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Help on improving my home setup - (Omada wifi / another boost?)

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Ken_Griffiths

@wolvesphil,

Yes, lots of interference around the majority of devices, but maybe things need to settle - it would help to know what 2.4Ghz WiFi channels are in use by the Omada WiFi Hubs, aswell as knowing the chosen SonosNet channel.

Zigbee channel 25 or 26 are often good ones to use as I find those channels do not interfere too much, even with WiFi/SonosNet channel 11, if that may help you at all?

I’m not aware of the customisation allowed with the Omada WiFi mesh system, but perhaps in an ideal world, if no neighbours are encroaching on the property with their wireless networks, It would help for example, to get the Omada/Hubs all using ‘fixed’ channel-1 (ideally with a channel-width of 20Mhz only), then SonosNet on Channel-6 and Zigbee devices like your lights etc. running on channel-25. 

Try to get the baby monitor then on Channel 11 - if it allows that change. When the baby cries it might then only flash your lights on & off (joke) ha ha😀

 

buzz

As a test is it possible to move BOOST? Something is bugging it. Office is also not very happy.

Another experiment would be to replace BOOST with another unit, possibly the Guest Bedroom unit. Guest Bedroom has low signal strength. While BOOST no longer the center of the universe, experiment with (wirelessly) dropping it at various locations in an attempt to get the signal levels up for the other players. Signal levels in the low 20’s begin to get a bit scary. You probably will not see any levels much below 20 because the players will not likely connect.

W
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

@wolvesphil,

Yes, lots of interference around the majority of devices, but maybe things need to settle - it would help to know what 2.4Ghz WiFi channels are in use by the Omada WiFi Hubs, aswell as knowing the chosen SonosNet channel.

Zigbee channel 25 or 26 are often good ones to use as I find those channels do not interfere too much, even with WiFi/SonosNet channel 11, if that may help you at all?

I’m not aware of the customisation allowed with the Omada WiFi mesh system, but perhaps in an ideal world, if no neighbours are encroaching on the property with their wireless networks, It would help for example, to get the Omada/Hubs all using ‘fixed’ channel-1 (ideally with a channel-width of 20Mhz only), then SonosNet on Channel-6 and Zigbee devices like your lights etc. running on channel-25. 

Try to get the baby monitor then on Channel 11 - if it allows that change. When the baby cries it might then only flash your lights on & off (joke) ha ha😀

 

There is no way of changing the baby monitor and I think as @ratty says, it most likely saturates the entire band, which now may explain by previous WiFi issues with the old system and I am now trying to solve something that isnt solveable. 

 

I have my Omada AP’s running on channel 11 as this shows the least interference, 20MHz channel width and Low Tx Power.

 

Zigbee Hubitat Hub is running on Channel 25, so may be some interference with my AP’s

Zigbee Philips Hue is running on channel 15

 

Neighbours wifi channel 6 looking at “Wifi Analyzer App”, also a lower strength one on channel 1

 

Sonosnet has been moved to channel 1 as this looks to be the most free

 

 

W
Userlevel 1
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This is with just the boost hardwired.

Boost is in the same location as my Hubitat and Hue hubs, i can move it

 

Baby monitor is currently turned off

ratty

 

This is with just the boost hardwired.

Boost is in the same location as my Hubitat and Hue hubs, i can move it

 

Baby monitor is currently turned off

 

It takes a minute or two before the ANI level reacts to a change in local interferers. 

As for the hubs, try spacing them at least 50cm away. The inverse square law obviously applies.

W
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

Things are looking better / less red with the devices being power cycled.

This is still with baby monitor off, will turn that back on in 30 minutes

Something in the lounge appears to be source of the most interference… there is a Logitech Harmony Hub, Echo Show, Nvidia Shield, and the under stairs cupboard where the smart home hubs and boost live. This is probably 5m from the sonos lounge

 

 

W
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

Again, try powering off the hubs temporarily and see if anything makes a radical difference.

Good suggestion! That will be one for later in the week when time allows… As it now appears they are creating some interference.

 

If I move the boost should this ideally be centrally located in the house?

W
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

Baby monitor back on! I think I have found the culprit…

 

 

Is there a way to get my Office speaker to use Sonosnet rather than WiFi? Assume that would be better...

ratty

Actually SonosNet might be worse. However if you powercycle the Office unit it may rejoin SonosNet. If that doesn't work, try changing the SonosNet channel back and forth. The nuclear option is to factory reset and re-add. 

W
Userlevel 1
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I have moved Boost and Office.

Boost now isn’t centrally located as it appears there is too much interference there…. Less reds which is surely good right?

 

 

W
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

Actually SonosNet might be worse. However if you powercycle the Office unit it may rejoin SonosNet. If that doesn't work, try changing the SonosNet channel back and forth. The nuclear option is to factory reset and re-add. 

I would guess it would be worse due to the location of the speaker… However it may connect through the Kitchen, I will power cycle and see.

Already gone nuclear on this one today so no issues doing so again

Airgetlam

Less red is certainly better, but the real test is not looking at the matrix, but listening to the system. Are you still having dropouts? Can you play all sources as desired? 

Bruce
J

Hi. Are you saying that you have 'wifi disabled' set on your wired devices? If so then you have semi crippled SonosNet. You should start by re-enabling the wireless radios on those devices.

Why do you think managed switches would benefit Sonos? It isn’t clear to me why that would help.

You have some serious wireless interference there, but we'll come back to that.

I don't think a further Boost would help at all.

First please clarify the position on 'wifi disabled'.

W
Userlevel 1
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So far so good with streaming from local sources… no dropouts and 7 speakers playing at the same time. Only listening on 1 but testing the system out!

 

Lounge is as far away is it physically can be from any other wifi/bluetooth equipment now, shame that everything upstairs connects through this.

 

The boost is currently in a pretty remote location but this is a test and it could be moved upstairs possibly to the Guest Bedroom as I have a switch in there so that may improve things.

Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

Yep, step one is to turn back on the Sonos radios, the WiFi disable doesn’t disable WiFi it turns off the internal radio completely.

Same question on managed switches, why? Is your wired traffic so high that you have to try and manage it to keep from overloading your links?

A wired Sonos with the radio on works almost exactly like a Boost so again, turn on your radios before spending money you may not see any gain from.

 

There are specific, and rare, situations where you want the radios off. Do you have a rack of several Amps, Ports, Connects or ZPs?

buzz

OFDM ANI level: 0 is best, 9 is worst. Noise floor in the -110 range is very good, -90 range is so so, mid -80’s can become problematic, somewhere in the mid to low -70’s the player will disappear from the wireless network.

Problems can be transient, such as the baby monitor or a microwave oven, There is a medical facility next door to me that can be a challenge at times. 

BOOST is simply a player with the audio stripped out. You can use another player as a test “Boost”, moving it around to test the effectiveness of adding another BOOST. Note that the players with a MAC Address beginning with “00:0E;58” use older radios that are not as effective as the newer units.

Update: Wire as many players as is practical.

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