Proper Ethernet Switch Settings

  • 15 September 2022
  • 11 replies
  • 369 views
P
Userlevel 4
Badge +5

I have a SONOS system that has been working since 2017 with no major issues to report. I have three TP-LINK Manager Switches configured as follows:

TP-LINK T2600-52TS - Primary Switch
STP Turned ON
SONOS STP Path Cost = 10
Switch STP Path Cost =4
CIST Priority = 4096
Hello Time = 2 Seconds
Max Age = 20 Seconds
Forward Delay = 15 Seconds
TX Hold Count = 5 pps
MAX Hops = 20

Wired SONOS Components = 7
Wired Ethernet Switches = 3

Xfinity XB7 Modem is connected to this switch.


TP-LINK T2500-10TS - Remote Switch #1
STP Turned ON
SONOS STP Path Cost = 10
Switch STP Path Cost =4
CIST Priority = 8192
Hello Time = 2 Seconds
Max Age = 20 Seconds
Forward Delay = 15 Seconds
TX Hold Count = 5 pps
MAX Hops = 20

Wired SONOS Components = 2
Wired Ethernet Switches = 1 (Back to Primary Switch)


TP-LINK TL-SG3210 - Remote Switch #2
STP Turned ON
SONOS STP Path Cost = 10
Switch STP Path Cost =4
CIST Priority = 8192
Hello Time = 2 Seconds
Max Age = 20 Seconds
Forward Delay = 15 Seconds
TX Hold Count = 5 pps
MAX Hops = 20

Wired SONOS Components = 0
Wired Ethernet Switches = 1 (Back to Primary Switch)
NAS3 Connection -- Backup SONOS and Zappiti Media Storage - SYNOLOGY DS1821+


TP-LINK TL-T2600G-28TS - Remote Switch #3
STP Turned ON
SONOS STP Path Cost = 10
Switch STP Path Cost =4
CIST Priority = 8192
Hello Time = 2 Seconds
Max Age = 20 Seconds
Forward Delay = 15 Seconds
TX Hold Count = 5 pps
MAX Hops = 20

Wired SONOS Components = 0
Wired Ethernet Switches = 1 (Back to Primary Switch)
NAS1 Connection -- Primary SONOS and Zappiti Media Storage - SYNOLOGY DS1821+
NAS2 Connection -- General Storage - SYNOLOGY DS1511+



This configuration has worked well since 2017 when we moved into the new house. We had a bunch of power outages / blips over the last few weeks and since then the SONOS system is dropping and skipping while playing music from a SYNOLOGY NAS connected to Remote Switch #3. All wired SONOS and TP-LINK Interconnect ports have STP turned on with a STP Path Cost =4.

Questions:

  1. Are my STP Path Cost correct for the connected devices?
  2. Is the CIST Priority set correctly?
  3. Do I need to set the STP Root Guard protection on the primary switch?

     

 

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11 replies

Ken_Griffiths

It all looks okay to me, but I’m certainly no expert with managed switches - however see if this Sonos Support link may assist you, as it has the recommended STP settings to work with Sonos …

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/2118

Nothing is presently standing out to me as being incorrect, but maybe others will chime in here.

P
Userlevel 4
Badge +5

Thanks for the quick reply. I think that is the document that I used when I setup my network. 

Ken_Griffiths

Thanks for the quick reply. I think that is the document that I used when I setup my network. 

Maybe try re-posting the question in the tp-link community too and see if anyone there may make any suggestions to try:

https://community.tp-link.com/en/home/forum/89

Or speak with their support desk perhaps? I’m assuming you have checked the cable connections between all.

ratty

This configuration has worked well since 2017 when we moved into the new house. We had a bunch of power outages / blips over the last few weeks and since then the SONOS system is dropping and skipping while playing music from a SYNOLOGY NAS connected to Remote Switch #3.

An addressing issue perhaps -- are IPs reserved? -- or perhaps an after-effect of the power outages/surges.

How do ping times look? You can visit http://IP_of_the_player:1400/tools to have that player ping the NAS directly.

 

  1. Are my STP Path Cost correct for the connected devices?

It would appear so.

 

  1. Is the CIST Priority set correctly?

Assuming the primary switch is root bridge then they look okay.

 

  1. Do I need to set the STP Root Guard protection on the primary switch?

Definitely not, for the ports connected to Sonos units. 

N
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

This configuration has worked well since 2017 when we moved into the new house. We had a bunch of power outages / blips over the last few weeks and since then the SONOS system is dropping and skipping while playing music from a SYNOLOGY NAS connected to Remote Switch #3.

An addressing issue perhaps -- are IPs reserved? -- or perhaps an after-effect of the power outages/surges.

 

 

 

I’d had the same thought: power off everything, then restart the router, switches etc, and then the Sonos devices. Wait for each device to fully restart before powering up the next. If this does clear the issue, allocate reserved IP’s for the devices.

 

 

P
Userlevel 4
Badge +5
  1. I have posted questions on the tp-link forum about the proper STP configuration and am awaiting a reply.
  2. I powered down all SONOS equipment.
  3. I power cycled the Xfinity XB7 Modem and the Main Ethernet Switch. The main switch has been running for 852 days according to the webpage. I have an APC UPS connected to the Xfinity XB-7 Modem and main switch.
  4. I power down the three remote switches.
  5. I powered on the Main Ethernet switch.
  6. I power on the Xfinity XB7 Modem.
  7. I power on the Remote Switches one at a time.
  8. I confirmed that the Main Switch was the Root Bridge and that all remote switches were active and had a Root Port that was connected to the main switch..
  9. I then power on most of the wired SONOS equipment one at a time starting with the BOOST which is attached to the main switch.
  10. The SONOS application (iPhone, iPad and Computer) can see all SONOS nodes and music is playing without dropping out.
  11. I then powered on all wireless SONOS devices one at a time and verified that the various apps could find them. All but one was able to be found.
  12. The SONOS One in the utility room was not recognized by the apps but was responding to a PING of the IP address. I had to do a Factory Reset of this particular SONOS One to get it on the network.
  13. I have three more wired SONOS devices (AMP, Playbar and Playbase) to bring online that are hard to get at. Please bring back the ability to reboot the SONOS devices from the webpage.
  14. All SONOS IP addresses are reserved in the XFINITY modem, and I have confirmed that there are no duplicate IP addresses on the network.
  15. I will go to each SONOS device and PING the NAS to get the response time.


    I want to thank everyone that has replied and especially Ratty who has provided great support for many years. I purchased my first two SONOS Amps with speakers when they first came out as a birthday gift for my wife who wanted to listen to music around the house.
     
P
Userlevel 4
Badge +5

Just to provide an update. After rebooting the modem and ethernet switches and the powering on my SONOS devices my system is now stable again. I powered the wired SONOS devices first and then the wireless.

N
Userlevel 7
Badge +18

There’s nothing like a power-off restart to clear some little glitches! 

M
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

power off everything, then restart the router, switches etc, and then the Sonos devices. Wait for each device to fully restart before powering up the next. If this does clear the issue, allocate reserved IP’s for the devices.! 

 

This. If everything worked before and it stops working, don't start with changing settings. Start with ensuring that it can work like it did before.

I used to have a switch which did not recognize dhcp after I rebooted my router. So I had to reboot the switch after router fully restarted, otherwise it would not work.

People are entitled to their own opinions, but not to their own facts.
ratty

I used to have a switch which did not recognize dhcp after I rebooted my router. So I had to reboot the switch after router fully restarted, otherwise it would not work.

Good grief. Why on earth didn’t you just throw out the switch and get one which did what a switch is supposed to do?

M
Userlevel 1
Badge +2

@ratty Because after what I said it worked for my setup. No reason to change in my eyes.

People are entitled to their own opinions, but not to their own facts.
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