Can't Connect Boost to existing 10 Speaker System

  • 4 November 2018
  • 15 replies
  • 815 views

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Unable to add Sonos Boost, it is recognized by router and has an IP but I can't seem to set it up within the app. I also unplugged my speakerbar (current mesh point for network) and it still would not set up as a new product. Also reset all other devices including the router. I had some issues like this previously using the app via phone but would typically work if I used a laptop/PC but that function is now gone. I found the desktop app not updated on a laptop, tried adding from there and didn't work either. Any thoughts on what to try next?
Diagnostic - 141203388
Thanks in advance for any advice.

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15 replies

Hi. Are you saying that you have factory reset your whole system?
When you tried to add the Boost, did you have it wired or unwired to the router?
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I unplugged the speakerbar, then i tried to make a new sonos system which didn't work. I have tried both wired and wireless but when I tried wireless I did not select the option to add device to extend coverage, only connect to router.
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I found a way to get this installed but not sure if it's functioning the way it should. I had an old installer (7.1) for Sonos, uninstalled 9.2 and went to 7.1. Found new Boost on the first try but then said it was unable to complete the setup due to out of date software. I went ahead and updated the software and it took a bit of time, I believe it was updating all of my speakers to use the boost during that time. After it restarts I go to ''About'' within the app and I can now see Sonos BOOST. So this appears to be working but I'm not sure if my system is actually using the new Boost or not. I previously had the Speakerbar act as the boost and everything in about was set to WM:0. How do I know if SonosNET is on speakerbar (like it was previously) or using the Sonos BOOST now?
Same test. WM:0. I am afraid you went about this completely the wrong way and have possibly erased your existing system. Do all your speakers appear in the app? Do you have WM:0 in About my Sonos System.?

Did you have playlists? Do you still have them?
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I didn't erase the whole system, everything is normal and all speakers appear now. It looks like the boost is communicating to all devices, I do have a few devices that I could also hardwire but was told previously to only wire one device.

OK that is good to hear. You said you had reset all devices, but presumably not factory reset or you would have erased everything like playlists and favourites. The slightly odd thing about your matrix is that no Sonos device is acting as the root bridge of the mesh. Is the Boost wired directly to the router or is there a switch in between?
Some routers are STP-enabled. The root bridge can be identified via http://x.x.x.x:1400/status/showstp. The 12 chars following the '.' in the Designated Root field are the MAC address.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Once you have STP figured out wiring multiple devices can be a good option to improve the SonosNet mesh's communications. If nothing else it can reduce WiFi traffic on SonosNet leaving more room for other devices to communicate.
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John B
Yes, not a factory reset, just a restart. Boost is connected directly to router, I only have a 24 port switch and the boost connected to router.

ratty
It looks like my router might be the designated root? That MAC address listed is my routers MAC. All devices are set to WM:0 so i thought I was using SonosNET. I listed both STP page and about section below if that helps.

Associated ZP: 192.168.1.208
---------------------------------
Playbar: Bar
Serial Number: 5C-AA-FD-AC-2F-22:D
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.9.1.10-1
Series ID: A100
IP Address: 192.168.1.201
Audio In:
WM: 0
OTP:
---------------------------------
Sub: Bar
Serial Number: 94-9F-3E-40-86-76:4
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.8.2.5-1
Series ID: A100
IP Address: 192.168.1.202
WM: 0
OTP:
---------------------------------
Play:1: Bar (LS)
Serial Number: 5C-AA-FD-95-95-3C:G
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.8.3.7-1
Series ID: A101
IP Address: 192.168.1.203
WM: 0
OTP:
---------------------------------
Play:1: Bar (RS)
Serial Number: 5C-AA-FD-95-8F-54:0
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.8.3.7-1
Series ID: A101
IP Address: 192.168.1.204
WM: 0
OTP:
---------------------------------
Play:1: Bathroom
Serial Number: 5C-AA-FD-9A-7F-14:A
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.8.3.7-1
Series ID: A101
IP Address: 192.168.1.206
WM: 0
OTP:
---------------------------------
Boost: BOOST
Serial Number: 78-28-CA-71-4B-12:0
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.12.1.2-1
Series ID: A100
IP Address: 192.168.1.200
WM: 0
---------------------------------
Connect:Amp: Carport/Garage
Serial Number: 5C-AA-FD-EF-96-64:B
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.17.3.1-1
Series ID: C100
IP Address: 192.168.1.210
WM: 0
OTP: 1.1.1(1-17-3-2.1)
---------------------------------
Play:1: Haaam Room
Serial Number: 94-9F-3E-19-10-16:6
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.20.1.6-1
Series ID: A200
IP Address: 192.168.1.208
WM: 0
---------------------------------
Play:1: Kitchen
Serial Number: 5C-AA-FD-9A-7D-E0:8
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.8.3.7-1
Series ID: A101
IP Address: 192.168.1.205
WM: 0
OTP:
---------------------------------
Play:5: Living Room
Serial Number: 5C-AA-FD-0C-62-68:8
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.13.1.7-1
Series ID: C100
IP Address: 192.168.1.211
WM: 0
---------------------------------
Play:1: Master Bedroom
Serial Number: 94-9F-3E-02-BC-9C:0
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.20.1.6-1
Series ID: A200
IP Address: 192.168.1.207
WM: 0
---------------------------------
Connect:Amp: Outside
Serial Number: 5C-AA-FD-E4-8E-02:D
Version: 9.2 (build 46357250)
Hardware Version: 1.17.3.1-1
Series ID: C100
IP Address: 192.168.1.209
WM: 0
OTP: 1.1.1(1-17-3-2.1)





running /usr/sbin/brctl showstp br0
br0
bridge id 8f00.7828ca714b12
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08
root port 1 path cost 10
max age 20.00 bridge max age 6.00
hello time 2.00 bridge hello time 1.00
forward delay 0.00 bridge forward delay 4.00
ageing time 60.00 gc interval 0.00
hello timer 0.00 tcn timer 0.00
topology change timer 0.00 gc timer 0.14
flags


eth0 (1)
port id 8001 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 10
designated bridge 8000.3497f6204e08 message age timer 19.49
designated port 8001 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 0 hold timer 0.00
flags

ath0 (2) - tunnel to 5C:AA:FD:AC:2F:23 (remote STP state = forwarding, direct = 3)
port id 8002 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 154
designated bridge 8f00.7828ca714b12 message age timer 0.00
designated port 8002 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 10 hold timer 0.99
flags

ath0 (3) - tunnel to 94:9F:3E:19:10:17 (remote STP state = forwarding, direct = 3)
port id 8003 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 292
designated bridge 8f00.7828ca714b12 message age timer 0.00
designated port 8003 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 10 hold timer 0.99
flags

ath0 (4) - tunnel to 5C:AA:FD:9A:7F:15 (remote STP state = forwarding, direct = 3)
port id 8004 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 311
designated bridge 8f00.7828ca714b12 message age timer 0.00
designated port 8004 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 10 hold timer 0.99
flags

ath0 (5) - tunnel to 94:9F:3E:02:BC:9D (remote STP state = forwarding, direct = 3)
port id 8005 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 226
designated bridge 8f00.7828ca714b12 message age timer 0.00
designated port 8005 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 10 hold timer 0.99
flags

ath0 (6) - tunnel to 5C:AA:FD:9A:7D:E1 (remote STP state = forwarding, direct = 3)
port id 8006 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 302
designated bridge 8f00.7828ca714b12 message age timer 0.00
designated port 8006 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 10 hold timer 0.99
flags

ath0 (7) - tunnel to 5C:AA:FD:EF:96:65 (remote STP state = forwarding, direct = 3)
port id 8007 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 150
designated bridge 8f00.7828ca714b12 message age timer 0.00
designated port 8007 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 10 hold timer 0.99
flags

ath0 (8) - tunnel to 5C:AA:FD:E4:8E:03 (remote STP state = forwarding, direct = 3)
port id 8008 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 164
designated bridge 8f00.7828ca714b12 message age timer 0.00
designated port 8008 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 10 hold timer 0.99
flags

ath0 (9) - tunnel to 5C:AA:FD:0C:62:69 (remote STP state = forwarding, direct = 3)
port id 8009 state forwarding
designated root 8000.3497f6204e08 path cost 259
designated bridge 8f00.7828ca714b12 message age timer 0.00
designated port 8009 forward delay timer 0.00
designated cost 10 hold timer 0.99
flags
ASUS router is root.

Wiring multiple Sonos units to the switch could well be fine. Dumb switches usually forward STP traffic transparently. Smart switches tend to need STP to be enabled. Known problems are listed here, though it doesn't claim to be complete.
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I will try to reset wireless in the sonos app when I'm home and see if that helps. Thank you for the assistance everyone.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
While you are messing about consider setting static/reserved IP addresses for your Sonos devices in your router's DHCP page, it can dodge several problems and is quick to do.
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I have all of my speakers from 192.168.1.200-211, already set as static. Was able to somewhat fix the issue, haven't heard any skips yet. When I was looking at .201:1400/support/review it was still showing my router MAC as designated root, not the Boost. When I turned off the wireless on my router, speakers still worked but not when I unplugged the Boost. It also seems like going into the router and disabling 'airtime fairness' helped the speakers forget the router.

My main question at this point, I've heard from some people that you should only hardwire in one device but not all... Then I've also heard hardwire as many as you can... I would think that hardwired would be better but not sure here?
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
The STP root thing is beyond my skill level but others keep explaining it to me in hopes a light will dawn... So, I'm thinking the STP root isn't where data comes from, it is just where Sonos starts the accounting process that decides which route to send data by.

Since SonosNet is a mesh having more wired connections offers more low cost routes to move data over. More wired paths means less load on the WiFi paths and potentially shorter WiFi paths.

Again a bit beyond my skills but look up "group coordinator" the Sonos device that the data going to a group of speakers initially goes to for distribution to other group members and the discussion on making that a wired unit if possible to cut the WiFi data it is having to carry a lot less.

Here I have every Sonos unit near an Ethernet connection wired and am seeing excellent stability and audio quality.

I like to fiddle and it is interesting to change things up just to see what happens. I have a centrally located Boost, two switches away from my router, most of my WiFi speakers hook to it but if I wire a speaker closer to my garage the speaker out there swaps to it in preference to the Boost.

I say wire everything that is easy to wire. Look at your network matrix and if everything is happy call it good. If a couple more remote units aren't happy look at getting them a better link back to the rest of the mesh.
I have all of my speakers from 192.168.1.200-211, already set as static. Was able to somewhat fix the issue, haven't heard any skips yet. When I was looking at .201:1400/support/review it was still showing my router MAC as designated root, not the Boost. When I turned off the wireless on my router, speakers still worked but not when I unplugged the Boost. It also seems like going into the router and disabling 'airtime fairness' helped the speakers forget the router.The fact that the root bridge is the router is irrelevant. It's 'upstream' of the Boost, so the topology within the Sonos system is the same either way. Traffic takes the shortest path along the 'branches' of the spanning tree (*), it doesn't necessarily have to pass through the root. There's probably more info than desired here. Sonos uses a modified version of Classic STP.

(* The rule that traffic must always flow along the branches doesn't have to apply within Sonos groups. The audio data stream is able to 'short-circuit' the tree, jumping directly between wireless 'group coordinator' and peer nodes. The 'group coordinator' is the first room in the group list; and the left unit of a stereo pair.)

The 'Airtime Fairness' setting in the router has no bearing on a Sonos system operating in SonosNet mode. It can however affect systems in WiFi mode.

My main question at this point, I've heard from some people that you should only hardwire in one device but not all... Then I've also heard hardwire as many as you can... I would think that hardwired would be better but not sure here?
I already touched on that here. If you want more detail look at this reference post