Question

Static IP address

  • 24 August 2012
  • 38 replies
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Can I set a static IP address on my Sonos components ?

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38 replies

This is the laziest, most asinine implementation of the TCP/IP stack that you could possibly produce. If you don't want to put the work into implementing TCP/IP so that you can manually enter IP information, then you shouldn't use the protocol. You idiot consumer electronics companies just don't get it.
I love my Sonos system at home...so much I bought a play 3 and bridge to put in my office. We use static IP adresses and I don't want to get into one of the three wireless routers in the office and start tinkering. If this is the only sollution, I am boxing up play 3 and bridge and returning to BestBuy. That should be fun.
I use nothing but assigned IP addresses at my home too.  However several of the other network devices at home (for example ROKU) do not allow direct IP assignment.  For those devices I use Static DHCP (same as address reservations, there is no standard term for it).  I have a reliable old Linksys WRT54G router for the home.  By default it does not do Static DHCP, so I installed Tomato.  Tomato is much more "powerful".  It support Static DHCP, and now all my devices have static addresses, directly or through Static DHCP. 
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Reservations are not the same... not by a longshot.  They only help if your router is not designed for a heavy load and can sometimes run out of addresses to hand out.  This can happen due to devices coming on and offline such as cell phones.  They are leased for 24 hours by default normally even if they are only on for 5 seconds! 

Where Static IP can really help is if there are uncontrollable factors in a network, the sonos system can be made to function without the router's help.  In the event the router dies, the sonos components continue to talk to one another so that line inputs still work and the control devices can still access them, so the customer doesn't roll a truck to find out they hit reset controller, then rebooted the router (fixing the problem) but still can't get in because instead of rebooting the controller, they reset it, meaning unlearned all sonos components.  In this config, the only thing that will fail is internet lookups, which will point them (correctly) at their modem.  Once outbound comms are established, static addresses work and IMMEDIATELY you start communicating... not 60 seconds later when sonos decides to poll another address...  leading them to say, nope wasn't the modem, lets unplug the router, then the cycle of needlessness continues...
you can get static ip or a dedicated ip by purchasing a vpn tool. this tool will allow you to set ip as per your own choice so you can connect with any country any time. here you can find best vpn for uk
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you can get static ip or a dedicated ip by purchasing a vpn tool. this tool will allow you to set ip as per your own choice so you can connect with any country any time. here you can find best vpn for uk

This reply is spam or he doesn't understand what this thread is about.  A VPN tool would be to set an external static IP, not an internal IP...
you can get static ip or a dedicated ip by purchasing a vpn tool. this tool will allow you to set ip as per your own choice so you can connect with any country any time. here you can find best vpn for uk

I've recently asked Sonos a out the same issue. I wanted to know if they will ever integrate this option. Instead of a yes or no I got directed to this forum ( which I knew about already). Bravo Sonos for not answering my question and basically tell me to go away. I did go away to Bose. Maybe when the bottom line will be hurt you'll actually take into consideration that not everyone wants to use DHCP. Too bad that your hardware is not supported by smart software.
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you can get static ip or a dedicated ip by purchasing a vpn tool. this tool will allow you to set ip as per your own choice so you can connect with any country any time. here you can find best vpn for uk

So you think all network equipment should be dumbed down because you can't properly implement a managed network environment?  It would still default, like everything else in the world, to be DHCP.  We are just asking for the "advanced" tab, the extra suite of options that only people like us would use...  BTW, they are the EASIEST to maintain as they NEVER CHANGE...  what happens when your miracle router dies and takes all those reservations with it?  gotta reprogram everything.  I just enter the same IP scheme and DHCP pool and I'm done.  No MAC's to enter and reserve, nada...  What a REAL network admin does, you are nothing more than a sysop.
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you can get static ip or a dedicated ip by purchasing a vpn tool. this tool will allow you to set ip as per your own choice so you can connect with any country any time. here you can find best vpn for uk

I just love those guys with their argumentatio's ad hominem.
Beynym, are you serious? What you're saying makes no sense on multiple levels. Static IP's hard to maintain? Like how? They need to be watered or fed? Or maybe groomed? Really?

So, you are happy to be restricted on how you could configure your device? I am not. I want to have options to do with it as much as I can. That makes ME happy. To see that the manufacturer took the time to implement good software,not asking me to change everything I have just because they want to protect me from making mistakes.

There is a quick cure against IP conflicts: it's called a list. It could be done the old fashion way,pen&paper, or on a tablet. Why do I even waste my time here? Because you made us stupid ( me and all the others above) for asking for something that SHOULD be there for a device commanding this amount of money. Read some replies from other " argumentative" people above. Maybe you'll educate yourself why we ask for this.

I have no skin in the game, i kept the Bose system. Same price and 5 minutes to configure.
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Beynym, are you serious? What you're saying makes no sense on multiple levels. Static IP's hard to maintain? Like how? They need to be watered or fed? Or maybe groomed? Really?

So, you are happy to be restricted on how you could configure your device? I am not. I want to have options to do with it as much as I can. That makes ME happy. To see that the manufacturer took the time to implement good software,not asking me to change everything I have just because they want to protect me from making mistakes.

There is a quick cure against IP conflicts: it's called a list. It could be done the old fashion way,pen&paper, or on a tablet. Why do I even waste my time here? Because you made us stupid ( me and all the others above) for asking for something that SHOULD be there for a device commanding this amount of money. Read some replies from other " argumentative" people above. Maybe you'll educate yourself why we ask for this.

I have no skin in the game, i kept the Bose system. Same price and 5 minutes to configure.

I just love those guys who spend time at forums of products they don't own..
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I just love the people who troll this forum arguing against an OPTION that they would never use because they can't handle consulting a list BEFORE assigning a static address and therefore always had conflicts in doing so.  You are why many devices warn that you must be a professional with knowledge of networks before enabling these features...  also probably why there is instructions on SHAMPOO...  I Have hundreds of networks online with static addressing for all permanent hardwired fixtures.  DHCP is for user level devices, iphones, laptops, tablets, etc.  Not for infrastructure, control, and automation.  I am not only a user but an integrator, it's what I do.  DHCP is why the "proper" reboot sequence is modem, router, then ALL your devices.  I don't EVER want to roll a truck to reboot all 100 devices on someone's network because they got lost in the land of auto-IP because their DHCP requests timed out.  My networks come back online as soon as the switch is back up.  The router just allows for outbound comms.  In other words, with static IP, when things fail you'd still see all your rooms up, you'd still have access to line in sources, when you go to online sources such as TuneIn or Pandora, it would say station list unavailable, Pointing the user to the fact that his/her internet is down.  He/She would then reboot their router and modem if my (statically assigned) PDU wasn't already doing so for them.  All they need to do to fix stupid is and stupid does is make an additional network reset procedure, like factory reset except maybe holding the volume down while applying power instead of mute.  That way when tweedle dee and tweedle dumb muck up their static addressing (again) tech support can walk them through performing a network reset instead of issuing an RMA for something that "doesn't work" because they disregarded the warnings that they should know what they are doing before changing these settings because the hundred devices they have bought and connected using defaults should have made them an expert...
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Hi Putting manually static ip address into the device is dangerous because you have to keep a list of used ips somewhere to not use the same ip twice and have network problems. As Sonos advised is better to use a router dhcp mapping to set a mac address with a specific ip.
SONOS is standards driven and they use UPnP under the covers. UPnP requires DHCP.

I have some friends who are hard core network types and would never own SONOS simply because they can't assign static IP addresses. This is a shame because SONOS would become the most trouble free client on their network.

I recently mentored a networking guy who usually operates in the corporate network environment where one uses managed switches and routers. While SONOS usually "just works" when used with consumer level network gear, the corporate guy struggled with SONOS because, ... er ... he didn't quite get his corporate level network settings correct. In this particular case, static addresses would not have been any help.

For the audience that SONOS is targeting, DHCP is the way to go because these users do not have the technical skills or interest to fully manage a network.
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@buzz,

So what do you think about reserving IPs on the router for each Sonos product?  
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It would still default to DHCP and to the average user, they'd never even know there was an option.  Just like with home networking.  Everything defaults to DHCP and it takes experts like us to dig deeper and go static.  Why not have the choice?  UPnP does not require DHCP, I don't know where you heard that...  It's just plain wrong.

{taken from Wikipedia on UPnP protocol}
The UPnP architecture supports zero configuration networking. A UPnP compatible device from any vendor can dynamically join a network, obtain an IP address, announce its name, advertise or convey its capabilities upon request, and learn about the presence and capabilities of other devices. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) andDomain Name System (DNS) servers are optional and are only used if they are available on the network. Devices can disconnect from the network automatically without leavingstate information.
{end Wiki}

Please refrain from saying you can't handle managing a static IP environment and therefore it shouldn't be an option.  For those of us who can and do, life is much easier.  To each his own, don't limit me because of your ineptitude.  Sonos already has massive amounts of hidden tools that the consumer knows nothing about.  This would be hidden along with them.
@buzz,

So what do you think about reserving IPs on the router for each Sonos product?  

It's a good idea to reserve all devices that are regular network clients.

If you are using any of the original SONOS controllers, they have an IP address too.
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yep... and isn't it curious that wikipedia considers DHCP as optional... as in, it is a moot point...  There can be no network traffic UPnP or otherwise without a link.  DHCP or otherwise link is established then network traffic is started.  Yes, All UPnP devices must default to DHCP for true plug and play but as long as they can establish a link they do not care how that was done.  UPnP still functions under static so stop trolling.  You know nothing of networks.
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By the way DCP does not in any way equal DHCP moron
For me, Infrastructure type equipment that lives on a shelf and does whatever it does, should be hard wired and set to a static IP.
They aren't going anywhere and this keeps quite a bit of (limited) throughput off the wifi band.
Done.
Phones, tablets, laptops (i.e. people) come and go on the network, only represent one user worth of throughput and typically prefer to be wireless.
And because the printer, scanner, NAS, SONOS or other device is hard wired, the bit stream goes to the access point antenna and then stays on hard wire to or from its destination instead of being broadcast back out to a wireless device...

Statit IP's 192.168.1.1 through 192.168.1.50 or 192.168.1.200 even for infrastructure, and let the DHCP assign IP addresses after that.
How many darn items can you actually have anyhow...? 50? 100?... 200...!?
Set it and forget it for the stuff that sits there and DHCP for the rest.

Why not add a little extra soho network security is to give your router an exclusive list of MAC addresses??

It is wicked annoying you cant assign a SONOS device its own IP address, though.
Just seems kinda silly to not have that interface.
My SOHO network days only go back to win 95 over BNC and even there they had this in the tcp ip settings....
Almost like you;d have to go out of your wat to not have this feature.
You're behind the times. Other than for fixed devices which have no option (such as the gateway/DHCP server itself) the approved method is to use DHCP. Where an IP needs to be predetermined, utilise reservation in the DHCP server to preserve the MAC-IP mapping.

Use of static IPs (including that of gateway and DNS) configured directly into each device is error-prone and deprecated.

Oh, and MAC filtering is no security blanket at all. Sniffing a valid MAC address off the WiFi is trivial. Use a secure WPA2 key.
This is the laziest, most asinine implementation of the TCP/IP stack that you could possibly produce. If you don't want to put the work into implementing TCP/IP so that you can manually enter IP information, then you shouldn't use the protocol. You idiot consumer electronics companies just don't get it.

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I've worked with hard core network types and raw consumers. I understand the network type's methods and their comfort with complete specificity and control, but this scheme does not work well with the regular consumers who are not capable of or not interested in configuring all of the details of their network. I've seen too many consumers who, when experiencing a problem, start digging for obscure options -- one of these will fix my problems, right? This 192..x.x.1 (whatever that means) works great for my router, it must work for my SONOS system too, right? Um ... that didn't work ... maybe I should use the 192.x.x.10 that my computer uses. Um, ... maybe I should pick a random number, but wait ... my router is also using 73.x.x.55 ... maybe I should use that number. Oh!, ... "root," .., there's a real option ... I'll set that for max ... Um ... or should I set it for min?

The above creates a support mess and likely robs the consumer of the plug and play experience that they wanted. If a consumer product is associated with "complicated," it will not achieve mass acceptance. For millions of SONOS players, DHCP based plug and play has worked well over the years.

There are numerous music playing products that require professional installation and work exclusively with fixed IP addresses. There is no need to fuss with SONOS products if you prefer the "professional" setup experience.

I can't imagine the confusion that would result if one was required to manually reconfigure cellphones, pads, and computers when moving from tower to tower or between hot spots.
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This is the laziest, most asinine implementation of the TCP/IP stack that you could possibly produce. If you don't want to put the work into implementing TCP/IP so that you can manually enter IP information, then you shouldn't use the protocol. You idiot consumer electronics companies just don't get it.
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Pity it's based on multiple misconceptions. Sonos didn't implement a TCP/IP stack; under the bonnet it is simply Linux. Moreover, people ranting like this just don't get the Sonos network architecture; they're not conventional single-homed hosts like (say) your TV or Playstation is. There are multiple physical and virtual bridge interfaces involved. Some of them don't even have IP bindings.

The only advice worth following is: use DHCP for IPv4 address assignment to all interfaces on devices that aren't internetwork gateways or DHCP servers.

Anything else is unprofessional.
This is the laziest, most asinine implementation of the TCP/IP stack that you could possibly produce. If you don't want to put the work into implementing TCP/IP so that you can manually enter IP information, then you shouldn't use the protocol. You idiot consumer electronics companies just don't get it.
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Pity it's based on multiple misconceptions. Sonos didn't implement a TCP/IP stack; under the bonnet it is simply Linux. Moreover, people ranting like this just don't get the Sonos network architecture; they're not conventional single-homed hosts like (say) your TV or Playstation is. There are multiple physical and virtual bridge interfaces involved. Some of them don't even have IP bindings.

The only advice worth following is: use DHCP for IPv4 address assignment to all interfaces on devices that aren't internetwork gateways or DHCP servers.

Anything else is unprofessional.


The problem is their architecture doesn't work well on a network that isn't flat. In my case, trying to configure/setup/update/use the SONOS Connect player, regardless of the fact that its primary ethernet interface and its WLAN interface both picked up IP addresses in their respective VLANs, the device's multicast comms couldn't jump from subnet to subnet.

This is a pretty crippling setback of the unit, and isn't an issue for most modern devices within SONOS's competitive landscape.