The new Sonos S2 App Sucks

Yes it’s okay to use SonosNet if your WiFi is perhaps problematic - it’s just a 2.4Ghz only hidden (exclusive) WiFi mesh network where the Sonos products are nodes on that network - it’s just a case that modern WiFi-5 and 6 networks are a lot faster.

The WM (Wireless Mode) is shown currently in the Desktop Apps. It used to be in the S2 App, but it’s not in the current Sonos App. As mentioned modern Sonos products no longer use SonosNet and the Boost has been obsoleted but some things still support it. I don’t use it personally and gave away my Boost a long time ago - but the decision to use it, or not, is entirely upto you. The one link I posted in my earlier post shows you how to easily switch between ‘wired’ (SonosNet) mode and wireless (WiFi) mode. 

Hi @chambolle, you are 100% correct as usual. These instructions are in error …

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/check-if-sonos-is-in-a-wireless-or-wired-setup

… as the wireless mode (WM) is no longer shown under [gear icon] > Manage > About Your System. I suppose we can add that to the list of “things not yet implemented in the new mobile app.”

If you’re keen to follow though on this avenue of exploration, you can use the trusty desktop app. Click the “Help” menu, select “About My Sonos System” and you’ll see “WM: 0” for SonosNet or “WM: 1” for Wireless (what I’ll call “Regular Wi-Fi” mode).

If you are in “WM: 1” you’ll find SNR deeply buried in the new mobile app …

• Tap [gear icon] 
• Under “Create a system” select one of your rooms
• Under “Products” select one of your Sonos devices
• Under “Status” select “Network”
• Under “Connection” you’ll find the SNR

If you are in “WM: 0” the process is different and deeply buried in its own way. I can detail the process for using the so-called “Network Matrix” if you’re game, just let me know.

Now I’m truly confused. I have a triband router; supposedly 2.4G, 5G and 6G connections available. A Netgear raxe290. The Sonos app displays this info. I have assumed it means I have a 5G wi-fi connection. Am I mistaken?

Maybe see Mike Connelly’s guide to SonosNet and the Sonos Matrix… it helps explain most things and the Matrix too - it will save @press250 having to spend time explaining some things here too, perhaps.

https://freetime.mikeconnelly.com/archives/6050

Don’t forget that some Sonos products do not use SonosNet - see below list showing those products that do not use it:

• Roam/Roam SL /Roam 2
• Move/Move 2
• Era 100
• Era 300

Hi @chambolle, I was trying to clear up things rather than confuse things!

From your screen shot, it certainly seems like you are in Wireless mode (WM: 1, what I called “Regular Wi-Fi” mode). Let’s put the SonosNet question aside and simply assume that you are in Wireless mode. In that case, you’ll find the sought-after SNR deeply buried in the new mobile app …

• Tap [gear icon] 
• Under Create a system select one of your rooms
• Under Products select one of your Sonos devices
• Under Status select “Network”
• Under Connection you’ll find the SNR

… you’ll need to repeat the above steps for each room/device. Jot down the SNR figures on a scrap of paper, larger numbers are better, and let us know how they look!

I’m firing up some charcoal and making dinner right now and will try to dive into this later. One thing: I have a pair of early Play1 speakers in one room; a pair of Era 100 speakers in another; a pair of Fives and a SUB in another.

You’ve said SonosNet and the Era100 speakers don’t play together, so I would think I’m not on SonosNet, other than the fact the app seems to say I am.

And to be completely honest, all things being equal it’s not something I’d ever wonder about as long as everything works as I expect it should. Which in a far away land a long time ago — like my home, until late May 2024 — is how things were. It just worked, no questions asked.

If you’re devices are all using SonosNet and you do not have any of the products that do not support SonosNet, as per my last post, (nor intend to get any of those products in the near future) and have no plans to switch your setup to wireless mode to use your WiFi signal, then I recommend going into the Sonos App and removing the local WiFi credentials from your network settings. Set the SonosNet channel in the Sonos App (1, 6 or 11) to the least-used channel in your local environment and be sure to set your routers 2.4Ghz WiFi channel to a completely different ‘fixed’ channel again using the non-overlapping channels (1, 6 or 11).

Also to reduce interference further set the 2.4Ghz band on your router to use a channel-width of 20Mhz only. 

Some users with Zigbee products (Smart lighting, plugs etc.) may find this document helpful too:

Our posts crossed - it’s clear the Era 100s are not using SonosNet, but are connected to your (5Ghz?) WiFi signal (so do not remove the WiFi credentials from the Sonos App). The Play:1’s and Fives will likely be using SonosNet and connected to the Boost you mentioned earlier - so your system is probably partly running on the WiFi and partly running on SonosNet.

Hey @Ken_Griffiths, I admittedly joined this dialog ‘late’ though I’ve just reviewed each post from @chambolle in this topic above. I don’t see anything from @chambolle that would lead me to believe that SonosNet is in play … is there something that I am missing?

Whatever the case, I urge @chambolle not to change anything related to Wi-Fi, SonosNet, and/or networking! The ‘objective’ is reviewing the SNR numbers that would tell us if each Sonos device has solid signal strength … and only after that contemplate any tweaks.

Yes the app upgrade is a nightmare.  I want to throw out all my useless sonos stiff. But they should compensate me first. What a joke