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Question

Era 100 surround setup issue

  • January 11, 2026
  • 7 replies
  • 97 views
R

Hi Sonos Community,

I recently bought a pair of Era 100s to use as surrounds to my Sonos Ray soundbar.

Long story short the Era 100s immediately lose the connection when I add them as surrounds to my Ray, even though the Sonos app gives me a confirmation that it’s all set up.

After trying all the troubleshooting steps I reached out to Sonos support and they told me that this is a known issue caused by my Vodafone Ultra Hub router, and the only solution is to hardwire them together in order to work as surrounds, there is no wireless workaround / solution.

It’s pretty disappointing that I cannot use half of these speakers functionality due to this incompatibility, especially that my router is not specifically listed as incompatible by Sonos.

Anyone else experienced this issue? Any suggestions I can try?

 

Maybe a new router to create a separate network for these speakers..

Any advice would be appreciated :) 

7 replies

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  • nik9669a
  • Senior Virtuoso
  • January 11, 2026

It does sound possible that it’s a Vodafone issue as much as Sonos, if it’s an incompatibility that’s only just come to light. 
 

You only recently bought the Eras, so you could return them and wait for a resolution. Or use different surrounds, or a different wifi as you already noted. 

    Stanley_4
    • Stanley_4
    • Lead Maestro
    • January 11, 2026

    If you can put the Vodafone router in transparent/bridge mode adding a more capable/compatible router would be a good option.

    Hopefully the moderators will see this and get the incompatible hardware list updated.

    https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/incompatible-network-hardware

     

      R
      • Rolcsy
      • Author
      • Contributor I
      • January 11, 2026

      Thanks for the replies.

      Anyone can recommend an alternative router that, based on experience, works with surround setups? 

      R
      • Rolcsy
      • Author
      • Contributor I
      • January 15, 2026

      Update and solution:

      While it's true, the Sonos Ray + 2 Sonos Era 100s cannot be wirelessly set up using Vodafone Ultra Hub Wifi Router alone, there is an easy and convenient workaround.


      The solution is to connect Ray using ethernet cable, instead of WiFi (but leave the WiFi enabled in Sonos app, so that the soundbar can communicate with the surrounds wirelessly). The 2 Era 100s can be set up as wireless surrounds.

      This even works if I connect the Ray to the WiFi extender (which was provided by Vodafone as part of my package, so no additional investment was needed) using ethernet, so I did not need to hardwire my Ray to the Vodafone Ultra Hub itself. The Vodafone provided WiFi extender has an ethernet port and can be placed anywhere (eg right next to the Ray).

      IMHO Vodafone Ultra Hub should be listed as incompatible hardware for wireless surround setups on the Sonos website, with an easy workaround which is to connect the soundbar via ethernet cable and leave the Era’s wireless.

      Hope it helps.

      U
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      • User117655
      • Prodigy I
      • January 15, 2026

      If you can put the Vodafone router in transparent/bridge mode adding a more capable/compatible router would be a good option.

      Hopefully the moderators will see this and get the incompatible hardware list updated.

      https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/incompatible-network-hardware

       

      Just to note this, and most other, Vodafone hub(s) do not have the option to place onto transparent/bridge mode. There are clunky workarounds using additional hardware and turning the Vodafone WiFi/dns off, but Vodafone hubs are generally very locked down. They do not encourage user configuration beyond standard - and in the case of VoIP/digital voice will not allow it full stop...

      (UK).

        C
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        • craigski
        • Local Superstar
        • January 15, 2026

        Long story short the Era 100s immediately lose the connection when I add them as surrounds to my Ray, even though the Sonos app gives me a confirmation that it’s all set up.

        Any advice would be appreciated :) 

        Sorry, a bit late reading this. I know you have a working solution now, but can you expand on when you say Sonos App confirmed they are setup, but you say they ‘lose the connection’?

        Mr. T
        • Mr. T
        • January 15, 2026

        Update and solution:

        While it's true, the Sonos Ray + 2 Sonos Era 100s cannot be wirelessly set up using Vodafone Ultra Hub Wifi Router alone, there is an easy and convenient workaround.


        The solution is to connect Ray using ethernet cable, instead of WiFi (but leave the WiFi enabled in Sonos app, so that the soundbar can communicate with the surrounds wirelessly). The 2 Era 100s can be set up as wireless surrounds.

        This even works if I connect the Ray to the WiFi extender (which was provided by Vodafone as part of my package, so no additional investment was needed) using ethernet, so I did not need to hardwire my Ray to the Vodafone Ultra Hub itself. The Vodafone provided WiFi extender has an ethernet port and can be placed anywhere (eg right next to the Ray).

        IMHO Vodafone Ultra Hub should be listed as incompatible hardware for wireless surround setups on the Sonos website, with an easy workaround which is to connect the soundbar via ethernet cable and leave the Era’s wireless.

        Hope it helps.

        There are numerous threads in this community where that workaround is confirmed. Sonos have however failed to update their incompatible hardware support page with details for the Vodafone Ultra Hub.

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