RAX38 Router incorrectly ids wireless devices as wired

[HGinDC]

I hello all. I recently moved my Sonos devices to reserved IP addresses in my router (Nighthawk AX4 Ax3000 RAX38). That seemed to go well in terms of everything working, but I noticed that the router identifies some of these devices as wired when in fact they are wireless. Below is a capture of the devices page. The Playbase is wired directly to the router and is correctly identified as “wired.” However, the Port and the two Play 5s are incorrectly identified as wired. The two Era 100s are correctly identified as wireless, as is the Roam. Is this something that matters? I refreshed the devices page a couple of times but that didn’t change anything. Thanks.

[schumaku · Accepted solution]

On your list of connected devices I spot some Sonos devices not supporting the dedicated Sonos Wireless network, e.g. the Era 100 and Era 300 (also the Move, Move 2, Roam and Roam SL) which must be connected either to the router Wi-Fi network or to the router Ethernet LAN port(s). Once one of these has an Ethernet connection to your router, it will be identified (along with the Sonos Wireless connected Sonos devices) as Wired. The Sonos Wireless does otherwise make a dedicated Mesh network, the models listed above however don't participate in this Sonos Wireless (Mesh).

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/switch-sonos-between-a-wireless-and-wired-setup -> Wired Setup Limitations

Any group(s) of Sonos Wireless connected devices which are participating in such a Sonos "Mesh" but connected at one point by Ethernet, will show up as wired devices.

The same applies to devices connected to a dedicated Wireless Access Point (or for the sake any kind of router or extender wired direct to the router LAN)

[schumaku · Accepted solution]

On your list of connected devices I spot some Sonos devices not supporting the dedicated Sonos Wireless network, e.g. the Era 100 and Era 300 (also the Move, Move 2, Roam and Roam SL) which must be connected either to the router Wi-Fi network or to the router Ethernet LAN port(s). Once one of these has an Ethernet connection to your router, it will be identified (along with the Sonos Wireless connected Sonos devices) as Wired. The Sonos Wireless does otherwise make a dedicated Mesh network, the models listed above however don't participate in this Sonos Wireless (Mesh).

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/switch-sonos-between-a-wireless-and-wired-setup -> Wired Setup Limitations

Any group(s) of Sonos Wireless connected devices which are participating in such a Sonos "Mesh" but connected at one point by Ethernet, will show up as wired devices.

The same applies to devices connected to a dedicated Wireless Access Point (or for the sake any kind of router or extender wired direct to the router LAN)

[HGinDC]

I am surprised to learn that the ERA 100 and Roam do not support the Sonos Wireless network (aka “Sonosnet”, right?). When you say that once one of these has an ethernet connection it will be identified as wired. I am not sure what is meant by “ethernet connection” here--does it mean that as long as one of the Era 100s is connected to the router’s wifi network then the other Era 100 and the Roam will show up as wired? If it means that one of the Ea 100s must be cabled to the LAN port then I’m in trouble because the Era 100s are nowhere near the router. 

[schumaku]

No, thus isn't what I said.

Take it that if the Netgear router does recognize any device on the wired network that there is - direct or I direct - a wired LAN connection (as I wrote before). The problem is the way the Sonos Wireless functionality is not very transparent as it's making up a closed almost proprietary system.

For differentiations of the Sonos various connection modes please look into the excellent Sonos Support and Knowledge Base. This includes the (afaik mandatory) Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) requiring special caution where Small Business or Business Networking equipment is in place. If unclear, please check wit Sonos Support or a Sonos-specific community.

[HGinDC]

Thank you for your patience. I no networking expert! I guess I shouldn't worry too much about the connection modes displayed on the router app since Sonos presumably knows what it is doing.