Re: How to prevent 'wired' backhaul via Sonos

benn600 · ‎2022-08-17

I have the same issue. This has caused me weeks of broken functionality. 20 Sonos speakers, AC3000 Orbi with 3 satellites. Could managed switches with a VLAN for Sonos solve it? Why is this happening? I plug every speaker I can into Orbi’s backhaul. No BOOST because it is trash/slow. I do have one in a drawer.

plemans · ‎2022-08-17

Sonos has issues with mesh networks. You'll get better help on their site for fixing their connection issues.

If you have mac/ios devices, make sure icloud relay and private mac/ip address are disabled.

ekhalil · ‎2022-08-17

You can’t have more than 1 (only 1) Sonos wired to Orbi, the other speakers should be wireless if you want to use the Sonos mesh.
If you want to use the Orbi radio then all speakers should be wireless.
Having more that wired speaker will cause packet loops and cause many issues in the whole IP network.

benn600 · ‎2022-08-17

I wish it were "that simple." I've set my system up per Sonos guidelines 5 times and it comes to a screeching halt. I have 20 Sonos nodes powering 22 speakers and I rely heavily on the Orbi 5GHz backhaul to stream any HDMI inputs to more than 2 or 3 nodes. I don't even have that much network interference -- neighbors barely use wifi. I do turn wifi OFF on every Sonos speaker plugged into Orbi. This has mostly resolved the issue. I do have a 2nd device with wifi on but it doesn't become the primary node, thankfully, so it hasn't been a huge issue. I'll continue monitoring.

This 2nd needs wifi on because it's hitting Sub and 2 surround speakers. I even connected my Sub and 2 surround speakers to a headless 5-port Ethernet switch and just keep wifi on for one of the surround speakers, so it handles all the wireless talk for the sub and other surround speaker. Just trying to minimize how many speakers are talking at once wirelessly because the system just CRUMBLES. Drop outs continually, in fact when I used to use the BOOST, if I hit play everywhere, I could not even adjust the volume or stop the system. It came to a dead halt.

benn600 · ‎2022-08-17

I spent 30 hours trying to avoid resetting my Sonos system, with 2 calls to Sonos, and ultimately I spent 2.5 hours resetting every speaker, adding Alexa AND Sonos voice control, configuring Alexa (speak faster), and adding each to HomeKit again. All that in 2.5 hours and then it worked flawlessly. Before, it was a mess. They say don't reset your system as a troubleshooting step. Well it 100% fixed the issues I was having.

Before this I set it all like Sonos suggested, one plugged in, the rest on wifi. I hit play everywhere. The music (MUSIC! -- not even HDMI) was da. da. di. de. da....cut in and out and out and in. Why doesn't Sonos inform the user when any speakers drop a millisecond of audio data? Why do I have to hear it to know?

So the out of the box configuration is a disgrace and does not work. I only have a smaller place too so it's not like the distances were too much. After a full reset and relying heavily on the Orbi 1.8gbps backhaul, I am able to play everything everywhere and hear the FIRST CHORD strike. Before each zone would take 2-20 seconds to start playing A LOSSY audio file!!! Don't even get me started on how atrocious realtime HDMI audio playing to other zones was. Unusable past 2-3 zones.

benn600 · ‎2022-08-17

To be clear: Orbi AC3000 -- which I bought right when it came out back in like 2016 -- was a LIFE SAVER. This product gave me the first solid wifi that I needed critically for all my smart home devices. It gives Sonos a boost that it desperately needs in homes that don't have Ethernet in the walls.

ekhalil · ‎2022-08-18

Glad to know that the issue is now fixed!

benn600 · ‎2022-08-25

It's not, I just can't have Sonos with wifi on plugged into 2 mesh nodes. Only one plugged in with wifi on, and all you want plugged in with wifi off. A proper solution would be great. Maybe it's something fundamental with the protocols that can't be fixed. Something as simple as FORCING Orbi to use it's 5Ghz wireless backhaul and disabling the potential "wired" mechanism with a checkbox would help. Just don't allow the device to switch over to "wired" in the status panel.