Skip to main content

Static IP question

  • March 4, 2021
  • 30 replies
  • 9326 views

Forum|alt.badge.img

Hi all. I’ve been reading these threads forever, thought I’d finally post my own questions :) I’ve gained a lot of insight from all of you contributing to the forums and I’d like to thank you. This particular question of mine has to do with static IP addresses.

First of, I’m very novice at this and trying to better my system as I gain some knowledge from my readings. I’ve read several times that, if you create static IPs for your Sonos devices, it’s important to configure them outside of the DHCP range. Can someone please elaborate a bit on this? I’ve posted some screenshots below of what I’ve done. I was able to select all of my Sonos products from the client list and give them static IP assignments, but I don’t think they’re outside of my DHCP? One screenshot is of my assignment list, and the other is what I think my DHCP range is - is it 100-200? So would I want to assign the suffixes, or last three digits, at something under 100 or over 200? If so, why have an assignment list in the first place? Thank you all again and looking forward to your insight.

 

 

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

30 replies

Forum|alt.badge.img+12
  • Prodigy III
  • March 4, 2021

You are correct your dhcp range is 100 to 200 and yes you have assigned your speakers to be within the dhcp range. In effect you have asked the router to do contradictory  things - when a device connects please give it a number in this range, when this specific device connects give it this number but what to do if another device has already got that number.

So move your sonos kit to be outside the dhcp  range, maybe start at 090 and work downwards.

The static assignment is to avoid problems like having duplicate ipaddresses on your network. It shouldn't  happen but there are a number of scenarios where routers lose track and end up assigning duplicate addresses. Devices  rebooting  is one such scenario which is why there are a number of posts here complaining that sonos stopped working after an upgrade when it is the router at fault.

 

 

 


Belly M
Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • March 4, 2021

The confusion arises due to mixed use of terminology within the routers interface.

Fixed or static IP is configured at the client which you cannot do on Sonos equipment as it only uses DHCP. You can however reserve an IP within the DHCP pool on the router which makes Sonos devices use the same IP. Some routers let you reserve outside the DHCP scope.

 


ratty
  • March 4, 2021

Some routers insist that IP reservations are outside the DHCP pool, some that they’re inside the pool, and some don’t care.


Belly M
Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • March 4, 2021

Some routers insist that IP reservations are outside the DHCP pool, some that they’re inside the pool, and some don’t care.

THIS  ^^^^^ very confusing for users, especially as the reservations outside the pool must be issued by DHCP for the client or get its IP if it does not support a static IP.


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

Thanks all. I’ll try going outside of the pool and report back. After reassigning I assume I have to reboot router and all devices?


Belly M
Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • March 4, 2021

No need for a reboot.


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

Done. Started at 201 and worked up. Did not reboot anything. 

 


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

And I must say, significant matrix improvement. I’ve posted before and after matrix screenshots. Wow.

 

 

 


Belly M
Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • March 4, 2021

That’s just a coincidence, reserved IPs won’t help your matrix, but choosing a different channel on your router may.


ratty
  • March 4, 2021

The matrix shows what’s happening at the SonosNet PHY and data link layers. IP runs at the network layer, over the top of anything and everything.


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

Got it. I’ve been struggling with 2 additional wireless boosts to negate the red. Placing them all over the house and re-running matrix. This is the first time I’ve seen it down to 2 so got a little excited lol Already switched WiFi channel to 11.


ratty
  • March 4, 2021

The colours in the left column are immaterial if your system’s performing correctly, as it most probably should with the (green) signal strengths indicated. They merely show where the wireless chipsets are doing their job in rejecting interference.

BTW at those signal strengths the wireless Boosts will always be ignored. They’re just warming the room.


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

I see, thanks ratty. So in your opinion, the matrix is good? System is working great. Only issues I get is cut out when I select everything (“play everywhere”). It eventually falls into place but isn’t an immediate cycle as I’d like it to be. I’m wasting time by running around the house with Boosts?


ratty
  • March 4, 2021

You’re wasting your time with the extra Boosts. 

With that number of rooms “play everywhere” could put a bit of strain on the wireless depending on the audio content bandwidth. For example lossless FLAC would be much more onerous than, say, a typical internet radio station. 

Also understand that the first room, from which you “play everywhere”, is the Group Coordinator. This does the heavy lifting, fetching the stream and sending it to the other group members. If it’s on a weaker wireless connection -- or happens to be being hit with interference -- it could struggle. Ideally pick a wired device, or at least one close to the root Boost, to start from. 


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

Understood. Great information, thanks again ratty!


Smilja
  • March 4, 2021

There’s a second thread on the subject.

 

 


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

That is also mine. I created one for the static IP question and one for the matrix question. The IP subject here ended up on the matrix topic.


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

Is it normal that my products are still showing up in the discovered clients list with IP addresses within the DHCP pool even though I’ve assigned new IPs away from the pool? So Master Bedroom, for example, shows up under discovered clients at 192.68.5.109 and also under Static Assignments as 192.168.5.201. Weird?

 

 


Belly M
Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • March 4, 2021

The IPs are leased for a certain amount of time, when they “expire” the Sonos devices will get the new IP from your router.

 

if you power cycle one speaker it will get the new IP that you reserved.

However you may have to reserve IP in the DHCP scope, quicker just to enlarge it to cover the IPs you used.


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

So I can either run around power cycling everything or wait until each product cycles on its own? I would prefer the latter.  Is there benefit to either?


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

However you may have to reserve IP in the DHCP scope, quicker just to enlarge it to cover the IPs you used.

Sorry Belly, not understanding this one. My pool is set to 100-200. I created IPs outside of the pool. If I increase the pool isn’t that counterintuitive? I thought the point was to go outside of the pool. 


ratty
  • March 4, 2021

If the router accepted the reservation then the DHCP server should assign that IP the next time the relevant MAC address requests a lease.


Belly M
Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • March 4, 2021

Just power cycle one and see what IP it picks up


Forum|alt.badge.img
  • Author
  • Contributor II
  • March 4, 2021

Power cycled the kitchen and bathroom. Still showing up under old IP in discovered clients table and new Static Lease IP I assigned outside of the pool. Work fine. That is what’s showing up in the router. However, in the Sonos ap they are showing the new IPs, the ones I assigned outside of the pool. All of the products are, not just the ones I power cycled.


Belly M
Forum|alt.badge.img+21
  • March 5, 2021

At least the assigned IPs are showing correctly in Sonos.
 

The discovered client list may or may not refresh... eventually, a reboot if the router should flush it.