sonos devices only to RBR and do not hardwire Sonos devices to any RBS. As a result the wireless backhaul between RBR and RBS is stable.

So the second Boost is not connected to the network via ethernet? It is stand-alone? Please read this article (if you havent seen it already) https://freetime.mikeconnelly.com/archives/6050

The article is great and exactly explains why it is important to have all BOOST devices wire connected tot the router. I do achieve the mentioned SonosNet improvement initially when connecting the additional BOOST devices tot the RBS850 satellite, until it decides tot reconfigure from wifi backhaul tot wired backhaul. The article hints at the preference of an ethernet switch between BOOSTs and router. I am not an expert in this domain, do cannot measure network data packages, nor its types, however I am running An experiment with ethernet switch between BOOST and satellite. Not sure of this makes sense, but it is stable now for 12 hours, showing all green in the SonosNet matrix. Will keep you posted with results.

I had this exact issue about a year ago with an additional boost I put on the network. My speeds for that network segment dropped to under 10Meg (which is the limit of the boost). How many boosts do you have? How many speakers? How far apart are the speakers and boosts? Just to validate: Are your Sonos speakers on SonosNet or Wifi? (I recommend moving them to their own network)

Alle speakers are on SonosNet, currently 2xBoost in network, one wired to RBR850. Amount of speakers more than 10, physical distance of some is close. SonosNet shows a few yellow spots in the matrix, with additional Boost connected to RBS850 it shows alle green. Would be perfect if this RBS850 does not switch to wired backhaul.

RBS850 - How to prevent 'wired' backhaul via Sonos

21 Replies

Chuck_M
Mentor
Aug 16, 2020
I had this exact issue about a year ago with an additional boost I put on the network.

My speeds for that network segment dropped to under 10Meg (which is the limit of the boost).

How many boosts do you have? How many speakers? How far apart are the speakers and boosts?

Just to validate: Are your Sonos speakers on SonosNet or Wifi? (I recommend moving them to their own network)
- PTWA
  Star
  Aug 16, 2020
  Alle speakers are on SonosNet, currently 2xBoost in network, one wired to RBR850. Amount of speakers more than 10, physical distance of some is close. SonosNet shows a few yellow spots in the matrix, with additional Boost connected to RBS850 it shows alle green. Would be perfect if this RBS850 does not switch to wired backhaul.
  - Chuck_M
    Mentor
    Aug 16, 2020
    For lack of a better description, I found that the boost was "backfeeding" the network... and when it did, it limited the bandwidth to the capability of the boost (10MB).
    
    Check the ports on the back of the boost -- I believe there is one that is specifically "IN" and one that is "OUT" -- perhaps you have the ethernet cable plugged into the wrong one. Can you try that and tell us the results?

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RBS850 - How to prevent 'wired' backhaul via Sonos