Skip to main content
Trending Lyricist I
September 4, 2021
Answered

Persistent playback issues

  • September 4, 2021
  • 72 replies
  • 1259 views

Hi all

 

I'm posting here as a final hope. I have a set up of:

1 x boost

1 x beam

4 x play:1

1 x play:3

2 x One SL

1 x One

1 x Sub

 

I moved into my current house in January, moving in with most of the speakers and adding the 2 One SLs.

The house isn't massive, but it is old. And has a mixture of walls between rooms that vary from a single bricks thickness to an absurdly thick 20 inches (of brick and stone. Like I said...old house!) 

 

Due to the walls the house kills WIFI. I have cable broadband with download speeds of up to 220mbs if within a few feet of the router. However if you move to the adjoining room (beyond one of the 20 inch walls) you'll be lucky to even pick up the WiFi, not least achieve any respectable download speeds. So I've installed a netgear orbi mesh, with 3 access points in the 'dead zones'. WiFi now works perfectly well, as does the 2 hue hubs I have (1 hub for each floor, every room in the house is equipped with hue).

 

I also have ring door bell and a couple of their cameras that work fine.

 

I've recently shiftes the 5ghz network to the cleanest channel (using a WiFi analytics app), and shift the 2. 4 ghz to second cleanest channel, and set the sonos mesh up to the cleanest channel.

 

I have one neighbour who lives closely. But they often my phone won't even find their WiFi due to the walls! 

 

The boost is hardwired into the main router, as is the sub. 3 subsequent speakers are hardwired to 2 separate APs.

 

But the speakers constantly cut out when playing music. Randomly on occasion, certainly when skipping a track. I've called sonos support who advised I've "done everything" and to try hard wiring more speakers (which I did, hence the number plugged in). This hasn't helped. There's no constants, some speakers are worse than others on different days. But they are all unreliable at different times. Sometimes all the speakers stop and skips to the next track. Sometimes a couple just stop playing for a few seconds.

 

I'm now left questioning if it's time I move to another make of speakers. I love sonos, and appreciate the house is a challenge for WiFi. But I am finding myself just switching off music and/or not even bothering to turn them on now which makes me sad!

 

Having checked the network matrix, it is mostly made up of green, couple of orange. No red. I spent months slowly moving speakers to new locations to eradicate red. I don't want to run cables everywhere and I've exhausted my limited knowledge of networking! I have also rebooted everything several times. Problem is its only sonos that is not working as it should. 

 

I stream Spotify mostly. If anyone could suggest anything to try I'd greatly appreciate it

 

Thanks

 

Tom

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.
Best answer by Corry P

Hi @Goteamtom 

Fair enough.

I think the key will be minimising the multicasts. The PER (Packet Error Rate) between the Boost and some of the speakers concerns me, and that’s mostly to do with interference or poor reception, but getting rid of the multicast flooding may allow the system to cope with the PER we have, or at the very least it will be easier to determine when you have found the best spot for the Boost, i.e. moving the Boost will actually have a positive effect on grouped playback. Wiring more Sonos devices should make the PER less of an issue too.

Right now, the annoying factor is that you have 2 situations which both result in exactly the same symptoms. Clearing one or the other may help, but both need to be resolved before you will be able to group all your rooms together successfully.

Edit: 3 situations, if you count the possible IP conflict for the Play:5.

72 replies

Corry P
Sonos Staff
September 10, 2021

Hi @Goteamtom 

The new diagnostic shows an excessive amount of multicast flooding on the Boost - which is exactly what the switch was supposed to prevent. What model did you purchase please? And please verify that the switch is wired to the main Orbi node and that the Boost is wired to the switch. Thanks.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
GoteamtomAuthor
Trending Lyricist I
September 10, 2021

Hi @Goteamtom 

The new diagnostic shows an excessive amount of multicast flooding on the Boost - which is exactly what the switch was supposed to prevent. What model did you purchase please? And please verify that the switch is wired to the main Orbi node and that the Boost is wired to the switch. Thanks.

Hi

 

I bought a tp link TL-SG1024D. And yes, it is between the Boost and main Orbi node. Any suggestions what next? 

Corry P
Sonos Staff
September 13, 2021

Hi @Goteamtom 

According to TP-Link’s own info page for that product, it is not an IGMP switch:

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/business-networking/unmanaged-switch/tl-sg1024d/#overview

If you need the 24 ports, one such as this would do:

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/business-networking/smart-switch/tl-sg2424/#overview

Please note that I am not recommending that particular unit - it’s just the first one that came up in a search for TP-Link 24 port switches with IGMP.

 

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
GoteamtomAuthor
Trending Lyricist I
September 15, 2021

Hi @Goteamtom 

According to TP-Link’s own info page for that product, it is not an IGMP switch:

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/business-networking/unmanaged-switch/tl-sg1024d/#overview

If you need the 24 ports, one such as this would do:

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/business-networking/smart-switch/tl-sg2424/#overview

Please note that I am not recommending that particular unit - it’s just the first one that came up in a search for TP-Link 24 port switches with IGMP.

 

Darn. Was an old one I had and thought it was. The switch you didn't recommend arrived yesterday, I've set it up this morn and will leave it until tomorrow to test it. I'll update tomorrow..

 

Thanks for your help so far

GoteamtomAuthor
Trending Lyricist I
September 16, 2021

Hi @Goteamtom 

According to TP-Link’s own info page for that product, it is not an IGMP switch:

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/business-networking/unmanaged-switch/tl-sg1024d/#overview

If you need the 24 ports, one such as this would do:

https://www.tp-link.com/uk/business-networking/smart-switch/tl-sg2424/#overview

Please note that I am not recommending that particular unit - it’s just the first one that came up in a search for TP-Link 24 port switches with IGMP.

 

All set up as per previous instructions. The most recent diagnostics code

1425467908

 

The dining room speaker still hasn't returned to the app, which is frustrsting

 

I've also uploaded the most recent matrix which is looking good

 

The speakers haven't dramatically improved  with some still dropping out, particularly after skipping songs

Corry P
Sonos Staff
September 16, 2021

Hi @Goteamtom 

I’m still seeing multicast flooding at the Boost, which really shouldn’t be happening with an IGMP switch installed. Most strange. I highly recommend you investigate what the source of the multicast flooding is. Whatever is causing the multicast flooding is also causing increased WiFi utilisation and therefore interference, and this became evident in the diagnostics between 6 and 7 minutes before the diagnostic was submitted - WiFi utilisation went from 15-20% to 45-50% in those 6 to 7 minutes, and multicasting went from none to tens of thousands of packets in the same period. If you can find out what happened 7 minutes before you submitted the diagnostic, then you’ve found out what’s causing the majority of the problems. I am puzzled by the lack of improvement that came with the addition of the switch, however - please stay aware of your refund period just in case you need to return it.

In addition, I’m still seeing transmission fails from the Boost to Penelope’s Bedroom, Study, Garage and Piano Room - I don’t recommend putting any of these rooms in charge of a group.

If you test with a smaller group, or even the rooms I listed above on their own, is there improvement? If you do have to group all rooms, I recommend putting the Living Room in charge.

I suspect you won’t see any real improvement with large groups until more than one Sonos device is wired to ethernet (with the second not being in the same location as the Boost) and interference is reduced. Are you able to relocate the Boost completely?

Finally, as the Play:5 is still missing (and I assume rebooting it doesn’t help) you could try a factory reset of it, then add it back on. If you’ve already tried this before, trying again will not help.

I hope this helps.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
ratty
September 16, 2021

I’m still seeing multicast flooding at the Boost, which really shouldn’t be happening with an IGMP switch installed.

Does the diag not show the source IP? Otherwise the OP could have to Wireshark it. (I once had a NAS which went rogue, spitting out SSDP repeatedly which in turn provoked a flurry of responses.)

 

Corry P
Sonos Staff
September 16, 2021

Hi @ratty 

Does the diag not show the source IP? Otherwise the OP could have to Wireshark it. (I once had a NAS which went rogue, spitting out SSDP repeatedly which in turn provoked a flurry of responses.)

 

Unfortunately not, or, if it does, I don’t know where. I think WireShark might be the way to go.

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein
GoteamtomAuthor
Trending Lyricist I
September 16, 2021

OK..so my (tremendously non technical) interpretation below.. Please correct if I'm wrong

 

Essentially I need to hardwire a couple more speakers. I can do this. This should should help the  grouping

 

Notwithstanding the hard wiring, something on the network is not behaving and causing undue traffic and WiFi. In layman terms, is this correct? Or at least based upon the diagnosis? 

 

Assuming this is the case, I then need to identify the culprit and can do this using  'wireshark'? Again, I assume I can do this.. 

 

And if rebooting the play 5 does not work, do I assume it is simply knackered with no bearing on other issues? Seems unfortunate, its barely 18 months old.. 

 

If I'm missing something or have got something wrong could toy please explain to me like I'm an 8 year old? Always find those sort of explanations easiest.. 

 

Thanks once again

Corry P
Sonos Staff
September 16, 2021

Hi @Goteamtom 

No corrections needed - give yourself some credit! :) I’ll add some details for you:

Essentially I need to hardwire a couple more speakers. I can do this. This should should help the  grouping

Yes. Currently, the speaker (Piano Room) which is in charge of the group is having to broadcast the stream back to the Boost, which is then having to send it on to all Sonos locations simultaneously. This is using more bandwidth than is available in that environment, or taking so many retries to send failed packets that this then goes above the available bandwidth. Adding more wired components will redirect some of that traffic, reducing the amount of WiFi traffic between the speakers and that any one wired unit has to wirelessly transmit. To maximise the effect, I’d recommend always starting a group with a unit that’s wired and adding the rest to it.

Notwithstanding the hard wiring, something on the network is not behaving and causing undue traffic and WiFi. In layman terms, is this correct? Or at least based upon the diagnosis? 

Yes, though I don’t understand why the addition of an IGMP switch didn’t help with this. There are three ways of sending packets on a network: unicast to one destination, broadcast to all destinations and multicast to multiple but specific destinations. Something on the network is sending a lot of multicasts to the Boost, and receiving these (even if it decides to ignore them) uses up bandwidth that the Boost would rather do something else with.

Assuming this is the case, I then need to identify the culprit and can do this using  'wireshark'? Again, I assume I can do this.. 

Yes. Though I’m not exactly sure how, as I’ve never used WireShark personally. Or similar programs.

And if rebooting the play 5 does not work, do I assume it is simply knackered with no bearing on other issues? Seems unfortunate, its barely 18 months old.. 

I would not write-off the Play:5 just yet. The last diagnostic that showed the Play:5 didn’t indicate any issue, so in all likelihood it’s fine but is being blocked: it could be an IP conflict - have you tried assigning static IPs to your Sonos devices? You can find some instructions here: https://kb.netgear.com/25722/How-do-I-reserve-an-IP-address-on-my-NETGEAR-router. Note that the static addresses used should be outside of the range that the DHCP server (a function of the router) pools from. For example, change the DHCP range from 50 to 254, and use the range 2 to 49 for static IPs. Here’s a page on changing the DHCP range: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/How-to-change-the-IP-range/td-p/1805820

A thought - could you please post a photo of your Boost, and what’s near it. Just in case we’re missing something. Thanks.

 

"Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." - Albert Einstein