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I’m just about at my wits end here.  I recently installed a Deco M5 mesh system in my home.  Great wi-fi coverage - but it’s practically killed my Sonos system - 3 Play 1s and 2 Ones.  So I’ve been reading about the issues, and have decided to try to create a separate SonosNet system.

 

Here is my configuration -

  • ISP supplied Modem/Router (with wifi turned off);
  • wired to Deco M5 (in Router mode);
  • wired to 5 port switch connected to one of the other Deco M5s for a backhaul channel and the Sonos One speaker

The Sonos One shows up just fine - with WM 0 in the description.   It’s when I try to add my other speakers into the mix that I run into problems.  I add the first one, and it shows up with WM 1 in the description - connected to the wi-fi network instead of the SonosNet.  I turn off the 2.4Gh wireless on the Deco, and it won’t connect to the second speaker at all, it’s only about 15 ft away from the Sonos One.  I haven’t tried my luck with any of the other speakers yet, but will shortly and add to this post my results there.

Update.

 

I reconnected all the other speakers.  All of them are showing as WM 1, and when I go to Network in the Sonos App, my home wi-fi network is now showing.


Ok, I finally got all 5 speakers connected to Sonosnet yesterday, after temporarily changing my wifi password then hard resetting each speaker before connecting it.

However this morning, one of them (the one physically farthest from all the rest - about 25-30') does not appear on my Sonos app.  And now that I've upgraded to S2, there's no "add missing speaker" option. 

I know I can just power cycle that speaker and it should come back, but since it's atop a high cabinet that I can't reach without a stool, it will quickly get annoying if I have to do that on a regular basis.


Hi @stotes57.

Welcome to the Sonos community and thanks for reaching out to us. I understand you wanted to secure the connection of your Sonos to the TP-link Deco 5Mesh system. Let me help you with that.

 I would suggest reaching out to the manufacturer of the mesh system so that the mesh system can be configured in bridge mode or access point mode or which option best fits your preference. Here are some guides to better understand and know what and how to fix this issue.

  • Have each access point have their own unique Wifi name as so you and your mobile controller do not get confused about what and where to connect to access your Sonos system.
  • Disable Wifi Capabilities of the Main router that provides connection directly to your ISP or internet provider.
  • Disable the DHCP or IP-address generation of the Access point and only allow the main router to generate the IP-addresses to avoid IP-address mismatch or IP-address duplicates.
  • Wire a Sonos device to one of the routers/access points to get them to stay on a single network (having each access point have their own unique WiFi names).

 Let me share with you a topic on this community that discusses multiple routers or mesh system. You can share and ask questions or comments on that topic if something is not clear. 

I hope this helps.

Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns. We are always here to help.

Thanks,


Thanks Paul, but that's not my problem.  I'm trying to set up a separate SonosNet network for my speakers, so that I don't have any issues with my mesh system.

 

I was able to get all 5 devices on the SonosNet (confirmed by WM0 for each speaker in "about my system).  However, less than 24 hours later, 2 of them had disappeared from my rooms list.  They eventually reappeared, 12+ hours later. 

 

So far, so good since then, but it's been a very frustrating experience, and I'm no neophyte when it comes to computers and networking.  I can't imagine how less technologically adept people that by Sonos expecting a simple plug and play solution manage.


Items ‘disappearing’ and ‘reappearing’ is most frequently either a wifi interference issue, often but not always caused by items outside of your network, or less frequently, a result of duplicate IP addresses being handed to the Sonos by the router, during a Sonos software soft reboot of the speakers. I’d certainly recommend a network refresh of the Sonos, by unplugging all Sonos devices from power, then rebooting your router/DHCP device. Only after it comes back up should you plug back in your Sonos devices. It certainly wouldn’t hurt, and may resolve your issues. 


But, as I understand it< if they are all connected through SonosNet, the speakers have created their own network, separate from my mesh wi-fi network.  So why would I need to reboot my wi-fi?


Because your router is still controlling the IP addresses on the network. It’s not the WiFi that needs rebooting, it’s the DHCP table which needs to be reloaded.