New Asus RT-AX82U/AX5400 Router Sonos System Not Showing Any Recommendations?

I’m a network engineer and using old router firmware just doesn’t sit well with me.  I bought this router because of its QOS function to help with my video conference calls.  Turning off QOS is not an option for me.

With that being sad I did try the suggested old firmware Version 3.0.0.4.384.9948 and it worked ok. Definitely way better than the newer firmware versions.  It still wasn’t 100% though, more like 90%. 

I ended up buying a Sonos Boost off ebay and everything is 100% now.  Its not the option I wanted to take but like I don’t like my Sonos not working.

edit:  im on the newest router firmware

Hi there, any recent issue with the latest RT-AX82U firmware?  3.0.0.4.386_45375 

Sonos Play 1 disappeared from my network. I am no longer able to setup via Sonos S2 app wirelessly (screen shot attached) Factory reset them, but still the same. 

Only way to setup is via an ethernet cable, but once cable removed it’ll dropped again. 

Before I start rolling back to an older firmware, any idea which version of RT firmware is “the most” stable along with Sonos?

Thanks!

How can Asus, one of the largest router manufacturer, have such poor customer support.

One year of unresolved interoperability issues with Sonos is a shame.

This is my last Asus product ever! 

The short answer is that if you use a boost everything works fine. Annoying, but it is a quick workaround for ASUS routers, which seem to have had this issue for years!

I was unaware of it, because I’ve been using sonos since the old bridge days. At one point, I bought an ASUS router, and tried to dispense with the bridge, but no nice.  

When the S2 updates came along, I updated all of my Sonos kit that was necessary to use it, and got a boost to replace the bridge.

I recently tried to remove the boost, while using one of ASUS new Zen AX mesh systems. It would allow me to add the newest devices that use 5G wifi, but not the 4.2, which it continued not to see. 

So, the boost is back in place, and I console myself with the idea that Sonos mesh is cool. Still, I’d like to free up the Ethernet port and drop one electric device off of my grid. 

OK I’ve finally had some joy here. I actually bought a Boost (which I also couldn’t get working - another story..). However, whilst working through the Boost issue, the Sonos tech on the phone asked me if it was viable to plug one of my devices directly in to the router and switch the SonosNet to wired.  We tried this and all of the Sonos devices (old and new) happily joined again - and stayed joined.

I am now running the latest Asus firmware and all working ok.

As for the Boost - it’s going back but I guess if we ever move to a larger house I may need to revisit.  For now though all good.

bruvva74, very helpful post - please clarify after connecting wired, were you able to return to a WiFi connection for all speakers?  If yes, everything working ok after a month?  Thanks

@bruvva74 What does “switch the SonosNet to wired” mean? I’m not familiar with the SonosNet concept. Is that some kind of setting in the Sonos app? Also, did you have to go through this wiring process for each of your Sonos devices, or just the one mentioned above? Could you please explain?

He means he wired one speaker to his router to create SonosNet. In a wired setup, the wired product will broadcast a dedicated wireless network (SonosNet) that your Sonos products will use. Surround speakers or Sub cannot be used as the single wired product.

You do not need to wire all your speakers, one is sufficient, but having multiple sonos speakers wired to the router can result in a more stable system. A Sonos Boost can also be used to create SonosNet where no speaker is near the router.

Ok, thanks for explaining that @Mr. T 

Since I don’t have a Sonos Boost (only 2 Sonos One speakers, in close range to the wifi router) I don’t want to invest in that.

I received words from an old Asus engineer. He told me that Sonos has been tinkering way outside the wifi standards and making use of unreliable protocol parameters since years back. Asus has since a long time discouraged wifi-product developers from making themselves dependent on these parameters.

Last year Asus rolled out firmware which effectively plugged these “holes”. For security- and stability reasons, they do not plan to reinstall those holes in the future. Instead, Asus leave it to any developers of wifi devices to follow protocol standards.

Personally, I think this says a lot. Sonos probably had some good coders employed a few years ago. They should have kept them.

This also explains all observations reported here in the Sonos discussion forum. I just ordered a pair of Apple HomePod minis.