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User910341
Contributor I
July 28, 2015

Large home with Multiple access points

  • July 28, 2015
  • 21 replies
  • 15029 views
Sonos was recently modified to allow broadcasting via WIFI without a Bridge or Boost.  This is a great option.  I would suggest a further, related enhancement.  In large homes it is common to have 2 or more access points to provide strong WIFI throughout the house.  The current deployment of Sonos over WIFI works with multiple access points on the same subnet only if you use the same SSID for all access points.

While there are some advantages to using the same SSID for "roaming" it is often found that many phones and laptops do not automatically switch to the stronger signal of the closest access point if they can still get a signal (albeit weak) from the further access point they originally connected to. To address this many of us use different SSIDs (still on same subnet) so users can manually connect to the stronger signal if desired when moving around the house.  

Unfortunately the current Sonos iphone software will not find you system if you change to a different access point with a different SSID even if still on same subnet (although computer software with a wired connection to the same subnet will).

Ideally Sonos software would be modified to allow both control from a different SSID on the same subnet, and the Sonos system itself to span multiple access point on the same subnet whether using the same or different SSIDs.  Currently the work around requires mulitple Bridges or Boosts. Pretty much all other devices on the same subnet can see each other regardless of which access point (SSID) they are attached to, why not enable this for the Sonos system?
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    21 replies

    buzz
    buzz
    Grand Maestro
    July 30, 2015
    User910341,

    Check to make sure that none of your SSID's are "guest" accounts. If this is your issue, you'll need to drop these accounts.

    An easy way to "roam" with iPhones and iPads is to swipe up from the bottom of a screen, briefly disable the WiFi, then continue. As the WiFi starts up again, it will pick the best deal, rather than struggling to retain a connection to a distant access point.
    User910341Author
    Contributor I
    July 30, 2015
    Yes that is an approach. But if you have, for example, 2 access points one in the basement and one in the family room with separate SSIDs (say "Basement" & "Family Room") you can easily see which access point you are connected and change to a different access point if desired. If all access points have same SSID (say "Home") you can't readily tell which you are connected to - an iphone for example will show "Home" regardless of which access point you are connected to.

    We do have guest networks but that is not the issue - I did not put guest network password in phone or laptop so they never select "Guest"..
    Dilis
    Lyricist II
    March 4, 2016
    I agree that this feature needs to be added. Using the same SSID on multiple access points only has disadvantages, unless you are using professional grade equipment with roaming support. Most Sonos users will probably be using consumer access points in which case it is better to used different SSIDs.

    HEOS for instance already has this feature: for each component you can choose to which SSID it has to connect. This allows the user to select the access point, instead of letting the system choose. The system might not always select the best access point if the same SSID is used on all access points.
      ratty
      ratty
      March 4, 2016
      The system might not always select the best access point if the same SSID is used on all access points.
      Each player will choose the strongest.

      It has to be said, though, that in a house with an extended and more complex network it would be advisable to use SonosNet ('BOOST Setup') mode.
      Dilis
      Lyricist II
      March 4, 2016
      The system might not always select the best access point if the same SSID is used on all access points.
      Each player will choose the strongest.


      Agreed, but the strongest isn't always the best access point. Signal strength may also vary over time. And if you want to balance the network by assigning each player to a fixed access point there is no way to do this.

      Using SonosNet has the disadvantage that you loose 1/3 of the available channels for the other access points...
      ratty
      ratty
      March 4, 2016
      Using SonosNet has the disadvantage that you loose 1/3 of the available channels for the other access points...
      My point was that SonosNet is the higher grade solution. Sonos' WiFi mode is essentially an entry level option for new customers. HEOS perhaps has to offer flexibility (if it's to have any chance of working on WiFi at all) since that's all it can use.

      As for SonosNet claiming one of the 3 non-overlapping 2.4GHz channels, yes but in some instances the best solution is actually to have it share bandwidth with WiFi. Besides, you should be able to push some WiFi devices up to 5GHz.
      BCM
      BCM
      March 4, 2016
      The 5 Ghz range isn't that great, though... especially in larger homes. I struggle with the 5 in my family room, but the 2.4 blazes.

      I think two properly placed Boosts will get this job done easily.
      Dilis
      Lyricist II
      March 4, 2016
      If you're deploying multiple access points in large houses, you have to plan channel assignment carefully. Sometimes you can't use certain channels because there is too much interference on them. Throwing in SonosNet messes everything up, and the fact that you can only assign it to channels 1, 6 and 11 doesn't help exactly either.

      If you have a perfectly good WiFi network, you might as well use Sonos on your existing network. So in my opinion it would be useful if you could assign each component to its own SSID.

      As for your 5Ghz comment: yes, it would nice if Sonos would finally support 5GHz, like the rest of the competition...
      Steff83
      Contributor I
      March 15, 2017
      I fully agree with the requestor.
      Also I am suffering from this missing feature.
      Intentionally I am not using just one SSID for the entire house but 2, to be able to easier distinguish which AP my devices are connected to.
      Channel alignment is nowadays done automatically by the access point hardware which also works pretty well if you have proper infrastructure devices in place.
      The only challenge I have, SONOS players want to connect only to one SSID. I have no idea how I can teach them to connect to a different SSID when they are out of range.

      This thread is already a year old. Has anything happened in this area already?
      sebdb66
      Contributor I
      July 6, 2017
      Sonos seem to be telling people that you cant use multiple APs .
      We use Ubiquiti on our our home installs usually with multiple APS around the house as generally large houses and include gardens etc. we use the same ssids as they support roaming.

      Worried though that for one customer they told him to get a Sonos boost even though we have a strong organised Wifi system using Ubiquiti APs on a single SSID. As above they told him Sonos wouldnt work with APs
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