You've put your system on Sonosnet by wiring the Connect. Since the Move does not use Sonosnet, it could indeed be the weak link in the wireless set up.
Do you start the group from the move or one of the Sonosnet speakers?
Ensure the 2.4Ghz WiFi band on the router is set to a ‘fixed’ (if possible) non-overlapping channel 1, 6 or 11 at a channel-width of 20MHz and put the SonosNet signal at least 5 channels away from the chosen router channel.
Also the wired Sonos device connected to the router should be at least one metre away from the router and other wireless devices.
I would first try running the Move on the 5Ghz band and remove the 2.4Ghz WiFi band credentials from the network settings in the Sonos App. This LINK explains how to do that.
Thanks for the feedback.
When I start a speaker group, the Move is generally not the first device selected. It is probably the last selected as a matter of fact.
The Move is currently on the 5Ghz band; I never signed it onto the 2.4Ghz band. The SonosNet Channel is currently Channel 6.
The router is upstairs--the Sonos Connect is connected via ethernet to a network switch downstairs (the switch itself is connected via ethernet to the router). The Move remains downstairs--grouped for home-wide background music, but also moved outside when wanted. Also downstairs is a Wifi extender that is connected via ethernet to a network switch that, in turn, is connected to another switch that is connected to the router. Roaming in this Wifi network is “managed”; i.e., the router Wifi and the extender Wifi have the same credentials and roaming is “seamless”.
Could it be that the Move may be connected to the extender which and this connection is the weak link causing the errors? Also, the errors don’t happen when, say, Pandora is streaming whole home.
Thanks again.
It could well be the wireless extender, as some may not work well with Sonos, but personally speaking I have used them in the past with success, but just check that it not only has the same SSID’s/credentials as the main router, but that it is operating on the same ‘fixed’ WiFi channels as the main router, presumably that’s either channel 1 or 11 for the 2.4Ghz band (as you are using SonosNet on 6) and that you have set the channel-width on both devices to 20MHz only... Also ‘match’ the 5Ghz Band - that can be setup to use 80Mhz channel-width.
If the problems persist, you could consider filtering out the ‘Move’ and your mobile controller device from connecting to the WiFi extender by blocking either it’s IP or MAC address on that device and just see if that resolves your issue.
If the extender is really an extender, and not a WiFi mesh node, then it’s not supported by Sonos.
Migration onto/off the extender could be causing the Move’s MAC address to apparently change, as seen from the router, triggering an IP change. Some extenders present a virtual MAC for connected clients. This could all result in a source of instability, particularly within a group multicast, if the IP keeps flipping.
You could try using different SSIDs to keep the Move off the extender, or alternatively blacklist its MAC.
Thanks Ken_Griffiths and ratty. I will experiment with router/Wi-Fi settings when it is convenient to be constantly rebooting the network (i.e., not when I’m working).
Getting back to the heart of my question that it has taken me too many words to ask: It appears that you do believe that grouping a Move with an unstable WiFi connection to an otherwise stable wired system group can cause the whole grouped system to not perform optimally?
Yes, it’s possible. Without messing with the router you could simply try kicking the Move off the extender by blacklisting it in the MAC filter.
To clarify, the WiFi extender is set up as an access point. I have determined that the Move is most definitely connected to it. The Wi-Fi strength from the router (upstairs) is also certainly not “100%” in the areas the Move is used (downstairs and outside). The access point is “100%”.
Typically, Pandora radio stations are streamed all day long on the whole Sonos system. My next move (no pun intended) is to stream from Tidal all day without the Move grouped… see if there’s any errors. If no errors, than we can be more confident in saying that the Move Wi-Fi connection is the problem. Then I will use the extremely helpful advice given here to try and fix.
If the extender is really an extender, and not a WiFi mesh node, then it’s not supported by Sonos.
Migration onto/off the extender could be causing the Move’s MAC address to apparently change, as seen from the router, triggering an IP change. Some extenders present a virtual MAC for connected clients. This could all result in a source of instability, particularly within a group multicast, if the IP keeps flipping.
You could try using different SSIDs to keep the Move off the extender, or alternatively blacklist its MAC.
I’ve put the Move on the denied access list on the extender/access point. The Move grouped with the wired setup speakers now seems stable playing Tidal. Will keep my fingers crossed.
A followup question: my WiFi router has two 5Gh bands and “band steering” is currently activated for them (the 2.4Ghz band is not included). Could this potentially cause a problem?
Thanks.
A followup question: my WiFi router has two 5Gh bands and “band steering” is currently activated for them (the 2.4Ghz band is not included). Could this potentially cause a problem?
No, I don’t see why it would matter which of the 5GHz channels the Move is connected to.
My system has been stable since I last posted. I ended up ensuring that the Move was only connecting to the router via Wifi by putting it on the denied access list on the extender/access point. I ended up keeping the Move connected on the 2.4Gh band versus the 5Gh band because the connection seems more stable when moving the Move around, e.g. taking it outside or to the garage. The 2.4Gh channel on the router is also now fixed 5 away from the Sonos wired setup channel.
All’s been well streaming Tidal to the entire grouped system thanks to advice given on this thread.
