Sky Q and Sonos problems

Does your primary Sky box include a router? Is the main router's WiFi still active? Where is the Play:1 wired to? 

I believe the SkyQ box creates a “mesh” with the main Sky hub, so yes the hub is an active WiFi.  The Play1 is actually connected to a switch as there is only 2 Ethernet ports on the sky router/hub.  If you leave sonos just on the WiFi (ie not sonosnet) the situation gets worse.  I believe the sonos mesh (sonosnet) is interacting with the sky mesh.

Can we clarify the topology? Do you still have an internet router, as well as the Sky hub? If so, apart from the Sky hub is anything else connected to it? And is that internet router’s WiFi still alive?

Do you know anything about sky?

Sky are the Internet provider, as such they provide the hub/router that connects to the telephone line.  They are also the providers of the TV service through a satellite dish, which is connected to the SkyQ box which provides the TV feed through HDMI to the TV.  In my setup this SkyQ box is connected to the house network by Ethernet.  Sky also provide a “mini” box to connect to a second TV.  The mini box is connected to the SkyQ box by WiFi.  The router/hub, SkyQ and mini box work together as a “mesh” to extend the WiFi coverage.

If you connect one of your Sonos boxes to you network by Ethernet, then Sonos establishes a Sonosnet which connects your sonos devices together rather than use the WiFi.

is this what you mean by topology?

There are no other routers just a switch.

Ratty resides in Scotland (per his profile), so he stands a much better change of knowing things about Sky than many of us.

I had a SkyQ box/mini installed 5 days ago and have experienced several problems with interaction with the Sonos system.

The issue

I have Sonos App on the IMac which sees the whole Sonos system (this took a reinstall of Sonos to get working)

I have Sonos App on IPad (IOS 12.5.1) and on Iphone (IOS 14.3).  Both of these will connect and see the whole Sonos system if I am in the vicinity of the co-located Modem/router/Wifi Hub and cabled Play1 and also if I am close to the Wifi Play 1 which is not close to either Sky box.

However, if I am in the same room as the Sonos 5 (close to Sky mini box) or TV Beam (close to the SkyQ box) then the Sonos App will not connect to the Sonos system.  If I, then move to vicinity of the Modem/router/Wifi Hub it magically finds the Sonos system and connects.

There is clearly a problem with interaction between Sky mesh and Sonos.  The minor irritation is that in order to pair/change inputs/control speakers in rooms from the IOS App I have to walk to another part of the house.

The more major concern is that the Internet maybe (or become) flaky and will produce other conflicts in the future, hence why I want to understand this issue.  There is some anecdotal feedback from family members working from home that they have dropped out of on-line meeting systems since the SkyQ install

The Internet and Sonos predated the installation of Sky Q and had been very stable and reliable.  It is the introduction of SkyQ that has caused the issue

Internet - 

Broadband Provider: Sky 

Modem/router/Wifi Hub: Model SR203

Network 

There is a Cat5 cable serving parts of the house and also the Sky Modem/Router acts as the primary Wifi hub.  It is using channel 11.

There are two switches in the Cat5 cabled network.

My understanding is that SkyQ and Sky mini boxes provide some king of “internet mesh”, so for information

The SkyQ box is physically connected to the network by Ethernet.  I have never installed it on the Wifi (ie I have never given it the Wifi password - it was installed from scratch in its current configuration)

Sky mini box is Wifi, no cable connected - again no Wifi password given, so it is only talking to the SkyQ box.

SkyQ box and Sky mini box are currently 3m apart (through a brick wall)

Sonos - I have tried various permutations, but the current set up is

Play 1 on Ethernet - providing Sonosnet (positioned near Modem/router/Wifi Hub, but actually connected to a netgear switch, rather than the Modem/router/Wifi Hub

The second Play 1 is on Wifi

Sonos 5 on Wifi - positioned 2m from Sky mini box

TV Beam on Wifi - positioned close to SkyQ box

I have moved Sonos to channel 1 and the Sonos devices say WM0 (so using Sonosnet)

This is what I have done

I have limited what I have done to avoid creating issues for my homeworking family.

I have powered down all Sonos devices, rebooted Modem/Router Hub and reconnected the Sonos devices (Ethernet connect Play 1 first).

My Thoughts

I have seen suggestions that you should avoid mixing networks by keep the Sky Mesh, SonosNet and cable connected devices separate

I have moved Sonos system to Sonosnet - it had been purely Wifi before.

I had wanted to keep Sky Q on Ethernet for speed of downloads and Sky mini box on Wifi for the ability to move to several locations/TVs in the house.  I could try moving SkyQ box to a Wifi connection.

Before I do this are there any other thoughts as to what might be going on?

Are the SkyQ TV boxes acting as WiFi hotspots? If so do the problems correlate with the iDevices connecting to them? (The Fing app, amongst others, reveals the current BSSID.)

Right up to the ‘Do you know anything about Sky?' ‘question', I saw nothing saying they were the ISP too.  Having SkyQ in no way means they are also your ISP or router provider.

I don’t know enough about Sky to be definitive about this, but reading other posts they create a “mesh” with the Sly Modem/Router/Hub.  Does this mean they act as a WiFi hotspot?  Will have a look at Fing.

It was a genuine question, not a sarky comment.  I assumed people on here might know about Sonos, but wasn’t sure if they would know about Sky.