Sonos System unstable

  • 13 December 2021
  • 11 replies
  • 290 views

Hi all,

I will need your help with this, My Client has sonos system in his restaurant and he is facing some issue. According to him, sometimes some player will stop playing music and came back after awhile, will say is unstable. (Drop) 

Sonos Player we have:

8x Play5 Gen 2, 5x Play3, 1x Boost, 1x Connect

 

We are using TP-Link Deco mesh system, Wifi Coverage no issue at all.

 

Connection: 

Connect is wired to the Main Deco and a Sonos Five is wired to a Deco Satellite. Boost is being use expand/extend the Sonosnet

 

Below is the matrix table which i don really understand and know how to read. 

  

He intend to add 2 more Sonos 5 for outdoor area which there is no lan point. Can i get another boost to expand/extend the Sonosnet to the outdoor area? will it work?

Submitted my diagnostics: 32120121

Hope anyone with the knowledge can guide me. Thank you in advance. 

 

 

 


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11 replies

Your ‘client’? Are you a reseller/installer? This is intended to be a user support board.

 

Some observations:

  • Signal strengths are okay/good (apart from ‘Toilet’, but that’ll probably cope)
  • The system is being slammed with interference throughout (Toilet, Entrance and 122 somewhat less so). Look at your SonosNet and WiFi channel allocations, particularly whether any 2.4GHz WiFi is using a 40MHz width. Look for non-WiFi 2.4GHz occupants such as Bluetooth, Zigbee or proprietary wireless (e.g. cameras, baby monitors, etc)
  • Don’t wire to a WiFi mesh satellite. Only wire to the mesh primary. Mesh backhauls are an unknown quantity, with potential latency spikes.
  • In any crowded environment 2.4GHz will be attenuated by bodies and can struggle. Humans are mostly water.
  • The Boost you have already is doing nothing useful. Relocating it to cover the outside may help for new speakers, but it sounds like there are fundamental issues to deal with already.

 

Sonos Support staff will doubtless comment further after studying the diagnostic.

Check the Network Matrix when the restaurant is full. Submit a diagnostic within about 10 minutes of an ‘event’.

Hi Ratty, 

If i recommend the client to hard wire all the sonos speaker into a network switch, will his system be stable and smooth? will all the ‘interference’ still affect the Sonosnet / Speaker? 

 

 

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Hi Ratty, 

If i recommend the client to hard wire all the sonos speaker into a network switch, will his system be stable and smooth? will all the ‘interference’ still affect the Sonosnet / Speaker? 

 

 

You’re an installer and you ask a question like this? 
 

Human bodies are made up of a lot of water. That absorbs/blocks wifi signals. It follows that on a good network a wired system will be better. Will it be “stable and smooth” should be tested by the installer prior to installation. What is the network speed? What is its load with/without Sonos? Should the Sonos system run on its own, independent network? 

Perhaps you could let us know once you’ve checked the infrastructure and implemented a solution. 

 

Remember: we are users on this forum, though Sonos staff monitor it and sometimes contribute. 

You’re an installer and you ask a question like this? 

… which is why I hadn’t got around to responding. Installers are surely paid to know this stuff.

Hi all, 

 

this client restaurant was not done by me in the first place.. they consulted me as i own sonos myself and my friend work in the restaurant. am trying my best to help them as they have already spent alot of money on sonos system already. so am trying my best to help them.   

Nonilim,

I’m anal about nework wiring. I suggest that you wire as many players as possible -- be anal because your wireless environment is very difficult.

It will probably require some time to install the network cables. The lowest signal strength connections and highest OFDM connections should have priority. You may have some releif by not including Toilet  in the Group until Toilet can be wired.

Yes, installing BOOST(s) might help, but given the level of interference, I would not waste my time fussing with BOOST(s).

Hi all, 

 

Thank you for your advise. The boss of the restaurant have decided to get contractor to run lan cable for their sonos speakers. I just need the assurance that if we wire ALL the sonos speaker (including their toilet & outdoor Lawn area) into a network switch, will it really solve all the issue and their sonos system will be stable & running? 

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

Wiring SONOS units will fix problems that are obvious in the Network Matrix, but is will not guarantee network stability or security. As a minimum I recommend address “reservation” for all recular network clients, such as the SONOS units. In general, I’d be leary of having the POS terminals on the same network as the SONOS system, but this detail should be handled by the POS subcontractor.

Hi Buzz,

 

Understand, I will probably do the set up like this

 

                --- Router X --- for POS/Staff use/ Other APs wireless 

Modem

                --- TP Link Deco --- 24 port Network switch ---- All Sonos unites & Deco Mesh Satellite unit 

*Deco set up wifi coverage & speed will be good

 

Do you think it will work? Anything i need to take note?

 

While I have no personal experience with Orbi, it seems like a decent consumer level system. A concern that I have is that the access points are table top units, but there may be some ceiling or wall mount options that I’m not familiar with. Ceiling or wall mount will result in better wireless coverage. An obvious advantage is that the access points will be above office clutter and the crowd of water bags (humans) when the restaurant is full. In any case, since you are running wires for the SONOS units, wire the access points too. 

Ubiquiti products are tilted toward enterprise deployment. Consumer level products try to hide all of the messy networking details in order to appear “easy”. Ubiquiti exposes these details. This is both good and bad. Good that network administrators have great control, bad because there are lots of options to intimidate the inexperienced. Ubiquiti offers wall and ceiling mount units that are powered over the Ethernet wiring-- eliminating little dramas caused by scattered modular power supplies becoming unplugged.