Contributor I

Need help understanding my Ubiquiti - Sonos network and whether I can get rid of 2 Bridges or replace w/ Boosts

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Hi all!

I’ve got a decent sized Sonos setup and have two problems I’m trying to solve: 1) The bridge being EOL’d and whether or not I still need them and 2) The fact that when I tried to connect a Connect:AMP via ethernet, I had something happen on my network (traffic storm, loops, etc) that crippled it.

My network is Unifi gear, a router (USG) connected to a 24 port managed switch running to network drops throughout the house, and two 802.11AC wireless access points connected to that switch, one upstairs and one downstairs.

In my home theater shelf area I’ve got a 5 port unmanaged gigabit switch because there’s only one ethernet drop there.

Right now the Sonos devices and how they’re connected:

Upstairs Bridge - Connected directly to the switch.
Upstairs Playbar - Wirelessly connected, could be hard-wired if I added another 5 port switch there, there are 3 devices (roku tv, xbox one, and playbar) but only 2 ethernet drops.

Downstairs Bridge - In my office closet.
Office Connect - Wirelessly connected on the other side of the office.
Dining Room Play:1 - Wirelessly connected.
Kitchen Play:5 - Wirelessly connected.
Living Room Connect - Connected via ethernet (and that 5 port switch to the 24 port switch to the router)
Patio Connect:Amp - Serves a set of outside speakers, sits next to the LR Connect.

The patio Connect:Amp is the one where I plugged it into that 5 port switch and it immediately crippled my network. My related questions are: Do I need Boosts, if so 1 or 2, and if not, is there a way to utilize more ethernet connected devices (the playbar, the connect in the LR) to serve sonosnet? And is there any way to allow the connect:amp to be connected via ethernet?

Here’s my network matrix:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2phbgt6hlyopwfk/Screenshot%202020-02-20%2011.12.00.png?dl=0

Thanks so much for your help!

Phil

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Philip FAuthor

Contributor I

@brianthesnail Unfortunately the placement of my devices means that realistically I can’t hard wire all the sonos equipment.

Also the living room switch is actually a tp-link tl-sg105 -- the trendnet there had kicked the bucket. i forgot i had replaced it.

I can add another small switch and move the Playbar to be wired, and wire the Connect:Amp, but that’s it. I’ll do a couple of tests below:

Here’s the matrix with RTSP->STP and Priority set to 4096. I turned wifi back on on the living room connect.

Here I’ve unplugged the upstairs Bridge

Here I’ve plugged the playbar into another trendnet 5 port green gigabit switch, so it has both ethernet and wireless:

And then i connected the connect:amp via ethernet and turned off the wifi on the connect, leaving wifi on on the connect:amp (they sit next to each other but the connect is closer to the other gear:

Moderator Note: Removed images per user request.

buzz

Grand Maestro

While I’m not using Ubiquiti as I type, I used their access points and managed switches for years with no issues.

It’s not required, but if you add a CloudKey the CloudKey will keep a very handy log of events.

ratty

And then i connected the connect:amp via ethernet and turned off the wifi on the connect, leaving wifi on on the connect:amp (they sit next to each other but the connect is closer to the other gear:

*Moderator Note: Removed Image per author request.

This looks fairly respectable. Is it stable?

The presence of the Bridge would prevent the system from being classed as ‘Modern’ post May 2020, but depending on their age the Connect and/or Connect:Amp may also be ‘Legacy’ units.

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Philip FAuthor

Contributor I

and finally, back to where ratty suggested: both bridges disconnected and wifi turned on on one of the connects (the connect:amp) in the living room. With the spanning tree stuff turned to STP, I don’t seem to be seeing any network degredation / port blocking

Moderator Note: Removed Image

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Philip FAuthor

Contributor I

I guess based on the # of yellows, I’d be better off w/ the bridge on (and therefore replacing a bridge w/ a boost)? Why does the office bridge show up as orange when it’s hard wired in?

ratty

Patio and Office are a bit noisy, but given the strength of their wireless connections the audio performance may be adequate.

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Philip FAuthor

Contributor I

@ratty @buzz thanks for all your help! this seem fine and i’ve removed both bridges from the equation and hard wired everything that can be. i actually turned wifi off on both connects in the LR and it seems fine.

My two connects are both legacy, the amp is not. So i’m stuck w/ legacy gear no matter what, unless I replace them both with ports :(

ratty

i actually turned wifi off on both connects in the LR and it seems fine.

What’s the other one called? I see two wired devices in the last matrix snapshot, apart from ‘Living Room’, and I’m not sure I’d disable the radio in either as they’re supporting the mesh. Only if they were prone to interference would it really make sense to turn off their radio. As a general rule, the more radio-enabled wired units the better, assuming there are no STP issues.

buzz

Grand Maestro

. As a general rule, the more radio-enabled wired units the better, assuming there are no STP issues.

I agree. Except in situations where there is a pile of SONOS units in a rack system or there is a wired unit that is buried in interference, one is better off keeping the radios enabled.

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