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Answered

ZP90 cracking up sound when Play5 linked up

  • May 3, 2026
  • 12 replies
  • 89 views
R

Hi all.
I have a Sonos ZP90 zone player that works fine in our bar - outhouse, also linked play5 1st generation that I use sometimes outside in summer months.

The ZP90 works fine in the bar, but when the Play5 is connected, it also works fine and audio is stable, but then the ZP90 in the bar starts cracking up – intermittent – hiccup sound like a lose wire like on a microphone eg, the play 5 outside (only 6 meters away from the ZP90) works perfectly and audio is stable with no issues.

The Zone player ZP90 is connected to the routed via ethernet cable, the Play 5 is working via wifi.

This problem occurs both from my laptop and also same thing from my iPhone.
I wondered if anyone could suggest a reason for this, or a solution to this issue as it is now doing my head in!

Best answer by Schlumpf

Please confirm that the wired ZP has wifi disabled on the internal settings.

If it isn't it will create a 2.4 gHz Sonosnet and pull your Play 5 off your home Wi-Fi. 

On the other hand a disabled wifi on the zp90 could cause the issue, because the play5 has bad router wifi connection and SonosNet to the just 6 meters away zp90 can’t work. 
Another reason (if wifi is enabled on both devices) could be the zp90 lan connection, if the zp90 isn’t connected directly to the router but to an ethernet switch that doesn’t support igmp snooping. 

    12 replies

    MoPac
    Forum|alt.badge.img+19
    • MoPac
    • Headliner III
    • May 3, 2026

    What happens if you put them both on WiFi?

      Stanley_4
      • Stanley_4
      • Grand Maestro
      • May 3, 2026

      Please confirm that the wired ZP has wifi disabled on the internal settings.

      If it isn't it will create a 2.4 gHz Sonosnet and pull your Play 5 off your home Wi-Fi. 

        Schlumpf
        Forum|alt.badge.img+18
        • Schlumpf
        • Virtuoso
        • Answer
        • May 3, 2026

        Please confirm that the wired ZP has wifi disabled on the internal settings.

        If it isn't it will create a 2.4 gHz Sonosnet and pull your Play 5 off your home Wi-Fi. 

        On the other hand a disabled wifi on the zp90 could cause the issue, because the play5 has bad router wifi connection and SonosNet to the just 6 meters away zp90 can’t work. 
        Another reason (if wifi is enabled on both devices) could be the zp90 lan connection, if the zp90 isn’t connected directly to the router but to an ethernet switch that doesn’t support igmp snooping. 

        Ralf
          Stanley_4
          • Stanley_4
          • Grand Maestro
          • May 3, 2026

          Please confirm that the wired ZP has wifi disabled on the internal settings.

          If it isn't it will create a 2.4 gHz Sonosnet and pull your Play 5 off your home Wi-Fi. 

          On the other hand a disabled wifi on the zp90 could cause the issue, because the play5 has bad router wifi connection and SonosNet to the just 6 meters away zp90 can’t work. 
          Another reason (if wifi is enabled on both devices) could be the zp90 lan connection, if the zp90 isn’t connected directly to the router but to an ethernet switch that doesn’t support igmp snooping. 

          Yes lots of possible guesses - all depending on the disable-wifi setting.

          Rather than speculating on the multiple possibilities I was trying to narrow the field.

          I'll leave this topic to you to avoid confusing the OP.

            Schlumpf
            Forum|alt.badge.img+18
            • Schlumpf
            • Virtuoso
            • May 3, 2026

            ​@Stanley_4 

            I‘m sorry if my post might be confusing… I just tried to show some additional possible reasons. So please don’t leave me alone. 😘

            Ralf
              R

              What happens if you put them both on WiFi?

              Tried that also & same thing happens?

              R

              Please confirm that the wired ZP has wifi disabled on the internal settings.

              If it isn't it will create a 2.4 gHz Sonosnet and pull your Play 5 off your home Wi-Fi. 

              I would assume that my ZP90 would have wifi enabled as I tried using via wifi (pulling out the ethernet cable) and still works fine that way, but yeah same thing happens once the Play 5 connected??
              I will try what you said however & disable wifi in settings, the router only 2 ft away from the ZP90 so no drama there.
              Many thanks for your reply Stanley_4
              Phil

               

              MoPac
              Forum|alt.badge.img+19
              • MoPac
              • Headliner III
              • May 8, 2026

              When both the ZP90 & Play5 are on WiFi what are their signal strength readings.  45 and above is excellent.

                R

                When both the ZP90 & Play5 are on WiFi what are their signal strength readings.  45 and above is excellent.

                Not a clue? How the heck to check this? I have had Sonos in my house for about 12 years and never had to go through any settings ever before this annoying issue occured.
                I have another spare ZP80 that I will try this weekend as a just in case etc, but don’t think it’s a hardware issue, it’s maybe a router-wifi config issue - confliction.
                Just more info for you. The Bar is 60 meters from the house and have long ago routed a cat5 cable from
                House to bar, with another router, as I said all fine with 280mbps wifi speed and the zone player and everything working fine.
                Only when I introduce the Play5 unit outside (that performs perfectly) does it upset the ZP functionality
                & music in the bar, if I unplug the play 5 it works fine again? Never had this issue before ever with Sonos.
                Obviously a confliction going on eh!

                Stanley_4
                • Stanley_4
                • Grand Maestro
                • May 8, 2026

                2 feet may be too or almost too close, 3 to 5 feet is a safer distance. Older wifi radios are more susceptible to a too strong external signal disrupting the internal radio.

                I haven't used the horribly named disable-wifi (actually radio disable) for a while now and can't recall if it is a persistent setting or not. In any case it should auto-disable when the Ethernet is disconnected, just not sure what happens if you reconnect it.

                  MoPac
                  Forum|alt.badge.img+19
                  • MoPac
                  • Headliner III
                  • May 8, 2026

                  When both the ZP90 & Play5 are on WiFi what are their signal strength readings.  45 and above is excellent.

                  Not a clue? How the heck to check this? I have had Sonos in my house for about 12 years and never had to go through any settings ever before this annoying issue occured.
                  I have another spare ZP80 that I will try this weekend as a just in case etc, but don’t think it’s a hardware issue, it’s maybe a router-wifi config issue - confliction.
                  Just more info for you. The Bar is 60 meters from the house and have long ago routed a cat5 cable from
                  House to bar, with another router, as I said all fine with 280mbps wifi speed and the zone player and everything working fine.
                  Only when I introduce the Play5 unit outside (that performs perfectly) does it upset the ZP functionality
                  & music in the bar, if I unplug the play 5 it works fine again? Never had this issue before ever with Sonos.
                  Obviously a confliction going on eh!

                  In the Sonos app: Settings - ZP90 room name - ZP90 under Products - Network.

                   

                    Rajpriye
                    Forum|alt.badge.img+1
                    • Rajpriye
                    • Lyricist III
                    • May 13, 2026

                    That honestly sounds more like a SonosNet/wireless interference issue than a hardware fault, especially since the Play:5 itself stays stable while the ZP90 starts breaking up when grouped. Older Sonos gear can get pretty sensitive to Wi-Fi congestion or mixed wired/wireless topology, so I’d first try changing the SonosNet channel (1/6/11), reboot both units, and temporarily wire the Play:5 via Ethernet to see if the issue disappears.

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