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I’m posting this to illustrate the difference between what you pay your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to bring service into your home and how that translates into actual Wi-Fi speed/coverage. Using my service as an example I hope to make the differences understood. 

Admittedly, my internet service and equipment used are an exception; and therefore not meant to say that yours’s should be the same. Your internet service and Wi-Fi speed/coverage barring external/internal interference will vary based upon what ISP is used and the hardware (modem/router) used to distribute the Wi-Fi signal in your home.

Here are the specifics of my internet service, hardware and my device used take Wi-Fi Internet Speed/coverage measurements

  • ISP: Google Fiber_3GB Incoming Speed
  • Network: Mesh with Ethernet Backhaul *
  • Equipment 1: ASUS GT-BE98U_Wi-Fi 7 router (Main Node)
  • Equipment 2: ASUS RT-BE96U x 2_Wi-Fi 7 routers (Satellite Nodes)
  • Device: iPhone 15 Pro Max

This picture shows the Mesh Configuration of my network. The “top” center device (GT-BE98U) is the Main Node. The devices below it are the Satellite Nodes (Living Room _Left & Office_Right) that expand the mesh. They have no ability to assign IP Addresses which might cause Sonos devices to not appear in the App when my device is pointing to the Main Node. However, as I move about my home my device will link to the nearest node but the IP Address is still assigned by the Main Node. This will make more sense later in the presentation.

Picture 1

 

This picture illustrates the Wi-Fi Speed provided by my ISP to my modem before it hits my router (ASUS BE98U).

Picture 2

 

This picture illustrates the converted ISP speed of 3GB into actual Wi-Fi speed/coverage) by the Main Node (ASUS GT-BE98U). As you can see the speed is slightly over 1GB which is all that the ASUS GT-BE98U can distribute of the 3GB incoming provided by my ISP.

Picture 3

 

The following pictures show the Wi-Fi speed/coverage that is sent to the Satellite Nodes being Office and Living Room respectively as identified in Picture 1 above. 

Picture 4_Office

 

Picture 5_Living Room

 

All pictures shown thus far are speed tests taken within 5 feet of the respective node. This picture shows the Wi-Fi speed/coverage in a bedroom through serval walls from the Office satellite node. As you can see the speed/coverage is significantly lower versus being within 5 Feet of the node. 

Picture 6

 

What you should take from this is that internet service provided by your ISP is not the speed/coverage you get through your router over Wi-Fi. The only way to realize the full spectrum (or at least what your devices can handle) is via a Wired Ethernet connection. 

Sonos devices operate at a max 10/100 network interface (NIC) as do many devices. 10/100 NIC is plenty as long as your ISP is providing adequate incoming speed (which you pay for). The more you pay the theoretical speed/coverage should increase.

More importantly the Hardware used for Wi-Fi coverage must be capable of producing an adequate signal that can cover your home. That is one reason Mesh Networks are gaining traction versus just a simple modem/router setup.  

This was not intended to suggest that you need to up-scale you ISP service; nor invest in new equipment. What is intended is that you understand there is a relationship between the incoming internet speed provided by your ISP, the hardware used (router/modem) and the type of network setup (be it a simple router/modem or Mesh network setup). 

 

 * Wireless backhauls use an available 5Ghz or 6Ghz band to link the Main Node to Satellites which may reduce the throughput they receive versus a Wired backhaul. Wireless backhauls will be subject to interference which can degrade coverage in a Mesh network.

Hey ​@AjTrek1, welcome back!

I hope this helps our users understand a bit more of their network and how it works depending on their setup.

Thank you for another educational thread, much appreciated!

I can’t stress enough that when using a Mesh setup it is extremely important that the satellites DONOT have DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) capability to assign IP Addresses. Using the example below let me explain:

 

If for instance the Office satellite on the right with 15 clients; assigned IP Addresses to those devices and one or two happen to be Sonos and my iPhone is linked to the main Node in the center the Sonos app would not see the Sonos devices that are linking to the Office satellite. The outcome is that the user assumes that Sonos devices are dropping off when in fact they are not. They’re just linking to another satellite and won’t be seen until my iPhone links to the same satellite. 

To be clear inappropriate assigning of IP Addresses by a satellite can go unnoticed with regards to Wi-Fi clients that just need to be connected to your network (i.e. appliances, TV’s, computers, cell phones, tablets and IoT devices). The criticality of such comes into play when devices are controlled by an App that requires visibility by the host device upon which the App is installed...like Sonos.

So, to conclude...just because your cell phone or tablet connects to your network without issue in a Mesh network environment your Sonos WILL experience visibility issues in the app when DHCP capability is improperly controlled by a satellite in conflict with the main node.

 

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