Best Router for Mixed WiFi and Sonos Environments?

Not being a fan of all-in-one solutions and the lack of features and flexibility they offer, I went with separate devices.

My router is pfSense on a Netgate 1100 (my third Netgate hardware based router after many years of self-hosting the free pfSense software) that meets my needs. Before I downsized I had a higher end model with individual LAN ports instead of switched ones.

https://shop.netgate.com/collections/desktop-appliances

https://www.pfsense.org/

For Wi-Fi I have gone with Ubiquity Access Points.

(Their routers/switches while very nice, exceed my needs and very rusty skills.) 

https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/all-wifi

Not needing the higher end versions, too few clients, and as my last purchase was a while back, I went with a U6 Pro and a POE brick so I can mount it anywhere Ethernet can reach. Using a central location rather than where the router needs to be also eliminated the need (but multiples are easy to configure) for multiple APs. This let's me put the router anywhere and not worry about it and Wi-Fi. 

https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/wifi-flagship/products/u6-pro

When I need it I'll upgrade to a U7 Pro for the new standards and channels.

https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/wifi-flagship/products/u7-pro

Or if I need less the U7 Lite that is a bit cheaper.

https://store.ui.com/us/en/category/wifi-flagship/products/u7-lite

​@Forrest 

Here’s a bit of Wi-Fi 101 class...

Let’s not complicate things by using terms such as:

• Mixed WiFi environment
• WiFi zones

Albeit, the above does sound “techy” but really adds no value to the conversation. 😊

To your question….there are too many routers to say which is the “best”. However, Sonos has listed routers that are not compatible with Sonos which you can see at this link. Sonos also provides the following information as well:

ISP-Provided Networking Equipment

• Most internet service providers (ISPs) supply a combination modem and router. While this is typically fine for most users, a stand-alone router or mesh system will often improve range and performance, especially for homes with multiple users or larger footprints.
• If you choose to use your own router or mesh system for performance reasons, it is recommended that you configure your ISP-supplied router to be in bridge mode, which disables its WiFi and router functionality and greatly reduces the chance of encountering a problem. Check with your ISP for instructions on how to do this with your particular device.

Basic Wi-Fi today consists of 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz frequencies (bands) to which your WiFi capable devices connect.

Older WiFi capable devices will opt for the 2.4Ghz band as well as most IoT (Internet of Things) devices  such as door bells, washing machines, baby monitors, microwaves and the like. Newer Wi-Fi capable devices will use 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz band depending upon their proximity to the router or their ability to use the faster Wi-Fi connection which is 5Ghz. The fastest Wi-Fi band is 6Ghz; although only a few devices are capable of using it such as high-end computers, cell phones and tablets.

WiFi 7 is not a device standard meaning that only certain devices will function on a Wi-Fi 7 router. A device is WiFi capable or it’s not. Let me explain….

Wi-Fi standards are:

• 802.11a (WiFi 1)
• 802.11b WiFi 2)
• 802.11g (WiFi 3)
• 802.11n (WiFi 4)
• 802.11ac (WiFi 5)
• 802.11ax (WiFi 6)
• 802.11be (WiFi 7)

All 802.11 standards are backwards compatible to work with older 802.11 standards (or devices that prefer them). The 802.11a standard is rarely used in consumer grade devices as a connection; but can be found in commercial enterprise devices for specific networking applications.

Each progressive WiFi standard since 802.11n has allowed for more traffic to be carried over 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands to ease congestion. Think of it as a two lane highway being expanded to three, four or five lanes. The simple term is MIMO (Multi-Input and Multi-Out).

Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) introduced the 6Ghz frequency which is the fastest Wi-Fi transmission. However, it has a very short range and poor penetration through walls. Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) was the first standard to support the 5Ghz band. 5Ghz while faster than 2.4Ghz also suffers from short range and poor penetration through walls. However, 5Ghz is still better than 6Ghz in those aspects although not as fast.

Regarding your Orbi there are probably tweaks that can be done to make it play well with your Playbar. A few things to consider...

• Give each band (2.4Ghz, 5Ghz and 6Ghz) the same SSID
• Turn off Airtime Fairness
• Turn off Smart Connect or Band Steering and let Sonos choose 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz 
• Make sure the Orbi satellites do not have DHCP rights to assign IP addresses
• Unplug all Sonos before making changes to your Orbi

FYI, I use three ASUS Wi-Fi 7 routers configured in an AiMesh

Have I missed the definition somewhere of what an AiMesh is? I’m not familiar with that term….

Ok, I should have looked it up, rather than asking ;)

AiMesh is proprietary to ASUS.

https://www.asus.com/microsite/aimesh/en/index.html