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Sonos Boost

  • 7 February 2017
  • 14 replies
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Can I use a Sonos Boost to extend the range of my Sonos Net but without it being the component that is connected directly to the router? I have a Sonos Connect attached to the router near the front of the house and want to extend the signal to a Play5 at the end of the garden. If I place a Sonos Boost at the back of the house (halfway between the Sonos Connect and the Play5), will it work?
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Best answer by ratty 7 February 2017, 22:39

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14 replies

Userlevel 7
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If I place a Sonos Boost at the back of the house (halfway between the Sonos Connect and the Play5), will it work?
Yes, it will.
Many thanks. I suspected it might but all references to a Boost talk about direct router connections. Guess what I'll be buying at the weekend?
Many thanks. I suspected it might but all references to a Boost talk about direct router connections.
I'm afraid Sonos do themselves no favours by referring to SonosNet mode (where one or more Sonos components is wired) as 'BOOST Setup'. No BOOST is required, as any component can be wired. Moreover, as noted, any component can act as a mesh extender including an unwired BOOST.
Think that's what confused me. I get it that all components can 'mesh' it's just that every reference to the Boost component has it wired to the router which I don't need/want. Think my idea will work so I'll give it a go. Many thanks for your help - very much appreciated.
There's no doubt at all: an unwired BOOST will act as a relay to extend a signal that couldn't otherwise reach a distant player. I've often used BRIDGEs and BOOSTs in this manner.
Userlevel 5
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Hey ratty, since you are on the topic.... what are the relative benefits of using a Boost for this rather than the Bridge.... is the Boost a stronger radio? Do you have any details? Thanks!
BOOST is SonosNet 2.0, BRIDGE is 1.0. All BRIDGE's connections will therefore drop to 1.0, despite anything else supporting 2.0.

BOOST also has a superior radio, in terms of interference rejection from local adjacent-channel sources.
Thanks to all for the confirmation - buying with a little more confidence now. Cheers
Well, I bought a BOOST and..............it worked.........perfectly!
Thanks again for all your help - really appreciated.
Well, I bought a BOOST and..............it worked.........perfectly!
Thanks again for all your help - really appreciated.

Great. Thanks for the update.
Can the Sonos Boost be connected with an Ethernet cable to a Sonos connecter to reduce dropouts?
Potentially, yes. Although you can do the same thing by wiring any one of your Sonos speakers with an internet cable, which causes the speaker to do dual duty, both as a speaker and as a BOOST.
I do not have Sonos speakers. I only have CONNECTORS as a source for other audio systems. The problem is that the station to which I am listening or recording becomes disconnected at random. Sonos says this is the result of jamming and could e solved with a BOOST. When the BOOST was attached to the router, I lost my entire internet connection. I want to know if connecting the BOOST directly to the one CONNECTOR that is subject to the dropouts would work.
Userlevel 7
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"connecting the BOOST directly to the one CONNECTOR that is subject to the dropouts would work."

Probably not, since if the Connect is loosing the connection to your router it is likely the Boost would too.

Better to wire the Boost to your router and let it connect via wireless to your Connect devices.


Another option is to wire as many of your Connect devices to your router as possible, without purchasing a Boost and see if that helps.

If that doesn't work then purchase and place a Boost, wired to your router as close to the Connects that you aren't able to wire as possible (but no closer than about a meter) so they have the best possible WiFi signal.


Using a Boost with no Sonos components wired or with a different Sonos component wired is likely possible but I haven't worked with a setup like that.


Doing an RF scan of your location to see which is the best channel to use for the Sonos Network can help a lot, if you can't do an RF scan using a WiFi monitor app on a phone or tablet is better than nothing.