Urgent Feature Request: RSTP

Hello ​@NightSkyWalker, welcome to the Sonos Community!

I’ve marked this thread as a feature request and forwarded it to the appropriate teams for consideration.

Thank you for the post and feedback, it is much appreciated!

Thank you! Just to stress how much urgent this is, yesterday I had a total network fallure due to a loop cused by the subwoofer. RSTP should *really* be the minimum standard for each and *every* consumer device. Let alone premium devices like Sonos’. And, from what I see, this is a common request since years now.

If the managed switches are managed correctly (ie configured), Sonos is not a nightmare.

https://support.sonos.com/en-gb/article/configure-stp-settings-to-work-with-sonos

There will probably be specific guide(s) for particular switch online and how to configure if using Sonos in a wired configuration.

Unfortunatelly they are. Especially on Unifi systems. Especially if you want to have both wired and wireless sonos devices. Even if everything is managed really well.

In my case, I really want to have my home theatre to be wired, while other Sonos to work on WiFi, in order to place them in specific sposts in the house. I read a lot of guidelines (including this one), but no chances. 

This said, I think the bottom line here is that Sonos uses incredibly outdated (and not eve standard) STP (dating back to when Windows XP was brand new, think about it!) even in newer, high end devices. This becomes a big drag for everything else in the network and, in my opinion, is unacetable from a company that puts thier communication focus on their “software quality” and that puts a quite high pricetag on their devices.

So, please: get this sorted out. Quickly. 

Sonos does work on UniFi switches, if the network is correctly configured. There are many guides that can help you, eg:

https://github.com/IngmarStein/unifi-sonos-doc

If you have a correctly configured WiFi, there is no good reason to attach the speakers to network via Ethernet, unless high density in a rack or similar.

Yeah, I get what you mean. Sonos can be a real pain on managed switches without proper RSTP support. It’s crazy that in 2025 they still don’t have it - it would solve so many network loop and discovery issues. I really hope Sonos listens to feedback like this. A simple firmware update adding RSTP would make life so much easier for people running more advanced home networks. You’re definitely not the only one frustrated about it.

Again: read everything. Agian: implemented this one also. Again, no chances. 

And agian: it is not normal that there are so many guides to configure smoething that could work out of the box if only Sonos’ high end devices would be programmed on this millenium standards. Could we just agree on this?

I may add: sure there is a good reason to wire: I have children and I dont want to be, litterally, immersed in WiFi signals when they are enjoing their tv time. Look silly? Maybe. But i feel it is not my fault, since Sonos offers wired alternative (eighter you get it right or you don't offer it, in my opinion). And this could, in future, lead me to reconsider Sonos alltogheter. (Had and hard time to stick to the brand during the recent app-gate).

Thank you. Maybe writing to the new CEO would work? ;)

If you don’t want Wi-Fi in your TV room, then you will need a fully wired setup. Follow the guide here:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/64d25b2ad1525118c018cbb3/t/67d08e530115140fb1f951be/1741721172373/01_TheGuildFieldGuides_SonosNetworkingBestPractices_Nov2024.pdf

You will need to go into another room where there is Wi-Fi coverage to use the Sonos App.

You clearly don’t get the point. Let me sum it up for you:

1. I have WiFi in my house that can reach the TV room, but I don’t want to use it for Sonos home theatre’s devices. 
2. I do have other Sonos device working on WiFi (also because some of them don’t even have Ethernet). 
3. Manage both wired and wireless Sonos devices is a nightmare on any (slightly modern) managed network due to 25 year’s old STP protocol still used by Sonos firmware.
4. This problem would be solved if Sonos decide to update their STP protocol.
5. Thus my request, hereby, to Sonos to get up to their presumed and advertised “eccellent software” standard.
6. Sonos, implement RSTP in a next firmware release. Thank you.