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DavidSand
Contributor I
October 28, 2018
Answered

Mix managed, and un-managed switches

I need to update some of my switches, to prevent Network Storms.
Would it work, if I connect all my Sonos Wired devices into an single un-managed switch, and then connect that switch, into a managed switch, and set the one port on the managed switch for STP?
Thoughts. Thanks
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    ratty
    rattyAnswer
    October 28, 2018
    if the managed switch, does not send any Sonos traffic their way. Is this a good assumption?
    Well, Sonos devices will be chattering away (BPDUs, TCNs, etc) but it won't matter to anything else. What's crucial is simply that any switching devices between wired Sonos units mustn't block STP traffic.

    If BPDUs are blocked the wired Sonos units have no way of discovering the wired path between them. They therefore leave the wireless tunnel which also connects them open. Result: a wired/wireless network loop.
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    6 replies

    ratty
    ratty
    October 28, 2018
    It should, and known problem devices are listed here.

    Unless there are other STP devices on the network you could probably leave the managed switch port as is, just so long as it doesn't disable the port on detecting a BPDU. STP traffic would be confined to the Sonos system.
    DavidSandAuthor
    Contributor I
    October 28, 2018
    I have all Netgear GSxxx V3 and later switches. Plan is to replace/upgrade the main switch with a Unifi switch, and leave GS switch to connect sonos devices together, with a single link up to managed switch.
    Even with all Netgear V3 and later, we get storms, when more then one Sonos is connected.
    ratty
    ratty
    October 28, 2018
    GS108v3? Despite not being listed, it has been reported as causing problems.
    DavidSandAuthor
    Contributor I
    October 28, 2018
    Bingo! I have 2 GS108v3 side by side (to make a 16 port) after my RV042 router. They will be replaced by 2 - Unifi US-8's, when delivered next week.
    I have other GS108's on the network, but they will not have any Sonos devices wired to them, so my assumption is, they should not cause a problem, if the managed switch, does not send any Sonos traffic their way. Is this a good assumption?
    ratty
    rattyAnswer
    October 28, 2018
    if the managed switch, does not send any Sonos traffic their way. Is this a good assumption?
    Well, Sonos devices will be chattering away (BPDUs, TCNs, etc) but it won't matter to anything else. What's crucial is simply that any switching devices between wired Sonos units mustn't block STP traffic.

    If BPDUs are blocked the wired Sonos units have no way of discovering the wired path between them. They therefore leave the wireless tunnel which also connects them open. Result: a wired/wireless network loop.
    DavidSandAuthor
    Contributor I
    October 28, 2018
    Will post results, as we do the upgrades. - Thanks
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